Over 30 bathing sites shut along the Baltic coast

On Saturday 25 July, over 30 seaside bathing sites on Poland's Baltic shoreline were under a red-flag swimming ban. Data from the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate's Bathing Service showed that strong winds, high waves, and dangerous rip currents had forced the closures. The hardest-hit area was the West Pomeranian voivodeship, where approximately 30 open-sea sites were declared off-limits.

West Pomerania bears the brunt

The closed resorts included Międzywodzie, Dziwnów, Trzęsacz, Rewal, Pogorzelica, and Jarosławiec. Lifeguards stressed that a red flag means an absolute prohibition on entering the water, and ignoring the warning can have fatal consequences when rip currents are present.

Hel Peninsula also affected

In the neighbouring Pomeranian voivodeship, several bathing sites on the Hel Peninsula were also closed. Swimming was banned at Kuźnice, Jastarnia, and Jurata for the same rough sea conditions.

Sopot beaches reopen after E. coli closure

There was relief for holidaymakers in the Tri-City area as all bathing sites in Sopot, in Gdańsk Bay, reopened on Saturday morning. The beaches had been shut since Thursday 23 July after routine water quality tests detected Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci bacteria. The Chief Sanitary Inspectorate lifted the ban after fresh samples on Friday confirmed contamination had fallen to safe levels. The reopening covers the entire Sopot shoreline from Kamienny Potok to the Jelitkowo border.

A week of weather-driven closures

The Saturday bans are the latest in a week of frequent interruptions. On Monday 20 July, 15 bathing sites in Pomerania were closed due to high waves, wind, and lightning. By Wednesday 22 July, the number had jumped to over 120 sites across the entire Baltic coast as a low-pressure system brought gales and temperatures around 18 °C, leaving few beachgoers anyway. Thursday saw the start of Sopot's bacteria closure, while Friday kept several sites in Karwia, Chłapowo, and Władysławowo shut for high surf. The rapid changes highlight the need for daily checks.

How to stay safe

Officials urge visitors to consult the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate's online Bathing Service for real-time status updates, as conditions can shift within hours. A red flag signals a total ban on swimming; disregarding it can prove deadly when powerful rip currents and heavy waves combine. Bathing site information is updated continuously throughout the day.