Smygehamn

Marina near Smygehamn

Last edited 26.05.2023 at 18:43 by Hartmut Pflughaupt, Ratokker III

Latitude

55° 20’ 16.8” N

Longitude

13° 21’ 23.4” E

Description

Small fishing and pleasure boat harbour at the southernmost tip of Sweden, the Smygehuk.

NV Cruising Guide

Navigation

The approach to the fired harbour is possible by day and night. It takes place in the leading light (2 F.R) with 3°. The fire burns, however, only in the period from August 1 to June 1. Care must be taken of the extensive nets which extend east of the harbour up to 1 nm seaward. West of the harbour is a buoyed anchorage prohibition area (cable).

Strong onshore winds can make approaching the harbour quite difficult or even impossible in corresponding sea states.

Berths

Very limited berthing is available at the yacht moorings (with finger pontoons) on sites marked with green signs. Or you can make arrangements with the fishermen to go alongside them. The water depth is 1.5 - 2m.

Surroundings

Except for a kiosk and a fishmonger there are further supply facilities in the village, which lies about 800m east of the harbour.

Sanitary facilities and a boatyard with slipway are located at the harbour.

STF guest harbour standard

NV Land Guide

Smygehamn near Smygehuk, the southernmost point of Sweden, consisted of only three houses as late as 1657. Already in 1684 the small settlement had become a small village, whose livelihood was initially fishing. Black market and smuggling were added as sources of income in the 19th century. An important role was played by the Kaufmannsspeicher, a warehouse built by merchants from Malmö and Ystadt, in which, as befits smugglers and black marketeers, dark business was conducted mainly at night. Only the merchants' straw men communicated with the captains of the barges and full-rigged ships.

Today, art and craft items are exhibited and sold in the former smugglers' warehouse. Folk music days are also held in the warehouse. The tourist information office is also located there. Here you can also buy the Smygediplom, which shows in black and white that you have been to the southernmost tip of Sweden.

Originally there was a limestone quarry at the site. The harbour was only developed into a proper port in the 1920s after the quarry was abandoned. Between the harbour and the warehouse still stands one of the oldest lime kilns in the north, built in the mid-19th century by the German Hermann Wendt. Other surviving kilns can be seen northeast of Östra Torp church.

The 17-metre-high Smygehuk lighthouse, built in 1883, is no longer in use. The automatic Kullagrund lighthouse has replaced it since 1975. However, you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view from the platform of the lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper's house is a youth hostel today. There are also two Stone Age tombs on Sweden's southernmost headland, the Stora (large) and Lilla (small) burial chambers.

You can buy freshly smoked fish in Smygehamn's pretty harbour, which is lined with red fishing huts. There's a cosy little café at the harbour with sea views. There is also a kiosk. The caravan park next to the harbour attracts additional visitors.