After years of covering harbors, boats, and the people who bring the California coastlines to life, I finally took my newly found appreciation for the maritime world across the Atlantic. As the editor of The Log, Southern California’s boating and fishing newspaper, I spend most of my days immersed in stories about marinas, harbormasters, yacht clubs, and sea life from Santa Barbara to San Diego. But recently, I boarded a flight 14 hours away to visit a city whose very heartbeat is tied to the water: Copenhagen, Denmark.
I’ve always believed that harbors tell the true story of a city, and Copenhagen proves that better than almost anywhere in the world. This stunning Scandinavian capital was once a humble 10th-century fishing village called “Havn,” which literally means “harbor.” Today, it stands as a modern, eco-forward maritime metropolis where history and innovation blend seamlessly along the waterfront. The name København translates to “merchant’s harbor,” a fitting nod to the city’s beginnings as a trading hub where fishermen, sailors, and merchants helped shape Northern Europe’s maritime economy.
Copenhagen’s harbor remains its defining feature, with boats, ferries, and kayaks weaving through the canals that lace the city together. The most iconic of these waterways is Nyhavn, a 17th-century canal once filled with wooden ships, warehouses, and sailors’ taverns. Today, it’s lined with colorful townhouses and tall-masted wooden vessels that still sway gently in the harbor breeze. It’s here, among the cobblestones and boat masts, that I posed with a copy of The Log for our next “Log Abroad” feature — proof that the love of boating stretches far beyond California’s shores.
As I explored the city, I was struck by how deeply maritime heritage runs through Copenhagen’s culture. From the historic Royal Danish Navy, established in the early 1500s, to the Holmen Naval Base, once one of Europe’s great shipyards, the city’s connection to the sea is everywhere. Even the modern skyline reflects it. The Copenhagen Opera House, which juts over the harbor like the prow of a ship (if you knock on it, the structure literally makes music), and the Maersk headquarters (home to one of the world’s largest shipping companies), remind visitors that Denmark still sails at the forefront of maritime trade.
One of my favorite stops was the Christiansborg Palace Tower, which rises above the city and offers panoramic views of the harbor, canals, and countless spires that make Copenhagen so distinct. Standing at the top, with the wind whipping through my hair and the harbor stretching out toward the Øresund Strait, I couldn’t help but think about how connected our oceans make us. Whether it’s a fisherman casting a line off Dana Point or a sailor trimming sails in the Baltic Sea, there’s a universal rhythm that unites coastal communities like ours.
Copenhagen also impressed me with its commitment to sustainability — a concept that resonates strongly with boaters here back home. The harbor is so clean that locals swim in it year-round, a testament to Denmark’s dedication to protecting its waterways. Modern developments like Nordhavn, a reimagined harbor district powered largely by renewable energy, show how maritime cities can honor their history while paving the way for a cleaner, greener future.
As I wandered the piers, chatted with locals, and admired the wooden schooners bobbing in the canals, I realized that the maritime spirit I’ve written about for years is universal. Whether in Southern California or Scandinavia, harbors have a way of grounding people; they connect us to adventure, to craftsmanship, and to the vast blue horizon that always calls us back.
I brought The Log to Copenhagen as a little piece of home, but I came back with a renewed appreciation for how wide-reaching the boating community truly is. It’s not just about the vessels. It’s about the stories they carry, the people they connect, and the harbors that feel like home, no matter how far you travel.
So yes, The Log has once again gone international. And if you find yourself wandering through Nyhavn one day, keep an eye out. You might just spot a California girl with a camera, a copy of The Log, and a big smile, standing at the edge of another harbor that feels just like home.
