Lake Jamno

Jamno is a shallow lagoon separated from the Baltic by a narrow spit on which the resorts of Mielno, Unieście and Łazy stand. On one side of the road you hear the sea, on the other lie more than 22 km² of calm water with sailing marinas. It is the ninth-largest lake in Poland.

A lagoon that used to be a bay

The lake formed from a former sea bay that was cut off from the Baltic by the spit. It is very shallow: on average just 1.4 m deep, with a maximum depth of 3.9 m. The water level is practically at sea level. It is linked to the Baltic by the Jamieński Nurt, a channel about 700 metres long cut through the spit beyond Unieście.

During storms huge amounts of seawater used to pour into the lake through the channel, up to 25 million m³ a year. That is why automatic storm gates were built here in 2013, and in 2015 a 200-metre breakwater was put up in the sea in front of the channel mouth.

What to see and do

• A sightseeing cruise on the lake; in season boats sail from Mielno.
• Sailing, kayaking and windsurfing: the shallow, sheltered water is good for learning to sail, and there are many marinas along the shore.
• The Jamieński Nurt with its storm gates and the bridge linking Unieście with Łazy. From the bridge you can see the lake, the channel and the dunes on the sea side at once.
• Fishing: bream, zander and eel dominate, and the protected river lamprey also lives in the lake.

Interesting facts

On a map from 1789 the lake appears as Jamundsche See. The Polish name Jamno was officially introduced in 1948, echoing the word "jama", meaning a hollow. Because seawater reaches it through the channel, the sea has a marked influence on the lake's water chemistry. Among the rivers flowing into it is the Dzierżęcinka, which runs through the centre of Koszalin.

Tripto tip

Jamno is best seen from the water or from the spit: in the morning or evening, when the beaches are quieter, walk to the bridge over the Jamieński Nurt between Unieście and Łazy. Cruises and equipment hire run mainly in the summer season, so outside the holidays check what is on before you go. The sea is right next door, so a day at the lake combines easily with the beach in Mielno. Mielno is about 11 km from Koszalin. Allow 2–3 hours for a walk to the channel and a short cruise.