Tag: boating Germany

There be monsters

Cruising the Mittlelandkaanal from Berlin to the Netherlands means you share the waterways with many barges, some of them with monstrous dimensions. We locked through with one double (two barges tied together and propelled by one pusher) measuring over 200 meters.

When you arrive at a German lock you moor at a location specified for ‘sportboots.’ There’s an intercom to check in with the lock keeper, some of whom speak English. You are letting them know you are there, and waiting for them to tell you to enter. Small boats almost always enter behind larger vessels. If so some reason the larger ship can not stop in time they damage the lock, not you.

The locks on the canals connecting Berlin with the Rhine, and from that river to the Netherlands if you so choose, are huge, are over two hundred meters long and 7+ meters in depth. Most have floating bollards that you can easily loop your line and then sit back, although we keep a eye on things as the water rises or falls.

In locks of this size there is little turbulence, but if a large ship hits the throttle too hard small boats are knocked about. To avoid problems we not only stay tied to the bollards but wait for the large ships to exit the lock before we proceed carefully, attentive to strong currents from the huge props.

I was on the Mississippi River in New Orleans when we came upon an oil tanker. Large waves were coming from it. I assumed it was from the huge ship’s props, but then the smaller boat carrying the port captain, who takes over when the ship is close to docking, sped away. The waves stopped as he disappeared.

On German canals and rivers there are designated moorings for overnight stays. Large ships usually have their own spaces and ‘sportboots’ their own as well. Outside Hanover we stayed in a mooring near grocery stores which allowed both large ships and small boats, so there are exceptions but they are marked.

We have been fortunate weather wise thus far. The early mornings are below 5c/40f but it’s been warming to 15-18c/60-65f in the sunny afternoons.

April 28, 2026
Crossing the Bridge, watercolor painting

Crossing the Bridge, watercolor, 21 x 30 cm/8.3 x 11.7″

Somewhere in Germany along the Rhine or Mittelland Kaanal we walked across this bridge, barge and boat traffic below, ancient structures ahead.

January 11, 2026
Good vibrations: frolicking Berliners

Walking in the parks. Saxophone and singer playing guitar. Boats lined decorated with flags, lots of passengers drinking and dining. Boat parades. Canals lined with cabins and mansions,bathers young and old along the shore. Walking dogs, riding bikes. Drinking beer, eating sausage. A blanket on the ground, reclining, drinking tea and talking with a friend or lover. Maybe both.

Darkness falls and the boats illuminate with strings of lights, bright colors reflecting off the water as the music plays on. A boat with a hot tub slips by. Now a large ship slides through the narrow channel at Insel der Jugend, passing gaggles of cabin topped pontoon boats anchored in the bay. Then a gay pride boat parade.

September 7, 2025
Berlin: water laced, history packed

If you visit Berlin just by land you might miss the extensive network of lakes, rivers and canals in which it is embedded. There are substantial lakes on the western and southeastern sides. Approximately a third of the city is green area, parks, woods, gardens, lakes, rivers and canals. Even so, with more than 75 major attractions, it’s not like you will be twiddling your thumbs- we spent 30 days here some years back and went to a different museum every day and did not finish seeing them all.

A brief look at the last leg journey of Berlin. We started in Toul, France

Berlin has long been an important city, serving as capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg (1417–1701), the German Empire (1701–1918), Weimar Republic (1919–1933), Nazi Germany (1933–1945), and today’s Germany after the reunification of 1990. The Spree runs through its center, taking you past famous and impressive architecture: the Reichstag , the classical Pergamonmuseum, the Palace of Tears, and much modernity built following the devastation of WWII. There are day trip ships galore plying the Spree, as visitors from everywhere love the views in the center as well as the nearby countryside settings.

We sailed past the Pergamonmuseum

Oberbaumbrucke, a symbol of Berlin’s unity, links Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg neighborhoods once divided by the Berlin Wall .

