Cuxhaven
Cuxhaven Hafen · Alte Liebe · Elbe mouth / North Sea gateway
53°52.1'N 08°41.9'E
Depth
4–8m
Bottom
mud
Alarm Radius
75m
Holding
Good
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
75m
75m for the Cuxhaven yacht harbour anchorage in 4–8m. In the outer roads, North Sea swell reaches in NW gales — increase to 100m and ensure good holding. The 3.66m tidal range at Cuxhaven is the largest on the German North Sea coast — plan all passages for tidal assistance.
About This Anchorage
Cuxhaven is Germany's primary North Sea port and the gateway to the Elbe — the point where inland river navigation meets the open North Sea. The Elbe estuary at Cuxhaven is 15km wide; the tidal range is 3.66m (the largest on the entire German coast). The famous Alte Liebe (Old Love) pier has been the departure point for Hamburg-America Line transatlantic voyages since 1855 — one of the most historic maritime landmarks in Germany. Cuxhaven marks the transition between the tidal Elbe and the Wadden Sea: to the west lie the East Frisian Islands; to the east, the lower Elbe runs 100km to Hamburg. The Kugelbake — a navigational lattice beacon marking the precise junction of the Elbe and the North Sea — is Cuxhaven's symbol. Full marina services, chandleries, and crew-change facilities. Elbe Pilots board here for the Hamburg approach.
Protected From
N · NE · E · SE · S · SW · W · NW
Exposed To
None (fully sheltered)
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free (outer roads); marina fee approx €18–28/night depending on LOA
- Permit required
- No
Restrictions: Tidal range 3.66m — largest on German coast; VHF 73 Elbe Traffic; VHF 69 Cuxhaven Port; outer roads: North Sea swell in NW gales; NO anchoring in main Elbe Fahrwasser.
Hazards
- !3.66m tidal range — the largest tidal range on the German coast; plan all passages carefully around HW
- !North Sea swell reaches into the outer roads in NW–N gales — the Elbe estuary is 15km wide at the mouth
- !Strong ebb currents 3–4kt in the main Elbe channel — the Fahrrinne carries extreme commercial traffic
- !Elbe Pilot boats operate at high speed in the approaches — keep clear
- !Wadden Sea navigation warning: west of Cuxhaven, the UNESCO Wattenmeer begins — tidal navigation essential, channels dry at LW
Skipper's Tips
- →The Alte Liebe pier (1854) is Cuxhaven's finest viewpoint — watch container ships and cruise liners heading for Hamburg against the backdrop of the North Sea horizon
- →Cuxhaven is the ideal crew-change port: Cuxhaven Bahnhof has direct trains to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (1.5h) — crew arrives, provisions are loaded, next passage to North Sea or up-Elbe departs on the flood
- →Time the Elbe tidal gate: the flood from Cuxhaven to Hamburg gives a free 3kt push; the ebb from Hamburg gives 3kt free speed to the North Sea — never buck the Elbe tidal stream
- →The Kugelbake (lattice beacon, 1856 design) marks the exact Elbe/North Sea boundary — worth visiting by land for the symbolic significance of this navigational transition point
Facilities
Full port city services: chandleries, marine engineers, sail repair, supermarkets. Cuxhaven Fischmarkt (fish market) at the harbour — fresh North Sea fish daily. Restaurants along the Seebäderkaje waterfront.
Nearest provisions: Cuxhaven Innenstadt / Fischmarkt (10 min walk) (0.5nm)
Best Months & Season
May, June, July, August, September
May–September. Cuxhaven is a year-round operational port, but the North Sea approaches in winter require experienced offshore handling. Summer is vastly preferable for leisure sailing.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
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