Flensburg - Tonning (27 August 2019)

We had a very wet welcome on our return to Flensburg after over six weeks in the UK. Apparently Flensburg had been having similar weather to the UK over the previous couple of weeks with plenty of rain. We were ready to leave just after midday the next day, Friday 16. Unusually there was some sunshine and a brisk W wind that would help us sail back down the curving fjord. We slowly motored over to a marina to refuel; and then we raised the sails for a 21nm journey of just over four hours, during which we had to thread our way through a few races and many yachts heading towards Flensburg. We only dropped the sails just before the narrow entrance channel to Gelting Mole on the S bank of the fjord just before the open sea.
The harbour is about 2.5km from the main town with just a few facilities, however the town has shops, restaurants etc. Saturday had its fair share of rain.

Swallows sitting out the rain on the adjacent boat and Whileaway

Our route, including the Kiel Canal and River Eider

Early on Sunday we set off early under a leaden sky only to discover that we could not generate full engine power. When I tried to increase the revs past about 1600rpm (we usually cruise around c1800) all that happened was the emission of black smoke without any change in speed. We tried various approaches all to no avail. We recognised  either a propeller or engine problem and with a planned 30nm passage the safest option was to return to port. Having undertaken some simple visual engine checks I could see nothing untoward. The duty Harbour Master was happy to offer a lift out but also mentioned that a colleague was a diver. Having spoken to him, he was able to help on Monday. The result was the discovery that during our long stay in Flensburg small mussels  had covered the prop to a thickness of about 1 cm. Enough to severely inhibit engine speed.
Whilst waiting for the diver we explored further including Birk, the headland to the east of the harbour. A cycle from the harbour, around the long headland and back through Gelting was 25km. This is a lovely natural area with many birds and interesting coastal views.We also visited the decommissioned lighthouse but discovered that we could not climb to the top as there was a wedding booked! The Registrar told us that about 300 weddings a year took place there.

The bride and groom being photographed 

Unspoilt coast

Bird life everywhere

A converted mill, now holiday accommodation

So it was on Tuesday that we made a prompt start just after 0700 and headed N out of the Fjord, then E across some shallows before going S towards the Kieler Forde. The wind was now at least F4, gusting F5 and being SW we were able to sail close hauled all the way. By soon after 1300, having completed 33nm, we were tied up in Laboe Marina.
Laboe is very much a holiday area and on this sunny afternoon there were plenty of visitors walking along the promenade and on the beach.

Laboe has some nice houses from the twentieth century

U boat 995 is now a museum on the beach

The memorial to German submariners lost in WW2              

Laboe is close to a German naval base so it was not a surprise to find a memorial to seamen. U Boat 995 was built in 1943 and surrendered to the British in 1945. At some time after it was transferred to Norway and operated until the 1960s. Subsequently Norway gifted it back to Germany in recognition of renewed friendship.
Laboe is only about 2nm from the Holtenau Lock at the begining of the Nord-Ostsee Kanal (NOK) which we call the Kiel Canal. There are four locks at Holtenau, two big ones for commercial ships and two small ones for leisure craft. Unfortunately the two leisure craft locks have been out of use for about 6 years awaiting major works. The contract for this is only now being let. In addition at the beginning of August, one of the two commercial locks had begun a maintenance programme that would last six weeks. Delays were expected. The HM at Laboe reported that delays of between 2 and 4 hours seemed to be the norm.We decided to start at a reasonably early time and at 0745 we slipped our mooring and headed to the waiting area where about a dozen yachts were idling. We watched some commercial ships go into the free lock and then, after about 25 minutes waiting and to our surprise, the light for small vessels to proceed started flashing and we were in!   

Behind and alongside big ships in the lock

After clearing the lock we headed to a pontoon to buy our permit for transiting the canal and got on our way to Rendsburg. The Canal was relatively quiet, some commercial traffic, a few leisure boats and of course the occasional ferries crossing between the banks.

Quiet and sunny on the Kiel Canal

We were stopping at Rendsburg overnight, 20nm down the Canal. We berthed at the small and friendly Eider Sailing Club, set in a quiet little bay about 25 minutes walk from the centre. It was delightful and at 12 Euro 50 cents a night all in, excellent value.
We have spent time in Rendsburg before so this time we just strolled around the town centre and went to the Edeka supermarket for supplies.

The theatre in Rendsburg

Merchants House, beautifully carved doors

The Sailing Club on a quiet evening

Soon after we left the next morning we rejoined the Canal and passed under the high level railway bridge. After passing over the bridge the trains gradually decline to ground level on a steel viaduct that completes a very large circle around Rendsburg. We travelled this route on our trips to and from Flensburg and you have some very interesting views of the town.
Another feature of the railway bridge is that a transporter bridge hung beneath it for many years. Unfortunately it is currently out of service undergoing a major renovation, so nothing much to see.

