Monday 24th June 2013 Bramsche to Bad Essen.

Modern crane unloading at KP33 MLK

Grey clouds but no rain until we stopped, then just drizzle. Set off at 10.10 am with

the generator running so I could do a pile of ironing. Nothing much moving on the MLK as it was Monday. Both banks of the canal were lined with trees and where there were gaps on the right we could see glimpses of wide fields leading to the low forested hills of the Wiehengebirge. We were overtaken by a couple of cruisers and a Danish motor-sailer went past in the opposite direction. Just a couple of loaded commercials went past in the opposite direction while I was working indoors. 

Old crane unloading at KP55 MLK

After lunch a succession of loaded boats went past, starting with Inspe IV from Rijswijk 1500 tonnes at KP46.5. At KP47 we were overtaken as we went under bridge 44 by an empty called Morgenstern (80m 1,089 tonnes) who we’d passed earlier, tied up and loading his car back on board with his crane. Just beyond the bridge they’d made moorings in a winding hole, half for commercials and half for sport boats – a cruiser was moored there. At KP47.5 a loaded boat went past called Geertje (63m 800 tonnes) now Polish flagged from Kostrzyn (with a name like Geertje it must have belonged to a Dutchman who had traded up to a bigger boat). Paused for a few minutes to take the plate out in a layby mooring at Laar. At KP54.5 Bondar (67m 800 tonnes) overtook us, Polish from Wroclaw (pronounced Vrotswav). Weser (82m x 9.2m 1,358 tonnes) was unloading at a silo quay at KP55. 

Double overtaking! 

The driver of the ancient crane paused to take photos of us, so we returned the favour and took photos of him and his crane. A kilometre further on loaded Dutch boat Avance (70m 853 tonnes) went past and a further kilometre on loaded tanker Kraichgrau 3 (86m 1,137 tonnes) went past as we went under the railway bridge at Stirpe. Behind us we could see Snail was being overtaken by loaded boat Gratias and an empty called Weserland was getting ready to overtake the loaded boat. Took some photos of the situation behind us as loaded boat Hoop op Zegen (80m x 1,428 tonnes) went past us. 

Moored at Bad Essen

A few minutes later the empty, Weserland from Ibbenbüren (79.4m x 1,086 tonnes), overtook us followed by the loaded Dutch boat Gratias from Katwijk Aan Zee (86m x 9.5m 1,445 tonnes) which went past very gently with hardly a ripple. As we went under bridge 61 Mike moved over left looking for the mooring place on the left hand side while looking at a yacht which was moored on the right bank by an old silo (no notices to say that this was a mooring) as loaded boat BM5251 (used to be Polish BM = Bromberg and registration number, but now had Berlin and a German flag on the stern) went past us on the wrong side followed by a WSA workboat and tug. Tied up further down the quay at KP61.5 in Bad Essen at 3.00 pm in front of a German cruiser called Spats II. We backed up so our stern was next to his bows to leave enough room for the Snail in front of us. We filled the available mooring space for sport boats while behind us was a kilometre of mooring exclusively for commercials.

Saturday 22nd June 2013 Ibbenbüren to Bramsche. 27.5 kms no locks

Shunting engine opposite moorings in Stichkanal

Grey clouds sunny spells, breezy. Set off at 10.05 as the Dutch boat behind us also set off and overtook before we reached the end of the stichkanal. The boat that arrived the night before singled out into the space between the two cruisers in front of the Snail. Behind us was one of the boats that loaded up the day before, called Silke. Nothing moving on the Mitteland as we came out of the arm. It’s the weekend won’t be much about. Famous last words. An empty called Castor overtook us within ten minutes. 

Castor pumping his ballast tank or bilges

He was pumping his bilges and/or ballast tanks and the wind was whipping the column of water into spray, which fell like rain on our boat as it passed us. A cruiser (the first of quite a few) went past in the opposite direction by bridge 9 followed by a loaded tankership called Inka. At Steinbeck the locals were setting up for a fete day and waved to us, inviting us to stop. Another loaded boat went past, Joel, leaving hardly a ripple. Sempachersee a loaded Swiss tankership from Basel went by at KP13. At KP13.7 Jolanda, another loaded boat, a Dutchman from Maasbracht went by with hardly any wash. It was quiet for a couple of kilometres then at KP17 an empty tankership called Dettma Tank 50 from Bremer went past. At KP18 a Czech boat, Athena from Decin, went by with a lovely sounding slow running old engine as our neighbours from the night before overtook us again. 