There is much outdoor frolicking in the summer. Where we moored on our second night, across the narrow channel from the Insel der Jugend, some party barges picked up passengers just behind us or slid by with music blaring and beer bottles clinking. One moored behind us long enough to pick up a group of about 30 Americans waiting on the shore with balloons and other party paraphernalia. The others that passed by in the evening hung strings of lights illuminating the passage, revelers singing in their best karaoke voices . Forward of our bow is a bar with a floating hot tub, strings of lights and welcoming indoor lighting flickering on the channel. Across the pedestrian bridge is a restaurant serving local favorites, sausages, fries and Flammkuchen, a thin crusted pizza relative.

Frolicking on a party barge

One evening an excellent saxophonist played with recorded accompaniment on the edge of Treptower Park, the huge green zone bordering the river. Earlier we’d visited the Berlin city history museum, a tall three story structure. The elevator is hidden. To use it you must ask if you want to avoid the winding sparkling white staircase that takes you up the equivalent of two stories per flight due to the very high ceilings. A guard takes you to the elevator and stays with you to the top floor, where you find yourself in the 1200’s. That’s the beginning of Berlin.

The water authorities allocate space for what they call “sportboats.” You have to vacate the moorings every day between 10-11 am. All those who want to spend another night spend an hour or so puttering about. It appears, however, that there is no enforcement, as we were unable to find a spot across from the Palace of Tears despite two efforts. Your boat must have a ship’s radio license and the radio operator must have a radio operator’s license. Neither are very difficult to get. For the latter you must pass a written test. I did mine online with the Royal Yacht Association. The ship’s pilot must be licensed. This is not so easy to get. There is a written and practical test.

Moorings near the Palace of Tears

The Palace of Tears is aptly named for the thousands of families and lovers who parted here after the infrequent visits the East German government allowed. The Palace was the entry point where people passed through customs, their documents carefully scrutinized by stone-faced guards. The tears of mothers, sisters, brothers and lovers flowed as they said their forced good byes. The exhibit in the very space tells this tragic story.

August 29, 2025
Roaring down the Rhine II: Cologne

From Koblenz we turned north, continuing to run with the swift current. However , before we left Cologne we had to haul the boat out of the water. We’d grounded briefly on the way the Cologne (Koln) while attempting to enter a small harbor.. I was able to back us off the shallows with just a bit of scraping so I thought we had escaped with no harm, as there is a skid bar protecting the rudder and prop.. When later I accelerated to higher than normal cruising RPMs there was a loud rapping sound. We were lucky find a mechanic who was able to get us a quick slot at the only crane in the area, normally always booked. As it turned out the rudder needs a new bushing, which we will have to deal with over the winter.

In Cologne there are three boating clubs on the south side. At one we were helped into a berth by two members. From there it’s just 10 minutes or so by bike to the center of town along the river. There is activity everywhere in the pedestrian/biking zones.

Crowds in Cologne enjoying the August evening

Evening frolics along the Rhine in Cologne

Like so much of Germany, Cologne was heavily bombed. Again there is little left of the old center. However the famous Cathedral (Hohe Domkirche zu Köln^[) was spared. It is a long time World Heritage Site and is Germany’s most visited, with some 6 millions each year. It’s 157m/500′ spires are the world’s third tallest. It is a top notch example of Gothic architecture. Construction began in 1248 but not completed until 1880, perhaps setting a record for the slowest project in history. It was to hold the reliquary of the Three Kings of Christian fame. I wonder where the bones were to come from.

Cologne Cathedral with its 157m spires

On the same site Christians built the its first church. It seems likely that the Merovingian King Theudebert spearheaded the works. Another large cathedral on the site finished late in the 9th century. Called the St Peters of the North, it was 95 meters in length. Churches then had relics, which helped attract supplicants. Peter’s staff and chains were the items of choice.

Among the many excellent examples of stained glass

Cologne has a 150 meter tower overlooking the Rhine. It offers great views of the river and its barge traffic as well as the general area.

View from the Tower in Cologne

August 18, 2025
Drawings and more from our boating adventures of 2020

Set to the Oscar Navarro’s gorgeous Noe (Noah). Oscar is from Valencia. He was in the audience when I heard him for the first time.

December 19, 2020
Brandenburg

Brandenburg on the Havel is the capitol of the region of Brandenburg, southwest of Berlin by about 70 km. It was first settled by the Slavic Slavic tribe Stodoranie. In 929 King Henry the Fowler conquered the town. Its earliest written reference dates to 948. There was a Slavic uprising in 983, and remained under Slavic control for nearly two centuries. Circa 1157 under Albert I it became Germanic.

