A trip of three halves today. We set off just before 9am from Burgstaaken in grey murky weather making our way carefully past the moored U-Boat. Okay it was on the shore, but you can never be too careful! The U-Boat is U11 and she is part of a U-Boat …
Derek and Adie have now joined us and, in a change of plan, we decided today to head east. With easterlies forecast later in the week, we decided that we would get as much easting as possible and so headed from Kiel to Burgstaaken (48.6 miles). We set off around …
The marina where we are in Kiel (Durstenbrook marina) was originally built for the 1936 Olympic sailing event. It has almost certainly been extended a bit since, but the signs of its age are there! The sailing in 1936 took place in 4 classes. The O-Jolle was designed specially for …
We have now finally made it to the Baltic. Today’s trip was a relatively short one from Rendsburg to Kiel (24 miles). The final stretches of the canal were broadly similar to yesterday – there isn’t much variation along the Kiel Canal – but it was a little more open …
We did the first section of the Kiel Canal today – Brunsbuttel to Rendsburg (35.5 miles). It is not what would be described as one of the most scenic canals in the world – interesting, but not scenic. It is mainly straight and wooded, so by definition there isn’t much …
Lauwersoog to Brusbuttel – 119.2 miles in 26 hours and 50 minutes. Today’s trip was a passage. Having got a bit behind, we decided to head for the Kiel Canal in a single hit and so set off from Lauwersoog at 10.05am. This was a little earlier than the passage …
A short trip today – just 6.8 miles from Jachthaven Lunegat to the Noordegat Jachthaven at Lauwersoog. The Noordegat is the best placed marina for us to go out tomorrow morning through the Robbengatsluis and into the Waddenzee – finally back into salt water again and with tides! The trip …
Leeuwarden to the Lauwersmeer (Jachthaven Lunegat) – 22.7 miles. By last night there were several other yachts waiting at Leeuwarden for the Drachsterbrug to open and at 8.30am this morning they had started casting off to get round to it. Everyone seemed to be itching to get away from Leeuwarden – …
Found out a new word today – an orrery. With some time to ‘waste’ in Leeuwarden while we wait for the Drachsterbrug to re-open, Anne and I decided to take the train across to Franeker. Franeker is close to Harlingen and on the Van Harinxma canal between Harlingen and Leeuwarden. The …
The lesson learned from our landing in Leeuwarden is learn the language! On the way from Lemmer to Leeuwarden there was a large yellow sign. Our poor translation of the Dutch as we motored past meant that we worked out that something was closed until the 16th May. It turns out …