A hungry hitch-hiker.

Mike had spotted their boat in the yachthafen at Recke where they must have called in for water. The skipper asked if he could take photos as he went by. OK. A pan (63m x 9m) went past, filled with a thousand tonnes of sand with the interesting name of ZF 902 that was being pushed by tug Fabrico 4 from Wroclaw (Polish). Today the wagtails that landed on the boat must have been hungry as they searched the planks, ladders and chimneys for insects. Tankership Hannah-Luisa from Hamburg (last seen Wednesday am at the start of the canal) went past again at KP23. Quiet again for a while, then at KP27 Hartenfels from Hamburg went past. At hafen Achmer (KP28.5) a Polish boat called Bondar from Wroclaw was waiting to load at the silo quay while loaded Dutch boat Pi-Ja (638 tonnes) was moored before the scrap berth. We passed another thousand tonnes of sand being carried by Wilka from Magdeburg under the railway bridge (23), then went under the floodgate Sperrtor 2, painted blue plus graffiti. Beyond the floodgate protecting the little river Hase from the canal, which went under the canal a little further on, there were loads of moored workboats loaded with stone. The canal water for the last few kilometres had been murky and muddy looking and the edges had new erosion protection edges of piles of stone. Beyond the workboats was a floating dry dock before the very wide junction with the 7 kms long dead end canal to Osnabrück. 

Moored near Bramsche. MLK

On the left bank there were more workboats moored, then a WSP base and one of their inspection launches. Loaded boat Spree from D-Berlin started overtaking us as loaded boats Einigheit and Elbia went past in the opposite direction. All the rear and side wheelhouse Venetian blinds on Spree were down so the skipper couldn’t see us as he moved further towards the bank – and us! And we were stuck on his stern wave which made life interesting as Mike had to go hard in reverse and that caused cavitation as we crossed the wave, hence no “bite” for the prop and no steering as the bows headed towards the rear of Spree – not much room to manoeuvre. Very hairy for a few minutes. And the perpetrator didn’t even see us and just chugged off regardless!! Rat! A short distance further on we moved across to the left bank and moored at KP31 in front of the Dutch cruiser that was behind us this morning, with the town of Pente on the right bank and Bramsche off on the left. It was 2.15 pm.  

Thursday 20th June 2013 Schmedehausen to Ibbenbüren. 27 kms no locks

Pied wagtail hitching a ride on the ladders on the boat roof

Very hot and sunny again (another thunderstorm later to cool everything down) when we set off at 10.15 am. Spotted the next mooring at KP88.7, not too far to move if the politzei had moved us on the night before. Murene loaded with coal went past as HeJo from Vreeswijk loaded with woodchips overtook us. The next boat past was a loaded tanker called Lena from Duisburg which was churning mud up off the bottom turning the clear green water murky for a while. A wagtail hitched a short ride on the boat roof, long enough this time for Mike to take a photo, but it didn’t search the ladders and planks for spiders like previous birds had done. A small cruiser from Hamm overtook us. A loaded boat called Maro went past as a WSV car drove down the towpath. We paused to disconnect the generator next to a quay opposite a sand wharf at KP99. I made some lunch. Hazy clouds hid the sun and made the temperature more pleasant. The wind started to pick up and we kept fingers crossed we would get to our mooring before the next thunderstorm started. 80m loaded boat Spes Mea from Dunkerque went past with an “A Vendre” notice in the wheelhouse window, we both said that boat’s for sale before we realised it was French. 

