Kurztrip Wangerooge / Nordsee - diesmal ohne Wohnmobil, dafür mit Pkw, Schiff, Bahn und Flugzeug

Hello, today we're not in our motorhome, but we're traveling by car, ship, plane, or train. We're off to the North Sea island of Wangerooge. Our journey was about 250 km from the Teutoburg Forest to the North Sea. We were supposed to travel to the island by ferry on the outward journey and by plane on the return journey. Therefore, we had to park the car in the airport parking lot. Then we did our usual suitcase-pulling, checked in our luggage, and off we went to the ferry. As of April 2024, the crossing costs approximately €45 per person plus €5.40 per suitcase. The crossing takes about 50 minutes. It's faster by plane, but since we're traveling with friends, we definitely wanted to treat ourselves to the ferry. Everyone on board, and we've already loaded our luggage. We give the plane a little head start before cruising toward the island. We retracted the landing flaps, and then cast off. The journey takes us past the RV park where we usually stay, and as you can see, it's quite busy despite the poor weather. With much fun on the high seas, the command "Land in sight" comes, and the West Tower is visible on the horizon. The trained personnel on board had no problems with the docking maneuver, and so we now identify the next means of transport. The island railway takes us from the pier to the train station in Wangerooge town. The word "hurry" is a foreign word here, which is clearly demonstrated by the breathtaking speed of the island railway. The West Tower can be seen from far away and is a landmark of the island. Wangerooge is a car-free island. The roads are therefore simple, and there are only electric vehicles, most of which are publicly owned. The poor weather didn't stop us from visiting the beach, and we set off on an exploration tour. The bomb craters from the Second World War are clearly visible. On April 25, two weeks before the end of the war, 500 bombers dropped approximately 6,000 incendiary and high-explosive bombs on the island. The traces of this bombardment still bear today. The forces of nature to which the island is continually exposed exert another destructive force. Every year, wind and water erode the beach on one side, which is then repaired by human hands. On Wangerooge, recent winter storms have almost completely washed away the main beach. Accordingly, almost 80,000 cubic meters of sand were missing. Wangerooge is also called the Seahorse Island. With a little imagination, you can also recognize the origin of the term. Here you can see the island of Mellum. It is not inhabited by humans, but predominantly by birds. Well, we found a fine restaurant right next to the western storm before we made our way back to the city. Zedelius Street is the island's main artery. Here's a little glimpse of Cafe Pudding. It's said to get its name from the loop around the cafe, meaning once around the pudding. From the main beach, there's a lot of boat traffic. This sign serves as an explanation. We had pre-booked a guesthouse on Damenpfad. It's simple and cozy, and above all, affordable. You can post any questions in the comments. We'll answer truthfully. Here we are in front of our trusted fish sandwich vendor, where we can grab a snack or two. Night owls like to stop by at the Kogge. Here, the solo entertainer Bounty wields the scepter and likes to pour fresh barley cold drinks, also known as beer, unless he's wearing the break sign. In that case, it's better to wait a moment before ordering. The train station and rail network are operated by the German Federal Railway and are more punctual. The island planes fly about 5 minutes from Wangerooge to Harle and carry up to eight people per flight. Approximately 90,000 people use their services annually. The costs are about twice as high as the ferry. Off to a last walk on the beach and breathe in the sea air once more. A view from above and enjoy. Change of scene: we're at the island plane check-in area. Boarding is easy – after weighing our suitcases, we get ready for takeoff. And here they come, the twin-engine planes of the FLN airline. We were very impressed and took a closer look at the flight. The somewhat strong wind conditions made it clear to us that the wingspan of the planes differs considerably from that of large holiday planes. It shook quite a bit, but it didn't bother anyone. After five minutes, the fun ends with a perfect landing, and as the advertisement so beautifully puts it: 3:26 p.m., Harle airfield, windy, the haircut is perfect. The pilot was kind enough to take a souvenir photo. Afterward, the familiar clacking of the suitcase wheels began again, and we headed home.