Canals and harbour, Copenhagen

Favorite thing: Should you ever go on a cruise in the Baltics, then the odds are that you will start in Copenhagen.
No city in northern Europe has more cruise ships arrivals than Copenhagen.
The reason why is the combination of a big airport and a big harbour.
During the summer months more than 600 cruise ships dock in Copenhagen harbour.

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Favorite thing: Even before I set foot in Copenhagen, I was longing to arrive in Nyhavn. The colourful houses, the weather beaten details of houses and boats, wood, brass, reflections on the water, and so much more, made me wish to arrive as fast as I could to Nyhavn along with my camera. The day we visited weather conditions (freezing cold!) and light weren't the best for shooting; neverthless, I enjoyed my time there with my camera a lot.

Nyhavn is home to some 17th century colourful houses situated along the waterfront lined with old wooden ships and vessels.

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Favorite thing: I am always on the lookout for lighthouses or the rarer lightships. I saw two in Copenhagen. The first (photos 1 and 2) was one that was across from the Little Mermaid. The lights were displayed from a lantern atop the mainmast.

Fondest memory: This peripatetic lightship dates from1877 but is no longer active as she was decommissioned 1972. The 103 ft wooden lightship with light tower amidships, is painted red with white trim and a white horizontal stripe. This Danish vessel is said to be the world's oldest surviving lightship. During its long career it served many stations around the Danish coastline. Moored near Tower Bridge in London, it was converted into a restaurant in 2005. In February 2008 ir was moored at the Sun Pier in Chatham, on the Medway. On 10 May 2008, the ship was spotted under tow through the Kiel Canal in Germany, on its way back to the Baltic. By July the ship was in København, moored in the Refshaleøen neighborhood, where I saw in in June 2009

Photos 3 and 5 are of the Fyrskib No. XI (Lightship No. 11). It is now a private residence moored on the Frederiksholm Canal in Copenhagen, very near the Christiansborg Slot (Castle) which houses many of the Denmark government offices. The ship from 1878 was decommissioned in 1977. This ship was never powered (i.e. it was towed onto the site and anchored). It served from 1919 to 1977 on the Drogden station. In 1977 it was sold to an artist, Bo Bonfils, who built additional superstructure to serve as a residence and studio. The current owner, Stig Romain Andresen, bought the ship in 2005.

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Favorite thing: Under construction

Stubben (Frihavn Nordmole)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); green flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted green. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a good satellite view. Located at the end of a short breakwater on the north side of the northern entrance to København. Site open, tower closed.

* Kronløbsbassin
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); continuous green light. 4.5 m (15 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern, painted green.

Fondest memory: Frihavn Sydmole
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); red flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the long breakwater extending from the north side of the island of Trekroner. Site and tower closed.

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Favorite thing: I love the atmosphere of Christianshavn with its well-maintained waterways and the many vessels that ply them. Wouldn't it be nifty to live in one of Copenhagen's houseboats? Okay, I 'd want it to be one of the larger ones, with all the mod cons.

Favorite thing: Nyhavn - or New Harbour, is an area in the center of Copenhagen. It sticks out from the rest because of the colors of the houses. They are all of different colors like yellow, blue or red. It is a great place for having a bite to eat or a few drinks.

Favorite thing: From the Copenhagen port you can go every day on almost cruiser like ships to other big harbour cities in Scandinavia as as well to Germany and Russia.

Distances in nautical miles from:
Oslo 272
Bergen 455
Stavanger 367
Rønne 90
Rostock 110
Visby 281
Riga 466
Helsinki 513
St. Petersborg 680
Stockholm 373

Favorite thing: Nyhavn is still in active use as a port. Have a cold draught beer in front of the pretty old houses by the waterfront, or try some of the high quality restaurants along the harbor. Nyhavn is particularly pleasant on a warm sunny day, and it is only a short walk from the main pedestrian streets and Kongens Nytorv.