Wandering Snail at the chandlery/bunkerstation KP108 DEK

There were four cruisers moored by an electric box just before the junction. The Snail had stopped at the chandlery/bunkerstation at KP108 by the junction. Oll said on radio that they had no maps and no hats so we didn’t stop. Then he said they had the keys for sale for the water and electric boxes. Round the bend to the right on to the MLK, noting the queue of boats above Bevergern lock. As we went under Sperrtor 1 (men were still doing maintenance on the floodgate) we noted a tanker had just turned on to the MLK from the DEK behind us. The smallest loaded boat we’d seen for some time went past, Nederwaard from Alblasserdam, 55m x 6m. Very neat. Shortly after that, tanker Nawatrans IX from Moers went past  at KP2 as we were being overtaken by loaded tankership Elise (84.74m x 9.6m 1,553 tonnes). Roeloffina a loaded 80m x 9m boat from Rotterdam went past and then we turned into the Stichkanal and moored in almost the same spot we left the day before. We hurried to get tied up it was 2.30 pm. The Snail arrived fifteen minutes later just before it started to bucket down with rain again. Then we had a long, loud thunderstorm accompanied by torrential rain.

Wednesday 19th June 2013 Ibbebüren to Münster and back to Schmedehausen. 64.8 kms 2 locks

Thunderstorm brewing.

Thunderstorm to start and when we tied up, very hot and sunny between and after. Pouring with rain when we set off at 8 am, following the Snail down to the junction and turned left on the MLK, no traffic moving. Did the last 4 kms of the MLK again and turned left on the DEK. Tanker Hannah-Luisa turned into the MLK from the DEK before we left it. The rain stopped as we turned on to the Ems, the black clouds receding behind us. 

Munster. Old hafen.

The low, forested hills of the Tuetoburger Wald were close by on our left, the first hills we’d seen for a long time. Past lots of wharves beyond the junction. Tankership Navatrans VIII overtook us at KP99 just before Dörenther bridge and the start of a very long straight section. Greta, an empty Dutch 67m barge went past at KP98, followed by Bayerischer Wald from Köln with three cars on its back cabin roof, the crew waved. A wagtail landed on the roof but didn’t stop to search for spiders to eat like some have in the past. Between KP96 and KP95 traffic became a bit hectic, Lavenburg from Bydgoszcz (Polish) overtook us slowly, its old engine beating at low speed. 

Munster. Old hafen redevelopment

Three loaded boats went past in the opposite direction, Wels (a large Dutch boat), Thorsten from Bremmerhaven and Ondine from Beuginen. A short calm distance then at KP94 a Czech pusher pair called Bohemia 1 & 2 from Decin followed by two cruisers went past. Mike made a cuppa. At KP93 Janja from Groningen went past as tankership Freyja from Marktheidenfeld overtook us at high speed, breaking wash both sides then slowed down after he’d gone past! 

Munster. End of the old hafen.

What was that in aid of? Drunk maybe? Swinehund! We were bobbing about like a cork for ages after. Rainbow from Maasbracht went past as we went under one of the flood gates. It was quiet, no boats about for a while. An empty tanker called Regina-W went past as we went under an autobahn bridge. The skipper stared and didn’t return our friendly wave. Takes all sorts. I made some lunch. Paused on the aqueduct over the river Ems while Mike stepped off to take photos of the river.

Munster. Photo on a new building of the hafen as it was.

Just beyond the aqueduct was a boat centre selling diesel at 1,75€ per litre (ouch, supermarket prices are around 1,38€). A smart loaded barge called Delphin from Twist went past at Hessenwegbrug KP76 where some girls were sunbathing on the canal bank. Loaded 85m Durban from Duisburg went past followed by a cruiser. As we approached Münster lock there were more and more youths and girls sunbathing or swimming in the canal. St Michael from Papenburg went past, loaded with coal, by KP72. A cruiser had just left the left hand chamber of the twin locks so we went up towards that lock and waited. 

Munster from the lock DEK

The gates were open, but the red lights were on. Oll called the keeper on VHF but had no reply. Mike called and the keeper snarled backbord kammer! We winded and headed back down the lock approach, turned left and went up the other lock approach (noting there was a lot of building work going on, maybe another big lock like the one we were going into) and into the big chamber 200m long. We rose 6.2m handing ropes up six bollards recessed into the concrete walls (there were floaters but not in the right places for us although Oll managed to use one for his stern rope). 

