Netherlands again

This week we crossed the border back into the Netherlands, following a route that last traveled 50 years ago on our return from Copenhagen by open boat.

Dortmund- Ems canal, and the link to the Mittelland

Big lock

Small lock

At Haren we turn West onto a small and historic waterway, the Haren-Ruetenburg canal. which will take us across the border into the Netherlands

Bruce hoists a new courtesy flag

A contrast to the major commercial waterways

We cut a path through the duck weed

We have the waterway to ourselves

A modern lock on a restored section of the link waterway

Now in the Dutch waterways we will briefly join the Rhine and then on to the Mass river heading South to Maastricht, Belgium, and France.  Watch this space.

Mighty Mittelland

14th August.
Over the past week we have been making our way Westwards along the 400kms of the Mittelland canal, which cuts across Northern Germany in an almost straight line. Some boaters have described this passage as tedious and boring, we have found it anything but, with friendly boat clubs and small town marinas at the end of a day's run.

The Mittelland Canal 400kms Potsdam to Osnabruck

A serious commercial waterway

We cross high over the Elbe river on the Magdeburg aquaduct

 Wolfsburg, the home of VW and the Autotowers

 
       Like a giant toy, new cars are picked or parked 
                                by a robot

Refreshment stop in Hannover

The 'New Town Hall' Hannover built 1913 was paid for in cash!

Outside the Town hall or 'Rathaus', an archer aims at the office of the Mayor. Could Auckland do with a similar statue?  

  

Hannover's  three 'Nanas' 

 Antiope takes a rest at the Osnabruck Motor Yacht Club

The very hospitable folk at the OMYC made us welcome on a side canal only a few kms diversion from the Mittelland. From here we head North down the Ems -Jade canal to Haren where we turn west and cross into the Netherlands.   

Berlin re-visited

Despite the terrorist dramas across Europe, we felt at ease in Berlin, and were able to show our Kiwi guests around this time with some local knowledge.  We also had time to look deeper into Berlin's turbulent past.

We find a city centre mooring in the shadow of the Reichstag

                                 A classic Berlin bridge carries the U bahn over the Spree river 

We take a balloon ride above the city (on the end of a long wire)

During the Cold War Glienicker Bridge was used to exchange spies, Antiope is moored on the 'Russian' side. The bridge is painted different colours on either side of the old border.

The Bridge of Spies, 'Glienicker Brucke' 

The Wall is preserved in places around Berlin

Checkpoint Charlie. Then and now, 

                                                    The Author poses by a remaining 
                                                            crumbling watch tower 



A more contemplative day was spent at Sachsenhausen concentration camp only a few kms north of Berlin. During the Nazi regime more than 200,000 people were held here, few survived. Followed by the Soviet era when 60,000 political prisoners were also held here.

                                The main camp gate with the ironic motto 'Work will set you free' 

                Barrack markers show where up to 200 prisoners were housed in each block

                                            What remains of the crematorium ovens. 
                                           Here thousands of bodies were disposed of.

         To finish on a brighter note, a lake anchorage at sunset, only 10 kms from the city centre 

Hamburg to Berlin

On a cold, wet, grey June day we left the Kiel canal and headed out onto the Elbe river.
On the plus side, it was calm, as this stretch of river up to Hamburg needs respect.

                                       Elbe locks at Brunsbuttle. We enter tidal waters.

                                                      Hamburg to Berlin, A week long journey

                                            Hamburg skyline, A very busy waterway

50 km up river from Hamburg is Lauenburg, 

A sleepy town on the banks of the Elbe. Here we left the river  

  Our route to Berlin took us up the Elbe, down the Elbe-Seiten canal, and along the Mittelland.
The Sieten canal was built during the cold war, on the Western side of the border to maintain an essential inland waterway route to Hamburg, Huge boat lifts and locks needed to be constructed.

Scharnebeck boat lift

The boat lift at Scharnebeck lifts this 100m by 12 m caisson by 38m 

At the top we look down 38m to the waterway behind us

This lock at Uelzen is 190m long by 12m wide and 23m deep

Wolfsburg, the home of VW 

We stop for the day in Wolfsburg, where 2/3 of the population work for VW, 

Another days run and we cruise into the lakes that surround Berlin, arriving on a rare Sunny day which brought out hundreds of sailors.

We arrive on a busy day on the Berlin Lakes

Berlin, Brandenburg Tor

Berlin will be our base for the next few weeks, before we start the cruise back to France and our winter berth in Corre.

German waters again

Having said goodbye to Sonderburg, our last port in Denmark, we cruised up the long Fiord to Flendsburg, in Germany. The port of Flendsburg has special meaning to me, having read 'The Riddle of the Sands' many years ago. That maritime spy story began here, and the historic seafaring town lived up to the image in my mind.
  

Flendsburg waterfront

Flendsburg. A contrast in boatbuilding

In the waterfront boatyard were restoration projects, alongside an authentic but scaled down 'Man of War' being built.

The current 'Braasch' generation, look after the family Rum business

Flensburg, was once in Demark with a History of bringing Rum from the once Danish Carribean islands. We visit the last remaining family owned rum suppliers in Flendsburg.   

We arrive in Kiel on a windyregatta day.

Our passage back South was to be via the Kiel canal, arriving during Kiel regatta week.

Traffic on the Kiel canal, the busiest man made waterway in the World

Wind farm towers on their way down the canal

Antiope in the shadow of ships entering the locks day and night.

In Brunsbuttle at the Western end of the canal, we join the Elbe river which will take us up through Hamburg and on our way Berlin, once more.