Still May 2017–Delfziljs, Holland to Laboe, Germany via Kiel Canal

14th May – Sunday – To Norderney, Riddle of the Sands Territory

The shallow waters between the Frisian Islands and the mainland are only covered by water when the tide is in and navigating these shallow passages must be untaken with considerable care.  If you get it wrong your boat will cease to float and become a spectator attraction for those who calculated correctly, or have a boat with a very shallow draft, until the next high tide. 

These waters were made famous in the book Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers and 1979 film starring a young Michael York and Simon MacCorkindale.

An 0800 start for the 36 mile trip to the Frisian Island of Norderney arriving at 1530.  Being out in the sea once more we saw our first seal for a while.  There was just 2 knots of tide flowing through the shallows and we only had a short wait to catch the correct tide height to continue.  Our 1m draft came in very useful and we still had depth alarms for 1.4 and 1.3m indications, as our alarm is set at 1.5m.  The forecast was a sunny 5 knots, in reality it was a flooky 5-20 knots and poured down on arrival.

Hoisted our German flag for the first time.

The channel is well buoyed but vigilance is key, Mick was constantly checking the instruments to make sure we were at the correct marker.  Then the Withies appeared.

Withies are sticks set into the mud which act as channel markers on approach to Norderney.

A very helpful red tag had been tie wrapped to this one to indicate it as a Port marker!

The charts just say Withies and show no channel as they are moved by the local harbour master when the sands shift and the channels change course.  I think they are still here purely for nostalgic reasons.  Light weight buoys would be much for effective.  But they certainly add to the atmosphere and there aren’t many of them.

More tricky were the buoys leading to Norderney, get this wrong and the locals laugh from the beach.  Tread carefully here it would be very easy to miss the last one if you had not been told, or read it in the pilot book.

Norderney Seafront.

Sailors Info:

Norderney Yacht Haven is a good marina.  Good free power showers and good wifi.  18.60 euros per night.  Pass card with 10 euro deposit.  Electricity is paid for on the pontoon by inserting a coin into the power hook up point.  (Took us ages to find when electricity went off).

Sadly I have no information about the town as we were very tired and the heavens opened, so rain stopped play.  

15th May – Monday – Norderney to Cuxhaven.

The crew was sold a pup today.  The promised early 6:00am start became the 04:30 start, for the 64 miles to Cuxhaven, in the North Sea which took 10.5 hours.

Again we navigated the tricky buoys out of Norderney at sunrise.  After the island the channel was well buoyed all the way.  The hard part of this leg is calculating the tides to arrive at Cuxhaven at slack water.  We both took turns to sleep during the day, as we had been up so early.

Mick serenaded me on his Ukulele during his down time.  In the background of this picture there are dozens of tankers at anchor awaiting instructions or oil price changes before heading for Hamburg or the Kiel Canal.  It was a very calm day and the dolphins came to visit.  This was a tiring trip because of the duration and the amount of traffic, again constant vigilance is required.  We arrived at Cuxhaven just as the tide was about to change and had experience 9.5knots over the ground when the tide was with us. 

On arrival at Cuxhaven you have to spot very small Green or Red markers which indicate whether the berth is free to use or not.  Its a good system but they need to be larger as I told several other boats about them as they passed us during our stay.

On approach to Cuxhaven you see many tiny dots on the shore and its a real puzzle as to what they are.

Turns out that they are lovely wicker deckchairs with sunshades, which can be hired for 1.50 euros per day.  Mick’s was at the marina.

Sailors Info

Cuxhaven has a large sea defence mound along the whole of the sea front and huge flood barriers in the town itself.  Walk down the steps and ‘Follow the Red Brick Road’ into the main shopping street.  Where if you go straight across, it will bring you to Lidl.

Cuxhaven Marina with large cargo visitor in the background.

The marina at Cuxhaven has good facilities, which are operated by an electric card which takes off a prepaid 1 euro for a very short shower.  10 Euros for the card deposit and charge it up, then redeem what is left on departure.  Poor wifi, but we were a long way from the office.  There is also a Real supermarket on Captain Alexander Str, (cross the road bridge and turn right) which also has a variety of chandlers and discount outdoor clothes outlets. The marina is also used by campervans to park, which must bring excellent revenue judging by numbers.

We met a lovely young Dutch couple, Petra and Bram on their steel sailing ship Hafskip and wish them well on their big adventure to South America.   

A seal sunning himself on a jetty, he was there for several hours.

18th May Thursday – Cuxhaven to Kiel Canal

We had to play the waiting game before we set off today.  Experienced skippers in the area had waited until 12:30 the previous day so we were waiting until 13:30, but the wind had been getting stronger all morning and it was a subject of much discussion between ourselves and other crews as to the best plan of action.  The wind died a little and we set off at 13:45.  We had 1 knot of tide against us for the first hour and then the tide took us on a Roly sea picking up to 8.5 knots to take us to the entrance of the Kiel Canal lock at slack water.  There was plenty of heavy traffic too, to keep us on our toes. 

Navigation screen showing traffic in the canal and locks.