Big signs saying no swimming. Munster lock DEK 

An empty commercial was waiting above to come down and shortly after we passed a loaded boat going fast to get in the lock with the empty. The number of sunbathers and swimmers increased dramatically as we went on into the city outskirts. They were crammed in together like Brits on the beach! We passed a boat loaded with woodchips piled so high the skipper in his lowered hydraulic wheelhouse had no chance of seeing past his load, so his missus was on the bows with a radio to guide him through the low bridges and into the lock. 

Swimmers abv Munster lock DEK

We continued into the old commercial arm into Münster, past derelict wharves and warehouses. Spotted a tap on the left by an old water tower and at the end of the arm some of the warehouse had been redeveloped and new cafés and restaurants had been built. We winded to have a look. There was litter everywhere, broken glass, bottles, fag ends and spliffs. Not nice and an indicator that it was not a good place to moor overnight (the Dutchman who had told us about the mooring said not to go there on a Friday or Saturday 

Munster lock chamber DEK

night due to rowdy youths drinking) so we went to refill our water tanks then pushed on back down the lock, it was 4.30 pm. More youth had crammed into the spaces between the trees and now the BBQs were out, smelling delicious, as we headed back through the city outskirts and down to the lock. This time we stopped above the big chamber, it had red lights but so did the short chamber. Oll called, no reply. Mike called and the keeper answered but we didn’t understand him. An old man passing by helped us, he could speak a little English. The keeper wanted to know if we were going up or down, he couldn’t see us! Why, are we invisible? 

A boatload of wood chips

Mike said direction MLK and he replied steuerbord kammer. We went down in the small chamber. Mike moved the centre rope down six bollards, while sitting on the roof, and I made us a cuppa. It was very, very hot in the sunshine. Better once we got moving again and caught some cooling breeze. Loaded boat Jel from Dordrecht was waiting below the lock to go up. Just before the fuel depot at KP75 our first FKK appeared on the canal bank, he’d been skinny-dipping in the canal and had climbed out and squatted down to watch us go past. He stood up to talk to Anne! 

Munster-sur-Mere! Youngsters enjoying the hot weather.

He was from a hippy commune. We were overtaken by Eiltank 6 as Christine from Datteln went by loaded with sand, followed by another Eiltank and then a cruiser from Köln overtook us just as a thunderstorm started. Mike was about to go in the cabin as the rain and hail started, he came back out to shut the doors and put the brolly up (the strings got tangled up, typical when you’re in a rush) the rain was torrential and it continued for the next half hour. We were soaked and getting cold – after all that heat, 39°C. 

Massive flood gates by the aqueduct over the river Ems

The rain stopped as we arrived at the mooring at KP85.6 Schmedehausen. The cruiser from Köln was moored there, we moored behind him, filling the mooring, and Oll moored in front beyond the only “for small craft” mooring sign and kept fingers crossed that the politzei wouldn’t come and tell him to move. It was 8.15 pm.

Tuesday 18th June 2013 Abv Altenrheine lock to the arm at Ibbebüren. 14.7 kms 2 locks

Vivarium in Rodde lock DEK

Hot and sunny, light breeze. We were supposed to start at ten but Mike and the Snails got chatting with the Dutch couple off the boat in front of the Snail about keys for the electric box like the one we’d moored next to. They said we could have bought one two locks back, it is used with a card which can be bought in supermarkets. Will have to think about that. They also said that there was now a mooring for pleasure boats in a hafen in Münster, a splendid town to explore. It was eleven when we finally set off. 

Uwe Grotkopp in Bevergern lock DEK

The night before the mooring had filled up, including two boats on the old mooring opposite, when we left there were only two boats remaining. Vivarium, an empty 80m commercial had come up in Altenrheine lock while the crews were chatting. Oll said shall we increase speed to catch him up, Mike said we’d got no chance, he was empty and already close to the next lock which we could see down the 4 kms straight. When we got there he was still waiting for Rodde lock to empty. A commercial came down, Heike Reich a loaded 85m tanker, and then we followed Vivarium into Rodde lock. 

