Lorenz Wegner-Repke spends most of his time on the water. No wonder—after all, he’s the harbor master in Rerik, works at the sailing school, is currently teaching himself how to wingfoil, and lives on a boat named Helga. A visit with the sail hoisted
“Ready to tack?” calls out Lorenz Wegner-Repke. “Ready!” replies the student, who is on board today and is currently taking her very first sailing lesson. “Sure!” says the second student as well. Lorenz begins the tacking maneuver, and the sail switches sides. They did it! Considering this is their first sailing lesson today, they’re doing quite well, says Lorenz. And he should know: as a sailing instructor, he offers sailing courses all summer long for the Rerik Sailing Club. This includes theory lessons in the club’s nearby building. Afterward, it’s a short 30-meter walk over to the harbor. Take off your shoes, put your cell phone in a protective case, tie an eight-knot in the rope, put on your life jacket, and hop into the boat on the Salzhaff.
After a week, you’ll have learned everything you need for a sailing trip. Anyone can join in, says Lorenz. “As long as you can swim and are reasonably physically fit, you can sail, too.” His youngest guest was just five years old; his oldest fellow sailor was in her seventies. “The conditions for our sailing courses here are ideal: We have good wind, and the water is very shallow. That means it’s pretty warm.” A cormorant spreads its wings, seagulls screech loudly, while the three complete their sail.
Man Overboard
Questions don’t throw Lorenz off track; he remains calm and explains which buoy is best to head for, how to find a distant destination, what the difference is between windward and leeward, and where the water is particularly shallow. He immediately instills confidence in newcomers who are enthusiastic about sailing: Everyone is entrusted with tasks and responsibilities right away. Always moving at two to three knots—that is, five kilometers per hour. How often does someone fall overboard on trips like this? Lorenz estimates: once a year. These days, though, people no longer say “man overboard” but “person overboard.” “Let’s practice that right now!” says Lorenz. A buoy flies out of the boat into the water—and is recovered ten minutes later.
Lorenz’s life has always revolved around water. “In Rerik, as a young boy, you either join the soccer club or the sailing club. For me and my siblings, it was a no-brainer.” They competed in regattas, practiced sailing as a competitive sport, and were constantly around water. At the sailing club, they could borrow boats; the club made a lot possible. “As a boy, I was in Spain for a European championship. And now we also have many people with expertise who help me with my boat.” Today, Lorenz can no longer imagine living in a big city without water. He greatly appreciates this special village atmosphere that Rerik also has.
Cruising on the Salzhaff aboard the Helga
He spends about eight months a year in Rerik, working at the sailing club as a sailing instructor, but also as the harbor master. The cap he wears is one of a kind, because there’s only one job like this in Rerik: it says “harbor master” on it. As a child, he had no idea such a thing even existed. That has since changed: He’s been doing the job since 2023. His daily routine goes like this: First, he walks along the docks to check if any sailors arrived overnight who have questions or need to pay their fees. After that, he teaches classes at the sailing school. Afterward, he has a cup of coffee with guests by the water. In the evening, he makes his final round along the dock, checking to see who has arrived during the day or might need assistance. There are 115 berths in total.
Before taking this job, he studied chemistry in Rostock but “concluded it wasn’t a good fit for him,” then completed an apprenticeship as a nursery gardener, which he also “deemed permanently unsuitable.” Things are different with his job as harbor master. Ten meters as the crow flies from the harbor master’s office lies his own boat, built in 1979, which also serves as his home. It’s called Helga. A few clothes are lying on the bench, there are cabins for sleeping, and a pair of binoculars rests on a dresser. What’s annoying? That there’s no shower and no washing machine, but the club has solutions for that. Not having to pay rent allows him to travel in the winter. In recent years, he’s traveled to Ecuador, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and South Africa, where he pursues his passion for surfing. This is how he experiences freedom and a sense of home, and he’s always happy to return.
Cinnamon crêpes at Ocean Blue, followed by wing foiling
The harbor in Rerik is officially open from April 1 to November 1. During this time, he’s definitely there—and usually for another month before and after. That’s because there’s a lot of work to be done to keep things running here. “For example, as a club, we repair the docks, or—most recently—we refurbished an excavator so we can dredge the harbor to a greater depth.” If you ask Lorenz about the best places in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, he says right away: “Rerik is number one, of course.” But he also likes Rostock and Wismar, and he mentions Kühlungsborn and Nienhagen as well. Many of these places are within sailing range for day trips, even if you don’t have much time as a harbor master. He likes Rerik not only because he grew up there, but also because of the people and the places.
Over at the Oceanblue Watersports surf school, he knows the two people who are looking after the guests and teaching surf lessons today. On the wooden pallets, guests sip Aperol Spritz and gaze out at the lagoon, while a friend of Lorenz’s makes a crêpe with cinnamon and sugar. Lorenz puts on his wetsuit, grabs his board, and steps into the water from the dock. Right now, he’s teaching himself wing foiling. When he’s not out on the water, he recommends Café Sauer & Saftig. The owner focuses mainly on sourdough and bakes the bread herself. During today’s visit, she has her baby—just a few weeks old—in a baby carrier and is still serving cappuccino. She’s proud that her café has been named the best bakery in the county.
At Kalle's Beach Bar, with your feet in the sand
Back on the water. The sailing trip on your own boat takes about an hour, Lorenz watches the waves, checks where the channel is, and turns the wheel so that he always sails between the red and green buoys. Another boat passes by across the way; Lorenz raises his hand in greeting. He’ll be heading back soon—he still wants to go to Kalle’s, a bar on the beach. “They always have live music there in the summer, and they invite great people,” Lorenz explains, his feet in the sand. When asked about the best saying that applies equally to sailing and life, Lorenz says: “At our sailing school, there’s a bold sign that reads: ‘You can’t control the winds, but you can set your sails differently.’ I think that’s ultimately true in life, too! You can’t control what happens—but you can adapt.”
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Oceanblue Watersports
- Am Parkplatz, 18230 Rerik
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