Mrzeżyno Harbour

Mrzeżyno harbour was founded — as its own port authority puts it — "for the sake of peace and quiet". In 1457 the townspeople of Trzebiatów, tired of disputes with Gryfice over navigation on the Rega and of an armed clash with Kołobrzeg, which had blocked the port they had been using, dug a new, shorter river channel bypassing Lake Resko Przymorskie with the help of the Białoboki monastery. Today it is a small fishing harbour and marina at the mouth of the Rega: cutters marked MRZ on their hulls, yachts, and two breakwaters you can walk along right up to the harbour entrance lights.

History: Trzebiatów's port

Mrzeżyno — Treptower Deep until 1945 — was for centuries Trzebiatów's window on the sea. The new port was also strongly fortified: remains of old breakwaters uncovered in 1861 show that in its heyday it was two feet longer than the port of Kołobrzeg. In 1712 nine Trzebiatów merchants owned their own ships, and at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries a shipyard here built, among others, the sailing ship Marie Charlotte (1781) and the galleon Atalanta (1802). In the second half of the 19th century severe storms almost completely destroyed the port and the settlement.

The harbour today

After the Second World War the port served mainly fishermen. In 2013–2015 it was thoroughly modernised: 429 m of quays were renovated, and a repair basin with a workshop and slipway, a building for direct fish sales with a cold store and ice machine, and an administration building were added. The marina holds up to 40 yachts, including 30 visitor berths. The entrance is demanding: with winds from Beaufort 3–3.5 it is practically inaccessible to sailors, and sailing boats should not enter at night.

What to see

• The breakwaters — the eastern one about 206 m long and the western one about 328 m, with navigation beacons and lights at their heads.
• The fishing basin with cutters marked MRZ, and the yacht basin.
• The mouth of the Rega — the river current is clearly visible, and the harbour channel freezes only in severe winters.
• The Monument to Poland's Wedding to the Sea — commemorating the first post-war "wedding" ceremony of 17 March 1945, performed by soldiers of the 1st Warsaw Cavalry Brigade.

Tripto tip

The quays and breakwaters are free to visit, and 30–60 minutes is enough for a walk around the harbour. The Mrzeżyno Port Authority office at ul. Portowa 6 is open on weekdays 7:30–15:30. Mrzeżyno lies about 18 km from Kołobrzeg — in stormy weather stay off the breakwaters, as waves can wash over them. Combine the walk with a trip to Trzebiatów, whose merchants founded the port.