Side pounds in Bevergern lock DEK

Rose 3.8m up three muddy bollards then wound up the speed to 9 kph to try and keep the distance between us and the commercial as short as possible on the short pound (3.2 kms) to Bevergern lock. Lucas, a loaded 67m went past us just before the road bridge below the lock, followed by a pan full of sand being pushed by tug Fabrice 4 from Wroclaw – Polish! They’d just come down the lock. As it happens we needn’t have bothered to keep up as the commercial we’d followed came to a stop below the lock as there was a queue and more boats were already going up. The boat we’d seen the day before, support vessel Uwe Grotekopp, was also moored below the lock. The Snail tied to the bank and we came alongside to wait for the lock. It seemed ages, at least it was shady under the trees and Woody could have a little swim in the canal. Temperature now in the thirties. 

Leaving Bevergern lock DEK

Eventually the lock emptied, no were boats in it and Uwe Grotkopp untied and powered into the lock. We followed it. The boat we’d followed previously, Vivarium, was still tied up. One of the crew was walking along its gunwales, he asked where we were going – when we said Berlin he replied so you’re off to visit Mrs Merkel! Yes, of course! He wished us a good trip. Plenty of room for us behind Uwe as we rose 8.1m in a six bollard lock, with deep side pounds. 

Stanked off. Two locks alongside Bevergern lock. DEK 

To the left of the lock was a flight of two that the deep lock replaced. As we left the deep lock, following Vivarium to the left on to the Mitteland kanal, I took a photo of the top of the two locks, which was now stanked off with metal piling. Empty tankership Rojana had just turned on to the Ems to head for Bevergern. I made sandwiches for a late lunch (almost 2 pm) as we did the first 4 kms of the Mitteland kanal. Just had time to eat it before we turned right down the old arm (Stichkanal Ibbenbüren). 

Sperrtor 1. First floodgate on Mitteland kanal (MLK)

We sailed on down to the no entry sign beyond a large winding hole just to read all the notices along the bank. All OK for mooring so we winded and tied to the bank at 2.45 pm behind the Snail. No sooner had we moored than a small German cruiser filled the gap in front of the Snail.

Moored in Stichkanal. Cranes of Ibbeburen hafen on MLK 

Monday 17th June 2013 Lingen to Abv Altenrheine lock. 28.8 kms 4 locks.

Lingen-Ems YC and 1st lock of
disused Ems-Vechte kanal.

Mostly sunny, breezy and showers after we’d tied up. Set off at 8.00 am, winded and followed the Snail out on to the main canal, where nothing was moving. The Dutch cruiser, Taras, that had been moored in front of us since Friday also untied and set off, it soon overtook us and left us behind, albeit fairly slowly. Through the massive Hanekenfahr flood lock and then turned right through the open first lock of the old disused Ems-Vechte kanal (another lost Dutch-German canal link) and moored on the end of a wooden staging belonging to the Lingen-Ems yacht club. No one about, then a man drove along the far side in a van. Mike had gone to see if he could find anyone further down the moorings. The man said OK we could have water. It was a very, very slow tap. We donated 2€ each, put the money in an envelope and Mike went to the middle of the moorings again and put the envelope on a table in an open fronted shed. It was 10.20 am when we set off again. Less then a kilometre and we arrived at Gleesen lock. 

Louisa in Gleesen lock DEK

An empty tanker called Lousia from Hamburg was moored on the dolphins. The lock emptied but the lights remained on red, the commercial untied and went into the lock extremely slowly – even with a spotter leaning out from the starboard side gunwales. Admittedly it was a fairly tight fit, they had about half a metre each side. 

Side pounds in Gleesen lock DEK

Once his prop stopped turning we followed into the chamber (again, remotely operated by a person in an office somewhere, cameras everywhere) and did fore and aft ropes up the five bollards in the lock wall. We emerged 6.4m higher up in the world at 11.40 am. The empty tanker was quickly pulling away from us but at the speed he goes into locks we knew we’d have plenty of time to catch up on the 3.5 kms pound to the next lock. Three rough-legged buzzards were spiralling upwards on a thermal. A loaded boat went past, BM5237 – a Bromberger, originally Polish but now German with Berlin-D on the stern. 

