Hafenbune Mommark

Harbour life on the quiet side of Als

Mommark sits on the eastern edge of the island of Als, facing the Little Belt and open Baltic, and Hafenbune Mommark is one of the sturdy harbour markers that define this small marina’s sheltered basin. Around it, pontoons gently rise and fall with the tide, yachts and local fishing boats tug at their lines, and gulls trace slow circles overhead. The old ferry traffic has long since moved elsewhere, leaving the harbour with a calm, almost village‑like rhythm that feels far removed from busier Danish ports. The surrounding landscape is low and green, with fields and hedgerows running almost to the water’s edge. From the harbour edge you look straight out across the Belt, where weather and light shift constantly – steel grey in wind and rain, milky blue on hazy days, and a deep, dazzling turquoise when the sun is high and the air is clear.

Maritime details and working boats

Hafenbune Mommark is part navigation aid, part character piece: a simple, functional structure that reminds you this is still a working haven. Several professional fishing boats use Mommark as their home port, landing their catch just a short step from the pier. Nets, buoys and stacked fish boxes add a quietly industrious note to the otherwise leisurely scene of visiting yachts and holidaymakers. Water depths in the approach and harbour are sufficient for most leisure craft, and the basin is framed by floating jetties, ladders and cleats that make coming alongside straightforward. On windy days you feel the breeze funnel through the masts, rigging humming softly, while the harbour itself remains a reassuringly protected pocket along this otherwise open stretch of coast.

Beach, bathing and simple pleasures

Just beyond the harbour wall lies Mommark’s fine, gently shelving sandy beach, reached in moments from the quayside. Its shallow water and soft sand make it particularly appealing for families, paddlers and anyone happy to spend an unhurried afternoon between sea and shore. In summer the water is dotted with swimmers and children with nets, while beach towels, windbreaks and the occasional palm lend an unexpectedly southern touch. Above the sand you will find grassy patches and benches where you can sit with a book or simply watch boats come and go. The combination of harbour and beach is a defining feature here: you can step from your boat to the water’s edge, or from a seaside walk to an ice cream without ever crossing a road.

Food, ice cream and the taste of the harbour

Close to Hafenbune Mommark, in the heart of the marina, stands a waterside bistro, grill and ice‑cream bar serving casual favourites with a maritime twist. On sunny days tables spill outside, the smell of grilled sausages and fish mingling with salt air from the quay. Simple hot dishes, coffee, cold drinks and generous scoops of Danish ice cream make this an easy place to linger after a swim or a stroll along the pontoons. Local smoked specialities from the marina’s own smoker are a particular highlight, bringing the flavour of the Baltic straight to your plate. Inside, large windows frame the harbour like a moving painting: masts, hulls and the distant line of the horizon forming a constantly shifting backdrop to lunch or an early dinner.

Camping, coastal paths and evening rituals

Behind the marina sits a compact campsite, so tents and campervans share the same sea views as the boats. For walkers, Mommark is a natural starting point for coastal trails that trace the shoreline towards Fynshav and Drejet, with the sea almost always in sight and stretches of unspoilt nature on either side. It is easy to turn a short leg‑stretch into a longer ramble before returning to the harbour. As evening falls, Hafenbune Mommark and the harbour around it take on a softer, almost theatrical mood. The setting sun throws warm light across the water, masts and rigging reflect in the still surface, and on clear nights the first stars appear above the dark line of the opposite shore. At times live music and a distinctive trumpet call from the marina’s multi‑talented host add a personal flourish to the day’s close, underscoring the sense that this is not just a waypoint on the chart, but a small coastal world with its own rituals.