Fejø Vesterby

Marina near Vesterby

Last edited 10.11.2022 at 14:36 by NV Charts Team

Latitude

54° 56’ 8” N

Longitude

11° 22’ 22.3” E

Description

With its two small harbours, the largest island in the Småland fairway (which doesn't mean it's big) invites many sailors to stay here for a few days.

NV Cruising Guide

Navigation

The approach is directly from the Staaldyb fairway. Since it is not lit, the night entry requires special care and great navigational diligence.

Berths

The harbour consists of 2 harbour basins, whereby the western part is reserved for the ferry to Kragenæs. The eastern harbour basin is actually reserved for fixed berths, but serves as a fallback option by arrangement when Dybvig is overcrowded.

Surroundings

There are limited utility options in nearby Osterby.

NV Land Guide

The island port of Dybvig is far more popular than the ferry port of Vesterby, from which ferries depart several times a day to Kragenæs on Lolland. Dybvig is cozier and offers more space. By the harbours are also the island's two villages, Østerby and Vesterby.

The island brochure emphasises the attachment of Fejø's inhabitants to the old values and professions, but at the same time regrets that the traditional professions of fruit farmer, fisherman or boat builder are in a bad way. This was quite different at the end of the 19th century, when the harbour was built. Pear barges with shallow draughts built in Fejø were known beyond the borders of the Småland fairway. Their cargo had an equally good reputation. The barges transported fruit from the island's once extensive plantations all the way to Copenhagen. In the meantime, many of the orchards have fallen victim to the power saw and shipbuilding has almost come to a complete standstill. In order to counteract the island's further economic and cultural decline, the islands in the Småland fairway joined together in 1974 to form an island community, which the inhabitants of Fejø helped to found with particular vigour. Since then, grants from Copenhagen have flowed more generously, but the island of 700 still has a sleepy feel to it, which is quite something.

On the way from Dybvig to the village, you pass the old island forge at the entrance to the village. The church, dating from around 1200, the island museum in the basement of the school, the memorial stone to the great storm tide of 1872 (on the north beach) and a few neat half-timbered houses are sights of the island. Fejø is connected to the neighbouring island of Skalø, which is particularly interesting for ornithologists, by a dam (see Skalø). Hotel Landbolyst in Østerby (corner of Heredsvej and Andemosevej) is also a renowned restaurant.