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Jumbuck - Baltic Rally - Delivery Cruise Rendsberg to Kiel




The last leg of the delivery did not even see us hoist sails.

It was a 15 mile motor up the top end of the Kiel Canal, starting with zero wind under a hot sun, and ending the canal under a chilly downpour. That was the first real rain, apart from one overnight shower, that we've had since we left Lymington. Sadly only one of four locks at Holtenau was working today, so we joined maybe 30 other yachts circling in the canal (in the pouring rain), until the lock became free.

Well. It's not actually free. For a 10 metre boat the canal and lock fees are €16, so goodness knows what the container ship skipper had to cough up.

Interesting chance, with the majority of waiting yachts being German, to see how they reacted en mass. They seemed to keep bright eyes on each other as they jockeyed closer and closer to the lock mouth, and when the lights changed to say ok, they were off! Fun to watch, especially as the lock is so big. We were almost last in, and there was still plenty of room for 30 more, so not sure why they wanted in so quickly.

Once in these Kiel locks you tie up onto floating wooden pontoons so you need to have your fenders dropped right down to water level. One then has to scurry off the pontoons and up and across to a small kiosk on the far side to pay your dues. Then scurry back before the lock gates open and maybe trap you on the other side. We all exited out into what was now a sunny Kieler Forde, where we hung a hard left and motored for 3 miles up towards the Schilksee Marina.

This marina was constructed for the 1972 Olympic Games and is still hosting the popular annual Kiel Week Regatta. It's got lots of good facilities, the exception being fuel. So before we went in we slipped into the adjacent Strand Marina, and topped up our tank there. Only needed 44 litres which was good considering the motor sailing from Den Helder when winds were light, and the complete length of the canal.

We were followed into Strand Marina by a dark blue German S&S 36 that been one of those rushing to get into the lock. Our fuel dock man had to take time out to call emergency services as one of the two man crew (who I thought was relaxing by lying on the cabin top) had slipped jumping onto those slippery wooden lock pontoons, and actually broken a leg!

We are now moored up on Schilksee guest pontoon, with several other early arrived rally boats. The weathers still changing every 30 minutes. Sun. Rain. Sun. Rain. More rain. You get it. Let's hope tomorrow it will get more settled and allow us (after sorting laundry etc) to choose either walking some coastal paths that stretch away either side of us, or wandering into the local supermarket and restocking the boat.

So we've made it ok to our rally starting point. Only 2000 miles to go circumnavigating the Baltic in six weeks! So far, so good. No big rows. No divorce. The boats a bit lively in the bigger seas, but she's brilliant to sail, her engine runs on the smell of an oily rag, and clearly easy to handle and no slouch.

Much much easier to park than the Hanse 461, and despite the challenges of those box moorings and climbing on and off, much easier for Sue when we come into a regular dock.

So well done Jumbuck.

John


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