Down to the Baltic Sea

Morning light on Malbork Castle as we set off.

June 15, 2025 – Malbork to Krynica Morska – 99 kms (including a 30 km side trip to near the Russian border) – Willa Łysica

GPS always works, even without cell. So why did Gordon and I suddenly lose the ability to find out where we were on both our phones? Are we too close to Russia? Perhaps, yes.

Today we had a wonderful ride from Malbork to Krynika Morsca, a town located on a long spit of land that stretches out from Gdansk into the Baltic Sea. Halfway down the spit is the Polish border with Russian Kaliningrad. It’s a discontinuous Russian territory, a bit like American Point Roberts near Vancouver, wedged between Poland and Lithuania.

It turns out there has been sporadic GPS jamming and interference in the Baltic Sea since the start of the war with Ukraine. It is suspected that Russia, and perhaps Belarus, are jamming the satellite signals to interfere with marine trade, and or protect Kaliningrad from attacks. It’s a serious and dangerous situation for European marine and air navigation.

Our experience with the jamming only lasted about an hour, but it brought the war in Ukraine a lot closer. I’d be lying if I told you I had no separation anxiety when Gord headed off to cycle up to the Russian border. Thankfully, our GPS is working again and I can track him as he returns. Sigh.

Aside from the GPS issues, our ride today was one of our best and most varied. In the morning we followed an attractive lazy river as it looped through the Vistula delta. But the highlight was the R-10 route here on the spit. It’s a good gravel road that takes a roller coaster route through a beautiful mixed forest. Eventually it leads to a long stretch of car inaccessible beach, and our first sight of the Baltic Sea.