Experience Esbjerg Harbour and the Wadden Sea

Aboard the cutter E.1

Join us on a trip around the harbour or a seal safari

Jump on board our cutter, E.1, and enjoy Esbjerg harbour from the deck of an old cutter while hearing about Esbjerg’s transformation from an export harbour to an energy metropolis. Or join us on a seal safari and get close to the nature of the Wadden Sea as we set off aboard a genuine Esbjerg cutter from 1931. The Fisheries and Maritime Museum’s cutter, E.1 (the “Claus Sørensen”) gives you an authentic experience of life on board a beautiful wooden vessel. On these trips you get really close to the animals living in the Wadden Sea, as well as the large ships, drilling rigs and offshore turbines in Esbjerg harbour, and hear the whole story told by the talented crew members and educators from the museum.
The cutter is authorised to sail in daylight hours during the summer season from 1 May to 31 October.
In our events calendar you can find details of when the cutter sails and what kinds of trip are on offer.

Check the event calendar for departure times

Seal Safari

Meet Denmark’s biggest predator in the Wadden Sea

There are two kinds of seal in the Danish natural environment. Most of the seals in Denmark are common seals, but you could be lucky to see the grey seal, which, weighing in at an impressive 300 kg, is the biggest predator in Denmark.
A seal safari in the Wadden Sea National Park on board the historical cutter E1 Claus Sørensen is quite special. Here, you can experience these impressive seals from the sea as they lie and relax on Langli sand bank.

On the trip out to the seals you can enjoy the fantastic view over the Wadden Sea – a site on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Adults and children alike can learn about the seals’ biology and behaviour, as an experienced educator from the Fisheries and Maritime Museum tells you about these magnificent animals.

Location: Esbjerg Beach

Duration: 1.5 hours

The cutter is only authorised to sail in daylight hours during the summer season from 1 May to 31 October.

 

Check times of departure and book tickets here

Boat trip around Esbjerg harbour

From cradle to Sustainable Development Goal

Get the story of Esbjerg harbour’s transformation from export harbour to energy metropolis as we cast off on board the E.1 “Claus Sørensen”.

You’re guaranteed to feel the sea breeze as you get close to nature and the gigantic drilling rigs, vessels and offshore wind turbines that can be seen in the harbour – preferably from the sea. We shall see the historic harbour docks and further out, the latest huge expansions of the harbour, where the quay seems to stretch toward the horizon.

Along the way, you will be told the story of Esbjerg harbour’s unique development and its ability to change with the times to accommodate different businesses, activities and opportunities at sea – from agricultural exports via fisheries to offshore business – which forms the basis of the narrative about Esbjerg harbour and the whole town’s foundation and development.

Location: Esbjerg beach

Duration: 2 hours

The cutter is only authorised to sail in daylight hours during the summer season from 1 May to 31 October.

Check times of departure and book tickets here

Where does the cutter leave from?

The berth of E.1 “Claus Sørensen” is on Esbjerg beach next to the museum light ship and is the point of departure for all trips. It is about 1 kilometre by foot from the museum. It is also possible to drive out to the quay via Esbjerg Brygge and park near the ship.

All of our skilled crew members are experienced sailors and have either been to sea as fishermen or merchant seamen. There are always two men on board – a captain and a boatswain, who looks after your comfort and safety on board.
Besides the two crew members, there is space on board for 23 passengers.

The last blue cutter in Esbjerg

The history of the cutter

E.1 "Claus Sørensen" is an original Esbjerg cutter, built in 1931 at Søren Kjeldsen’s Shipyard in Esbjerg. The cutter was originally named E.39 “Godthaab”. In 1958 it changed ownership and was renamed E.39 “Zoar”. In 1978 the Fisheries and Maritime Museum bought the cutter and changed both the name and harbour registration number to E.1 “Claus Sørensen” after one of the most significant founding fathers of Esbjerg’s fishing industry.

The E.1 “Claus Sørensen” is an anchor seine cutter of the classical type, and has actively fished until 1978. It is thus a vestige of Esbjerg’s great fishing boom, when as many as 600 light blue cutters packed the fishing harbour. In 2016 the vessel was designated as worthy of preservation and a living reminder of past culture to be preserved in accordance with good traditional craftsmen’s practice.

Since 1978 the cutter has been part of the Fisheries and Maritime Museum’s narrative about the fishing industry, shipping and life on the Wadden Sea. It replaced the previous E.1, which the museum had obtained in 1971 for teaching, and for trips with pupils. The first craft was a smaller Skagen cutter, S.49 “Dana”, which today has been beached, and can be seen in the museum’s open air exhibition.

Aquarium

View more

Sealarium

View more

Museum

View more