Crew was longing for hot and fresh coffee and my son demanded his daily day-starter: Hot milk. Standing in the pantry I fired up OLIVIA´s 3-flamed stove. Returning to the boat, my wife and the Pilot have cleaned up the yacht and transformed her from a spacious sleeping-paradise back into a ship again. In doing so, I bought fantastic smelling, still warm fresh bakery for our first breakfast on board. Short night – long breakfast: Nervous ears on the radio.Īfter having paid for the dinner last evening with my last cash, it was the knocking of the harbour master wanting to collect the demurrage for the night, my first duty was to run into town in search for a vending machine. it was not my watch screaming her get-up melody but my son waking up the whole crew. But I liked it, very much – much more than the crowded street under my window back home.Īnd I will certainly get used to it very fast.Ībout 6.30 a.m. Listening to the sound of the masts, the clinging of the ropes and the splashing of the water distant horns during the night it was an all too unfamiliar soundscape as to find a deep sleep. Well, everyone except me, I guess: I was so excited being here that I barely closed my eyes for longer periods. Silencing everything: Dangerous fog covers all of Kiel Bay area. So everybody found more than enough space and privacy to catch a good night´s sleep. Spacious enough to easily house four persons, we still even had two berths left over.
And to tell after this one first night with four persons: It was quite a successful start. Kiel Canal has been digged out of Dithmarschen´s soil as part of the German Empire´s military buildup leading to World War One – it should enable the Imperial Navy to move their Battleships and other fleet-ships quickly between the two Oceans.īut on this misty Saturday morning it was not a battleship waiting for the lock to open but a fine King´s Cruiser 33 with a crew of four: Having on board both my wife and my son and the Pilot was also a test of OLIVIA´s capabilities as a family cruiser as well. Kiel Canal: Busiest waterway in the world.īeing built under Emperor Wilhelm II from 1886 to 1914 the Kiel Canal has a length of some 100 km from the locks in Kiel Holtenau to the locks in Brunsbüttel, connecting the River Elbe/North Sea with the Baltic Sea. Now day 2 ahead I knew the situation would change completely: The Kiel Canal was no sailing area at all. It was warm, dry and a wonderful start for our venture. Boats are heading for safe mooring due to arriving thick fog.ĭay 1, yesterday, was already a perfect start: We had the best weather one could wish for, slight and steady winds, we were able to do 25 of the 30 miles completely under sail. Despite it being a closely calculated one, it still left enough room for adventure.
#Keil canal professional#
Having planned the whole trip well in advance and with the help of an experienced professional sailor – whom I may call “the Pilot” – made the whole project of transferring this 33-feet sailing yacht within 4 to 5 days to Hamburg a big thing for me and my family. I was so excited about the prospect of this cruising trip.
Bringing SY OLIVIA from her pre-owner´s home port at the Schlei in Northern Germany to where I live – Hamburg – is the first real ever sailing cruise.