Altenrheine lock DEK

It was closely followed by loaded 66m called SeRo and a cruiser. Washing finished as we arrived at Hesselte lock. Mike took the plate out as we rose 3.4m - only three bollards this time. Followed the tanker out of the lock at 12.30 pm. An empty tanker called Elan was waiting to go down and Louisa had decided to stop again and reversed into the mooring that Elan had just left. A pair of tufted ducks were totally impervious to the melée as another loaded boat, 70m Matthias from Schwinde, went past to join the tanker in the lock. I made some sandwiches for lunch as we went along the 8 kms pound to Venhaus lock. Brimstone butterflies were skimming over the towpath herbage and several hawker dragonflies landed on the boat, green and black Aeshnas. 

Extension under construction of Spelle-Vehaus hafen

The lock was ready with green lights. We went straight in, just us. I had no bollards just the rungs of a ladder for the fore end rope, Mike passed his rope up three bollards as we rose another 3.5m. At 1.55 pm we left the top – a cruiser was waiting to descend. A loaded tanker called Eiltank 14 from Duisburg went past as we started passing the Spelle-Venhaus hafen, a large loading/unloading dock at KP123. Navigare-1 and Antaro were moored and tankership Crooswijk seemed to be being unloaded by road tankers. Walter Lauk from Hamburg was about to be loaded, the skipper was busy drawing back his hold covers, at a section of dock surrounded by asphalt. A little further along the dock was being extended and a long section of piled wall was being finished and roads etc were being built beyond it. 

Moored abv Altenrheine lock DEK

Support vessel Uwe Grotkopp from Hamburg was assisting with the construction. As we arrived at Altenrheine lock we could see there was a commercial coming up the long pound behind us. The lock’s lights we red so we went on to the new mooring area for sportboats to wait for the lock and Snail came alongside. An empty commercial called Mirador was moored on the dolphins below the lock. Mike went to look at the moorings above the lock (the old lock had been filled in) and Anne went with him to take Woody for a walk. Better above, new moorings had been made. It was slow boat Louisa again, we followed it into the lock and rose another 3.6m up three very muddy bollards in the wall. Turned sharp right and reversed down the old lock entrance to moor on the lock island where they’d added new bollards and a post for electricity – get a key from various places going the way we were heading. It was 3.15 pm. It started to rain, a short heavy shower.

Thursday 13th June 2013 Rütenbrock to Lingen. 46.1 kms 7 locks

Skewed road bridge before Haren

Warmer overnight, heavy rain most of the day, sunny spells around midday. Set off at 7.50 am to be at the first German lock for 8 am. The lock started emptying on the dot of 8 am. Gates opened, then the road bridge swung open causing long queues of traffic. Locks on the Rütenbrock are 28m long by 6m wide and all five locks plus lift and swing bridges are remotely operated by the keeper at lock five in Haren. The first one, lock two (the open flood lock at the beginning of the canal is counted as lock one) was the only uphill lock, we attached to bollards along the wooden edges and only rose by 0.1m. 

Museum boats at Haren

Rain started pouring down as we continued 2 kms to the next liftbridge, which opened as we approached. Another couple of kilometres to the next bridge and lock three, again all worked perfectly by the controller in the office in Haren. Down 0.8m. Another couple of kilometres to the next liftbridge on the outskirts of the town of Erika. A longer pound took us to lock four, which used to be operated by a resident, very elegant lady lock keeper, her house now hidden by a thicket of pine trees. We dropped down 1.9m. The rest of the canal was only obstructed by moveable bridges. Under the 7m high road bridge of road number 31 then the liftbridge that caused us to have to wait ten days for the canal to reopen while they finished rebuilding it when Bill came with us to Poland. Today a mobile keeper operated it. Took photos of the strangely angled skewed  lifting roadbridge. Under a fixed footbridge, past the museum where the boats all looked newly repainted and into the last lock, number five; the lock keeper came out to collect our toll of 2€ for the navigation (same as last time, nine years earlier). 

Old sloping sided lock chamber at Huntel

We’d seen a notice by lock two that said something about a 20€ charge, but the keeper said this was for call out during the “closed” season, which has to be booked a week in advance. There was nothing moving on the river Ems as we left the lock (the keeper swung the bridge over the tail end of the lock so that Oll didn’t have to dismantle his mast) and turned right heading upstream. Strangely quiet, nothing moving. At Huntel the main lock (on the left) was closed and under reconstruction. 

