On a hike in 1889 with his friend, Oskar Frenzel (1855–1915), they discovered the secluded fishing village of Ahrenshoop.
There are six villages on the peninsula - Wustrow, Ahrenshoop, Born, Wieck, Prerow and Zingst.
Votive ships can be found in some churches of northern German towns (also in Ahrenshoop, Dierhagen, Wismar and Wolgast).