The railway bridge

The operational building for the transporter under the bridge

Big ships heading down the Canal

We continued along the canal for another 20nm until we reached a short and narrow spur that took us to the lock at Gieslau. I presented myself and my Kiel permit to the Lock Master and he stamped the latter and said that he would open the lock. I had been expecting (from other sailors reports) to pay but apparently not! We were now in a short length of canal that linked us with the River Eider. However the Eider was also controlled by locks at Lexfahre  and Nordfeld (about 52km apart) and it is only after Nordfeld that the river becomes tidal.

The very peaceful river

Waterlilies float near the edge

Cormorant surveying us from his post

We soon reached Lexfahre and tied up for lunch. We then passed through the lock and continued for a few hours to the first bridge at Pahlhude. We had thought of stopping here for the night but there were no suitable moorings for our breadth of boat. This was not altogether surprising as most of the boats using the Eider are small motor boats or maximum 7m small sailing boats. There was no sign of the Bridge Master so Andrea telephoned him and he said that he would come and open the bridge. Within a few minutes he was walking down the road and on to the bridge.
Eventually we moored at Bargen which had a pontoon for about 15 boats. The HM (and husband) were very friendly and helpful even delivering fresh bread rolls the following morning! It had been a long day in which we had motored 32nm.

Dusk at Bargen

The next morning we gently motored the short 6nm to Sudastapel, a larger village.

Cattle on the levees that enclose the Eider

We were greeted and helped to moor by a very helpful German sailor who was standing in for the Harbour Master on his day off! Sudastapel is an attractive village, full of thatched cottages and smart farm buildings.

Typical street scene in Sudastapel

These storks had a nest on top of a 10 metre concrete pole in a garden!

Looking back at the village from the river

Seeing the two storks was obviously an interesting highlight. The temporary HM said that they had reared two chicks this year but that they had both flown the nest now.
Our plan for the next day was to go from Sudastapel to Frederichstadt.

This was a key journey as we had to pass through the lock at Nordfeld after which the Eider is tidal. Also we needed to be at the lock at Frederichstadt which gave entry to the harbour around HW which was 0846 there. We had phoned the Lock Keeper the day before to advise that we would be coming then. We had about 13 nm to cover but in addition to the lock at Nordfeld we also had to get a road bridge lifted. So we decided to get up soon after 0500 and left around 0535. Apart from still being dark, to our consternation we were greeted by thick fog. Visibility c25 metres! So we navigated through this using the Chart Plotter and trying to spot the buoys and withies (both very infrequent) and avoiding the shallows. We were quite successful as least depth under the keel was around 0.7m. The lock at Nordfeld was 9nm so we were there about 0740. Just before, the sun had begun to poke through and the fog had improved to c50m. But it was a struggle to find the narrow lock entrance in such poor visibility. Andrea rang the Lock Keeper and although we didn't think that he could see us through the fog he said that we could come on in and after about 20 metres I saw the red light at the entrance then the two green lights came on.

The lock at Nordfeld

Amazingly while we were in the lock for about 10 minutes the sun broke through and the fog lifted. So we came out into the tidal river in bright light! After that no problems! Apart from the fog the journey down this river was lovely, if a little shallow at times.

Geese flying along the river banks

A peaceful scene; a withy marks the edge of the channel

A withy - the green tape near the top identifies that it is starboard

After about 13nm we turned sharply to starboard and headed up to the Frederichstadt lock. Once inside the Lock Master called out to me to come up to his operating centre two storeys up as I had to pay for the lock. One fee covered arrival and subsequent departure. I was able to tell him our departure date and time.
Frederichstadt was founded by religious refugees from The Netherlands in 1621. The Dutch architectural style is still evident today with old stepped gable houses and a network of artificial canals. These were essential as Frederichstadt must have been very marshy being on the River Eider’s flood plain. There is also a Danish minority here, the town being lost by Denmark in the 1850 Schleswig-Holstein war.

Classic Dutch style

One of the oldest properties - 1624

Another with a classic door

It was traditional for the trade of the owner to be shown on the building.

Not sure what trade this was!

Unbeknown to us there was also a Dragon Boat Regatta taking place over three days. We watched some of the races which had attracted a variety of teams from the region including we noticed “The Flintstones” and the “Danish Dynamite”!

Plenty of supporters and spectators

Dragon Boat team with drummer beating the strokes!

We left for Tonning at 0800 on Monday morning. Out through the lock with one other motor boat, we turned to starboard and they to port. There is a railway bridge after 1nm and we expected to wait but as we came around the bend it was swinging open for us.

Another quiet morning

We then had a road bridge immediately before Tonning but it too began to open as we approached. We then turned to starboard into the narrow drying harbour. Our entrance was just right at high water. But even so the silting brings the depth down to 2 metres in quite a few places.

The harbour at Tonning at high water

The harbour at low water

Tonning is a small town with many attractive buildings and a friendly community.

Monday is market day in the square

A converted warehouse, now a restaurant

There are many good restaurants and it is clearly popular with tourists.

The Pack Hus where shrimps and other goods were prepared

English Steam Crane from 19th century

My brother arrived from England on our second day at Tonning. He was joining us for a couple of weeks. From here we just had the River Eider out to the North Sea, ending our stay in the Baltic.