Below Meppen lock

We tied to the sportboat waiting area and the Snail hovered. Mike had called the keeper on VHF but didn’t understand his reply. The right hand chamber emptied and we went in. It was the first time we’d been in the right hand chamber and were surprised that it was sloping-sided with metal posts faced with well-battered wood the full length of the lock. The keeper wanted us to stay at the tail end, where there were piled walls each side – fine, except they were only about ten metres long so our bow ropes had to be slung around the first posts. The lock filled at the front so we felt little effect at the tail end. 

In Meppen lock chamber

The keeper had a cabin by each set of gates and paddles and had gone to the top end. When the gates opened we motored out and said thanks as we passed him. Took photos of the two tall cranes that were working on the rebuilding work. A bit further upriver Mike spotted a new tennis ball in the river and called the Snails to rescue it for Woody. I made sandwiches for lunch as we wound our way through Meppen. There was a new landing stage for mooring in the town. A small cruiser occupied half of it! We just had time to eat lunch before we arrived at Meppen lock. As we arrived the right hand guillotine gate began to rise and we got a green light. 7.5m lift with bollards set in the steel piled walls. Mike estimated that the lock took 14.4 million litres of water to fill it. We had no idea where the keeper controlling the lock was situated; there were many cameras around the lock so he could have been anywhere. The top end gate lowered and we were on our way again. A 5 kms straight canal section lead to Varloh lock. We passed a pusher tug called MB Haren, heading downriver, the first traffic we’d seen. 

Below Varloh locks

That soon changed as an empty 80m commercial called Corroda came down the lock and another was coming upriver behind us. We attached to the sportboat waiting area and Mike went to have a look at the mooring above the lock. In no time the empty 85m commercial Fiducia went into the lock, waving us to come in behind him. A Swedish cruiser had been following him, his wash caught up a few minutes later and bounced the Snail around as Olly followed them into the lock. I hooted for Mike to hurry up. When he got back he said the mooring above was occupied by a tankership and there was no way we could get past it to moor on the sportboat area. 

In Varloh lock chamber

We followed the Snail in (surprised that the keeper kept the gates open for us). More threading ropes round bollards up the wall for a further 2.9m rise. Nope, there was no way we could get on the mooring we’d been aiming for, so no other choice than to push on to Lingen. Another long straight section of canalised river, past the site of an old lock, then under the road bridge of the 70, which was busy with traffic at 5.15 pm. Past a huge chemical plant with a wide section where there were loads of moored commercials at the loading/unloading wharves and several berths with lines of bubbles to contain any spillages. 

In Varloh lock chamber

Round the right hand bend back into the narrower canal section and met an 85m tanker coming the other way called Bea from Duisburg, its radar rotating and its hydraulic wheelhouse lowered to pass under a road bridge. Entering the outskirts of Lingen we were overtaken by two cruisers, a very large Dutch one called Aquamarin and a smaller German cruiser. We passed a new length of piled quay designated a mooring area with one small cruiser tucked up at the upstream end. 

Chemical works North of Lingen

The large Dutch cruiser had come to a stop under a low bridge and had to back off to the quay, as his satellite dome and VHF antenna wouldn’t pass under the bridge. Four rowing skiffs came downstream followed by a loaded 85m called Capella from Hamburg and a tiny German yacht was following that. We turned left into the old basin at Lingen and moored between the cruisers on the long cabin-high wall in the pouring rain. It was 6.30 pm.

Wednesday 12th June 2013 N of Klazienaveen to below 1st lock Rütenbrock 16.4 kms 4 locks

New section of canal 

What a change in minimum overnight temperature! Sunny spells between the grey clouds. Attempting to rain when we stopped. Set off early at 8.50 am as a large tjalk with a huge bowsprit had been trapped the previous afternoon at 5 pm closing time between the lock and the liftbridge behind us. We didn’t want it to get in front so we would have to drag behind it all day. The cruiser that was moored on the end of our mooring also untied just after us and followed us down the Scholtens Kanaal. 

