The pier in numbers
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | 398 metres |
| Opened | 1984 |
| Access | All year, free of charge |
| At the end | Diving gondola, excursion boat landing |
| Features | Sun deck, swivel chairs, climbing nets, lighthouse slide |
| From Seestraße 9a | About a 10-minute walk |
That makes it one of the longer piers on the Schleswig-Holstein Baltic coast – and unlike most, it is not simply a walkway but a small leisure deck over the water.
What is on the pier?
Halfway along, the pier widens into a sun deck with swivel chairs you can turn into or away from the wind. It sounds like a detail; on a gusty June afternoon it is the difference between staying and leaving. For children there are climbing nets and a lighthouse slide.
Looking back at the shore you get the whole bay: the marina to the left, the beach running north to Lensterstrand on the right, the low cliffs behind. On a clear day you can make out the coast as far as Travemünde.
The diving gondola: prices and opening hours
At the head of the pier sits the Tauchgondel, in operation since September 2009. It is an enclosed cabin lowered slowly beneath the surface. You stay dry, need no equipment and no experience whatsoever.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Adults | €9.00 |
| Children up to 15 | €6.00 |
| With disability card | €7.00 |
| Family packages | €21.00 – €25.00 depending on number of children |
| People per descent | up to 30 |
| April, May, September, October | Wed–Sat, 10:00–18:00 |
| June to August | Wed–Sat, 10:00–20:00 |
| November to March | Wed–Sat, 11:00–16:00 |
| Suitable from | age 3 |
| Address | Kurpromenade 0, 23743 Grömitz |
Check before you walk outHours and prices can change, and the gondola stays shut in strong wind or swell. A quick look at tauchgondel.de or a call to +49 4562 225130 saves the trip.
What is it actually like down there?
Honest answer: the Baltic is not a coral reef. What you see depends heavily on visibility, which ranges from about a metre to several. After days of onshore wind the water is murkier; after a settled high-pressure spell it is markedly clearer. Expect shoals of small fish, starfish, mussel beds, crabs and jellyfish – spring and autumn are livelier than midsummer.
The whole thing takes around half an hour including the commentary. Children almost always love it; adults tend to be surprised by how quiet it is beneath the surface. It also works as a rainy-day plan – just not in a gale.
The best time of day for the pier
- Early morning: before 8am you have it almost to yourself, with low, soft light.
- Late afternoon to sunset: the best of it. The bay opens to the south and south-west, so in summer the sun sets over the water – visible from the pier with nothing in the way.
- After dark: the illuminated pier seen from the promenade is the classic Grömitz picture.
It is busiest between 2pm and 5pm, especially on rainy days during the German school holidays.
Events on and around the pier
The pier is the stage for much of the Grömitz events calendar. Beats über dem Meer and Sunset Chill bring live music out over the water in summer, and Ostsee in Flammen – the big fireworks night on a Saturday in August – is traditionally fired from the pier. Dates in our article on Grömitz out of season and from the organiser.
Practicalities: getting there, access, weather
From our apartment at Seestraße 9a it is about a ten-minute walk along the promenade. The pier itself is level and step-free, so it works with a wheelchair, walking frame or pushchair – more in our guide to accessible travel in Grömitz.
The pier closes in storm warnings. And one thing first-time visitors underestimate: 398 metres out over open water it is noticeably cooler and windier than on the beach. Bring a jacket, even in July.