As the westerly winds presented unfavorable conditions for outgoing ships, it was not possible to sail under their own power and the shallow water meant that cargo could usually only be loaded in the fishing village of Wieck. For this reason, a path was laid out on the south side of the Ryck, which was used to "trek" or "tow" the ships.
This method was still practised well into the 20th century, as the motorization of shipping in Greifswald had not yet progressed far enough. There were even separate laws and police regulations for towage.