Veenparksluis and liftbridge

We did a right turn on to another new section, which then did a sharp left and then right on to another old canal that had been rejuvenated, through a flood lock (called Veenparksluis) with a liftbridge that was already lifted (and had a red light) and into an open air museum called the Veen Park. Took photos of little trains and steam engines as we went through. If we’d known it was there we might have planned to stopped there to explore it. We had to wait at Sint Josepbrug, an electric swing bridge, for the keeper to turn up. Slung a rope around one of the wooden post right by the bridge and Snail came alongside. 

Compascumersluis

The cruiser behind us tied to a few stumps on a mooring place a bit further back. Beyond the bridge was the junction with the Oosterdiep kanaal and just before the keeper arrived another cruiser backed out of the end of the canal beyond the bridge, winded and set off in the same direction as us. The keeper arrived, opened the bridge and we turned sharp left on to the Oosterdiep – the cruiser was way off in the distance on the long straight stretch. We called the cruiser behind us to pass and join the other one in the next lock, as we wouldn’t all fit in it together. 

Viertorenbrug

Under another liftbridge, Wethouder Hortman, and waited above Compascumersluis, tied to some stumps, while the two cruisers went down. They were away through the next liftbridge before the lock had refilled ready for us. A refurbished old lock, now all press button electric, operated from a panel on the lockside. We dropped down 1.10m and followed the Snail through Viertorenbrug, a vertical liftbridge with four white “towers” to support the bridge deck. A little further on was De Doorsnee, another electric liftbridge. 

Jansenverlaat lock

After short distance we went down Jansenverlaat lock, a further 1.3m drop, another rejuvenated old lock chamber, oval with sloping brick sides. We moored for lunch at 11.45 am before the first of a series of eight lift or swing bridges. Two cruisers came past us heading uphill and another came down the lock behind us. Mike hopped off to fetch some bread, bought two loaves from a C1000 in Emmer-Compascum which cost 1.29€ each and got rounded up to 2,60€, much to his irritation. We followed the cruiser that had come down the lock behind us. 

De Koepelbrug. Stadts-Compascumkanaal

The first bridge was a liftbridge called Paulkrügerbrug, followed by a small electric swingbridge for pedestrians called Klein Draagie. Next was a large electric liftbridge called Schniedersbrug as we left the town of Emmer-Compascum. Wide open fields were now on the left with a road and houses on the right. A new keeper appeared at Munsterveldsbrug, a manually operated swing bridge (just like the L&L in the UK) as we passed a man weaving a wicker fence along someone’s front garden, shame there were too many trees to take a good photo. 

Schneidersbrug

The next was an electric liftbridge called De Vennenbrug by a lovely new thatched farmhouse with a huge barn next to it. Followed the cruiser through an electric pedestrian footbridge, De Twee Provinciënbrug – the last bridge in Drenthe province. Now we were in Groningen province and the canal changed to having wooden piled edges on both sides. In Munnnekermoer we passed a house with three old boats moored next to it, one small, rusty cruiser had a for sale sign – they wanted 3,500€ for an old bare shell with no engine! 

8e Verlaat

A bit further along there was a shed-style houseboat, the owner came to the window and waved as we went past. Beyond it was an old DB in great need of some TLC. A sign said we were in Ter Apel. Followed the cruiser through a liftbridge and into the square chambered 8e Verlaat (lock number eight) and Snail came alongside us. We dropped down a mere 0.9m and the keeper opened the gates then went to lift the vertical liftbridge over the beginning of the Haren-Rütenbrock kanal. 

Liftbridge over start of Haren-Rutenbrock kanal

We’d told him that we would stop before the German border and continue down the canal the next day around 8 am. OK. We followed the Dutch cruiser and Snail, turning sharp right under the lifted road bridge, past Potze’s garage, went through a new flood barrier and tied on the former customs wharf, a high piled wall with bollards along a piece of timer fendering at gunwale height. 

Moored at old Dutch customs wharf

The Snails had their bows alongside the steps and we went in front as we had no real need to get off. Mike set up the satellite dish on the bank, as we couldn’t get a signal through the trees.