North Koster (Nordkoster)

About This Anchorage

The Koster islands are Sweden's westernmost inhabited islands, sitting just inside the Norwegian border on the North Sea coast. Kosterhavet National Park, established in 2009, was Sweden's first marine national park and protects one of the most biodiverse marine environments in Scandinavia — cold, clear, North Sea-salinity water with kelp forests, cold-water corals, lobster, and rare sea species found nowhere else in Sweden. North Koster (Nordkoster) has a small permanent community of around 250 residents and no cars — only bicycles and boats. Anchoring within the park requires careful chart reading to avoid protected bottom zones, but permitted areas offer good holding on sand and mud. The scenery is raw, windswept granite — classic Bohuslän exposed coast.

Hazards

• !Numerous lobster and crab pots throughout Kosterfjord — navigate carefully, especially at night
• !Kosterhavet NP bottom-protection zones — check current park marine chart before anchoring
• !North Sea swells can enter from W and NW in unsettled conditions
• !Current through Kosterfjord channel can reach 1–2 knots during tide changes
• !Rocky granite throughout — extensive unmarked shoals outside fairway
• !Norwegian border nearby — ensure AIS transponder is on for border traffic

Skipper's Tips

• →Download the Kosterhavet NP marine map before arrival — available on kosterhavets-nationalpark.se
• →Snorkel or dive in the kelp forests off the west side — visibility 8–12m, cold-water marine life is exceptional
• →Nordkoster bikes can be rented at the small harbour — explore the car-free island
• →The cold-water coral reef at Kosterfjord (deepwater) is visible via guided dive boats from Strömstad
• →Approach from Strömstad via Kosterfjorden — the outer west approach has Norwegian traffic separation
• →Evening light on the bare granite is extraordinary — arrival in late afternoon recommended

Nearby Anchorages