In the village of Ommel
Above Marstal, in the east, you come to the idyllic village of Ommel with thatched houses, small paths and a real village atmosphere. On both sides of the village you will find something really special, because there are two harbors here called Strandby and Kleven.
In the past, large wintering harbors were located in the two harbors, but today only leisure captains and a few fishermen moor here. Strandby also has a real sandy beach and the water only gets deeper slowly. That's why families with children like to come here to spend their free time by the water. There are also places to sit with tables, so it's also ideal for a short break by bike or car. In the pre- or post-season you are almost completely alone here, but in the season it can get quite busy.
The larger of the two harbors is Kleven, which still offers everything for fishermen and sailors today. There are large wooden markers around the water that now mark the shipping lane. In the past, large sailing ships were moored here for the winter, as the location was ideal for protecting against ice and storms. In addition, large piles of stones were installed here to serve as a kind of icebreaker.
Kleven was therefore very important for shipping at the time, for example, 32 cargo ships were moored here in the winter of 1845 alone. A pier was therefore urgently needed to load and unload cargo, and this was completed in 1860.
The harbor was still used regularly until 1961, but today you only find fishermen and smaller boats owned by private skippers here. If you want to stay overnight in Kleven, you will find a simple campsite with a toilet, grill, medical supply store and water connections for the skippers.