Probably because of its navigable river and business development it joined the Hnaseatic League in 1314. By the late 19th c it had significant industry. Bicycles became an important product as were toys. Toy trains were exported across Europe and the US until the beginning of WW1. The outbreak of hostilities did not end the demand for toy trains, thus Lionel was born.

This comparatively rosey past end with the Nazis. A concentration camp was established In 1933, one of the first. The old gaol was used for the Brandenburg Euthanasia Center. People with mental disorders were murdered, even children.

The Arado Aircraft Company began producing planes in 1935. This factory attracted heavy bombing. The Allies destroyed about 2/3 of the city. Enough remains to lend considerable charm, however.

The Altstädtisches Rathaus (Old Town Hall) is build in the late Gothic brick style with. Here you see a sandstone statue of Roland dating to 1474. The knight is a common feature in northern German towns, starting in the 12th century, then made of wood. The presence of the statue signified that the settlement has been granted town privileges, a coveted legal status that allowed for tax collection.

Rathaus with Roland

There are four watchtowers: Steintorturm and Mühlentorturm (in the New Town), and Rathenower Torturm and Plauer Torturm (in the Old Town).

We drove around on our bikes. Some of the old cobblestone streets make for rough going. The views along the river are very pleasant if not idyllic when the weather cooperates, which mostly it did.

We biked to Cathedral Island, in the historic center of the town, under an occasional drizzle. There you see the Dom St. Peter und Paul (Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul), the oldest building. Construction began in 1166 in the Romanesque style. It became Gothic in style, however, by the time it was finished in the 14th century. The interior is magnificent. The pulpit is intricately carved. The skillfully painted altar piece is in excellent condition. The altar is on a second level, over a large crypt area. The Wagner organ (1725) towers above the main auditorium but at eye level with the high altar, the chorus one level below the organ.

The ornate altar piece

I find this piece below fascinating. This is decoration on the seating for the privileged, close to the altar:

I’d say this would be a neat place to live or at least stay in for a month or two, in summer anyway. It is small, just about 70,000 people, down from 90,000 when the wall fell, when, I figure, residents fled to the west. Although it is small, it is close to Potsdam and Berlin. There seems to be very good public transport.

July 13, 2020
Bülstringen and Wolfsburg, Germany

We continued along the Mittelland kanal to Wolfsburg. A large part of the city was built in 1938 to provide housing for workers at the VW plant, where the Beetle was manufactured. The city’s roots, however, date to the 13th century. In 1302, it was first mentioned as the seat of the the Bartensleben family. There was a residential tower, later fortified and turned into a moated castle . A predecessor was probably the Rothehof tower, built around 1200 . The Neuhaus Castle was built circa 1372 .

The VW plant in Wolfsburg

Today as home to the one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturing plants, it has the highest standard of living in the country. There is a large modern art museum without much art in it when we visited, just two temporary exhibits, both good.

Futher along the canal we came to Bülstringen, a small historic town right on the Mittelland Kanal. It dates from the 1300’s.

The church dates from the 13c. It has a fine baroque interior but the church was closed when we visited. Also there is a large pulpit. Pen, brush and ink.

The baroque church building was added to a Romanesque tower in 1708. The baroque church was probably designed by the Braunschweigian master builder Hermann Korb. The interior is octagonal, an uncommon shape for these structures. The rich furnishings, including a large pulpit altar, date from the time of its creation. There are two bells from the 13th and 14th centuries. The Gothic crucifix is from the 16th century.

Another unusual feature is the semicircular seating arrangement formed by the two-story octoganal wooden galleries. The Romanesque west tower and the baptismal font inside (early 13th century) belong to the oldest part of the church. The bright bell dates from the end of the 13th century.

One of a number of half timber structures in the village.

The village has one hotel and perhaps two or three other businesses. There is a fair amount of traffic passing through but otherwise it’s a sleepy village. You could use for filming scenes of the middle ages.

