can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

Northern Light - Cuxhaven to Hamburg



Wednesday 1st July

08.30 - Set off from Cuxhaven accompanied by customary porridge with honey and milk,
11.30 entered the lock at Brunsbuttel and into the Kiel Canal with the barometer still rising (1042), in bright sunshine and light winds, and commenced the 50 mile passage to Holtenau, and the Baltic Sea

The Kiel canal was fascinating mainly for the enormous variety of vessels, both commercial and pleasure, passing through. We thought of stopping off at Rensberg which is about two thirds of the way along it, but when we got there we were not very impressed, and decided to head for Holtenau and the baltic. 

20.30 - entered the lock at Holtenau, along with some very large commercial ships - we were fortunately allowed out first! You have to pay at the East end of the canal depending on length, in our case about euro 24. I had my usual problems with technology, whilst trying to get the machine to accept my credit card, and crumpled up notes respectively, and then the harbourmaster came up to help me. After another 3 or four minutes of German expletives, including several I recognised (I think from war comics in my youth) - something to do with ’Shallots’ I think, he turned to me and said that I was his guest and he let me into the Baltic for free.

As we left the lock we were treated to an expansive  wave and a smile from him, obviously recognising a fellow victim of modern beurocratic technology!

We then spent the night at the The British Kiel Yacht Club which was disappointing. The entertaining part was berthing, firstly bow-to, which was fine until the crew (mainly James) refused to jump off onto the pontoon because it was too far to jump. We then decided to come in astern which although a bit nerve racking for me seemed to go pretty well.

Off to the bar! -  only to be told that it was not open although there seemed to be lots of army types standing around. We then discovered that due to cost savings, only army personnel were to be served breakfast in the morning, and not visiting yachties. I refrained from entering in to a conversation with the C.O. regarding fixed and variable costs in running a business, and how the marginal cost of providing non military people breakfast was minimal. I spoke to the rather friendly German office manager, who made it clear that there was a pecking order and it was all about entitlement. He also used some of the above mentioned expletives when describing the British Army way of doing things. 

James, whose culinary requirements rank very highly, did a great job in victualling the boat, and ensuring that we never went short. I think in retrospect that he was rather nervous that if I had done it the situation could have been very different (He was right). It was also very useful having Rick on board, not only for his dry and rather gentle wit, but also because between the three of us we has the ability to put the yacht through her paces the next day in the Kieller Forde when we had gusts of 6/7 and a bit of a sea.

James got off this morning (Friday) to fly home for a Speech Day, starting (we think) with a large breakfast at the local Yacht Club.

It was quite interesting that Kiel is still a major German Navy base, and I must remember to watch out for periscopes! - 

PastedGraphic-2.
PastedGraphic-3.
PastedGraphic-4.
PastedGraphic-5.
PastedGraphic-6.
IMG_1467

Previous | Next