The Nogat is the eastern creek of the Vistula. It is 62 km long, begins its course at the 886.6 km of the Queen of Polish Rivers and flows into the Vistula Lagoon creating a small delta. The width of Nogat varies between 80 and 200 m but the navigable route is about 30 m wide. The slow current and pristine nature of the Żuławy region attract ever more canoers. The current is much different from the Vistula’s and from August on the water surface is sometimes covered with a thick carpet of aquatic vegetation. Dense thickets and beautiful beaches provide picturesque places for resting and camping. The waters of the Nogat irrigate the fertile areas of Żuławy Wiślane and are surrounded by floodbanks along a large section of the river.
Reaching Malbork, you can see the red walls of the medieval castle which belonged to the Teutonic Order – a unique monument of the European Gothic architecture. In the 15th century, the Nogat was connected with the Elbląg river by the Jagiellonian Canal, which is the oldest structure of this kind in Poland. This route is still a waterway shortcut between Gdańsk and Elbląg, as there is no need to enter the waters of the Vistula Lagoon.
NAVIGATION INFORMATION
Depth. The Nogat is a class II navigable waterway and can be divided into two section. The first one, canalised – from the lock in Biała Góra (0.4 km) to the barrage in Michałowo (38 km) – is 1.6 m deep. And the second section – from Michałowo to the mouth of the Nogat to the Vistula Lagoon (62 km) – ensures the draught of up to 1.4 m.
Power lines, bridges, ferries. The lowest power line is suspended at a height of about 12 m, and the lowest bridge is located in Kępki (50.8 km) – the clearance at high water is about 3.3 m.
Vegetation. The slow current of the Nogat favours overgrowing of the water surface. Densely growing Salvinia natans (floating fern) can form thick carpets on the river from August to September. You should sail in the middle of the navigable route to avoid the vegetation getting tangled in the propeller.
Locks. We pass through four locks on the Nogat, namely: Biała Góra, Szonowo, Rakowiec, and Michałowo. All of them have similar dimensions – about 57 m in length and 9.5 m in width. The realistic passage time with only one doors of the gate open is less than five minutes. You can save more time by calling the lock attendant in advance.
Mooring. You can choose between a marina at the Biała Góra lock or three marinas in Malbork. The banks of the Nogat are overgrown with vegetation, however, even there you can find beautiful beaches with mooring and camping spots.