July 2, 2020
Hanover

From Minden we traveled to Hanover, around 65 kilometers to the east. We can travel with relatively reasonable fuel consumption (about 2.5 liters per hour) at around 12 kilometers per hour, so a trip of this length takes about 6 hours given there are no locks or bridges so no need to stop. We reserved a place at the only marina in town. Fortunately there is bus and tram service within less than a ten minute walk, and the center of town is only 4 kilometers. The next day we set off for the tourist information bureau on our folding bikes.

In the old town centre are Marktkirche (the Church of St. Georgii andt Jacobi, and the Old Town Hall. Also you find the Leibniz House, the Nolte House, and the Beguine Tower. The Kreuz-Church-Quarter area has many narrow streets. The Ballhof Theater was once a sports hall. The Market Hall and the Leine Palace are nearby. The ruined Aegidien Church which is now a monument to the victims of war and violence with a sculpture of a person kneeling. The Marstall Gate leads to the Leine River. This is much of it plus more was on the tourist info walking/biking tour of the city, a 4km route marked by a red line. It took us by the old Rathhaus (City Hall), a gorgeous building. The rear side faces the man made lake with an island on it where people picnicked in the warm sun while we ate on the steps served by another friendly waitress. The mushroom soup was fabulous.

Photos by Peg:

part of the Old Town

Rathaus

Hanover is home to eleven universities and several libraries. August Kestner Museum holds a collection of Etruscan and Egyptian art. It is not of the caliber of the Egyptian museum in Torino nor the British Museum, nor the Etruscan museum in Rome, not by any stretch. The building was erected around the older one damaged in the war. Some good items nonetheless. The Sprengel Museum focuses on German Expressionism and French Modernism. It has a fine collection, including some from well known artists as well as some that should be better known.

Lotte (1928) by Christian Schad 1894-1982

We ended the night with the thin strip of moon shining over the harbor, its lights reflected in the shimmering water. A barge slipped silently past into the darkness as the nearly submerged sun gave its final farewell of the day.

Sketch of the Canal by Moonlight in arylics

June 29, 2020
Minden

Minden dates to the 800’s. It sits about 30 kilometers from Bad Essen through forested areas with the occasional house alongside the canal. There are some small towns along the way too, but none on the canal and most are not visible from the boat. There is a marina in Minden on the river, a drop of many meters in the lock. As we are continuing on the canal, we moored where we saw free moorings on the canal, just after someone left one of the few spaces provided.

The mooring is just 100 meters or so from the aqueduct that takes boat traffic over the Weser River well below. The old town is about a 10 minute bike ride, bike paths most of the way.

Weser River seen from the aqueduct

Boat entering the aqueduct. We moored on the right, the first boat you can see in full..

The Schacht Pumping Station

The downtown area is a mixture of half-timber structures and various versions of modernity. The central shopping zone is pedestrian only and mostly modern.

These five half timber house holds the Minden Museum, closed when Peg took this photo

The ornate pulpit in Minden Cathedral. It was rather dim and we could not enter so you can not see its intricacy very well.

The old town features the Cathedral of St Gorgonius. Minden was founded in the area surrounding the cathedral.Some structures are built in the later Weser Renaissance style and others from the time Minden was still a fortified town. The town hall dates from the 13th Century, surviving a major bombing in World War II.You can still see the octagonal pattern of the town wall on maps.

We climbed the six flights to the upper terrace of the old-town, our legs aching from having spent so many hours on the boat. These are called the Martinitreppe (St. Martin’s steps). Here you find St. Martini dating from 1300, St. Marien, and St Simeon’s church built circa 1300. You will also find the Alte Münze (old mint), the oldest stone building in the Westphalia region. The Schwedenschänke (Swedish tavern) dates from the Swedish occupation during the 30 Years War.

It was Peggy’s birthday so we headed for the biergarten on the river. Schiffmühlen (mill) Gastronomie has beers on tap and your choice of schnitzel on the menu. Vegetarians stay home or just drink beer. You sit just above the river. Across the river children play in the water, far enough away to form an impressionist painting of white and pinkish dots. Couples, groups and singles sit under the shade of the trees. Our waitress speaks English, and apologetic for bringing Peg a sweet wine, not a dry one she asked for. It was a pleasant ending to the day.

Schnitzels at the biergarten.

June 26, 2020