On approach to the lock it is difficult to see where to go.  We radioed the control tower and they said to wait in the waiting area, which is marked on the charts and then enter ‘Breakwater 1’ when the lights indicated to proceed.  The red light is just visible above.  The tide means that you tread water at the entrance, which is a weird feeling as the water rushes passed and you go nowhere.

No worries Breakwater 1 has a huge ‘1’ painted on it.  We followed two other yachts and there was one behind us.  The barge had entered first.

View behind us, that was not a small yacht.

The ‘It’s a Knockout’ part of the lock involved the pontoon being very low in the water.  Normally when I jump off the boat its a couple of feet.  It was also hard for Mick to judge the distance as he could not see if from his helming position.  My inbuilt self preservation kicked in as my brain said ‘Don’t Jump’ as it was so high and to far away.  Thank goodness the man from the boat in front took my rope despite his not being properly settled and saved us any embarrassment.  There is no one else to help and the rope rings are near the wall.  Thankfully we knew to put the fenders in the water to at least save the boat from the pontoon.  It is a very stressful event and we were really jangled when we exited the lock.

Then located immediately after the lock is Brunsbuttel marina.  More boat manoeuvring under pressure, as the café punters watch in anticipation of a cock-up.

Brunsbuttel Marina.  There is a small chicane into the marina and a tight turning circle, but we made it.  The lock is in the background.

Sailors Info

We waited for the harbourmaster to collect the dues, only 10 Euro, but no wifi.  The facilities are on the harbourside near the tourist info centre and helpful ‘WC’ signs indicate the path.  Very clean public facility.  Edeka supermarket on the main street.

We walked the length of the main street and then had dinner and collapsed.

The morning after was very misty and we waited for it to clear before proceeding.  Lots of passing traffic to amuse us while munching the muesli.

19th May – Friday – Kiel Canal, Brunsbuttel to Rendsburg

The Kiel canal is 92km long and is marked every half kilometre by a numbered post.

It saves sailors, navy’s and merchant vessels 250 nautical miles (460km) by not going around Denmark.

We stopped for Diesel first thing, and a man popped out of a hut like Mr Benn.  He was very pleasant, but a large ‘Diesel Here’ sign would improve his trade.  Although he does have a literally captive audience.

There are ferries at very regular intervals.

The first 3km are quite industrial but the rest is tree lined on both sides with occasion houses interspersed along the way.

Some of the traffic is impressive.  The width of the canal varies but is generally wide enough for two of these to pass each other plus room for a sport boat at each side.  The book says you should not go to close to the side as the wash from the larger ships could ground you.

Transporter bridge at Rendsburgh (for Iain McD).  There are several 42 metre high bridges.

Rendsburg is 33 miles through the canal.  Turn left at the Lurssen superyacht factory (you cant miss it).  The small fjord into Rendsburg has transit markers (above) for pilotage, which are lined up to navigate the deepest part of the channel.

Rendsburg Yacht Club

Sailors Info

The visitor moorings are difficult to identify in low season.  They are boxes with pillars on the outside of the first pontoon.  We circled several times to make sure.  The boxes are large so make sure you have a loop on the end of your mooring rope.  18 Euros, good facilities 1 euro for a good long shower.  Edeka supermarket signposted from pontoons, there is also an Aldi next door to Edeka.  Good wifi.  There is a market on Saturday but it finishes at 1300 and we missed it.

On Friday night we had the longest storm I can remember 6 hours of heavy rain, thunder and lightening above our heads.  It usually moves on but not this time.  Cleaned the boat beautifully.

On Saturday we had a walk around town as we had been advised to walk the ‘Blue Line’ around the highlights of town from the Tourist Info office.  It was also closed from 1400 on a Saturday as were many of the shops, so we walked the line anyway and made up the history.  Better luck next time.  The town has some good reconstructed buildings which are worth a look.

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Mick under the Lancaster Sign in the town Square 812km from home.

1st May – Sunday – Rendsburg to Laboe via the East Lock

Oh no not again, another nerve jangling lock experience.  But we have done one, this should be the same! Fools!

We set off at 0945 and it took until 1600 to complete 26 miles.  We arrived at the East Lock at 1300 and had to wait until 1430 to enter as one of the locks is out of action until July (it is estimated).  The upside is that passage is free at present, payment is normally made at the East end.

We sat on the pontoon as the boats kept coming, we were rafted 4 deep by 1430.

The wooden pirate ship behind us, hooked the Dan Buoy (life saving device) on the back of our boat as we made our way to the lock.  They had been drinking beer for the hour and a half wait.  Fortunately Mick managed to unhook us and fender them off.  The Dan Buoy was slightly bent but better that than the life raft.

14 yachts, and two cargo ships in the lock.  This time we were rafted to a boat which had to make the leap to shore.  It was still a trial trying to settle the boat with all the commotion.

A relieved captain at the other side of the lock.

The Kieler Forde, which feels very much like the Solent on a busy weekend.

We sailed to Laboe which is only 4 miles from the lock in the Baltic.

Oh I forgot to mention, we are in the Baltic!!!

More about Laboe next time.  Staying here several days to mend the shattered nerves.