Thursday 3rd October 2013 Schmöckwitz to Grosse Tränke. 25.7kms 1 lock

Following a police launch up Seddingsee

Clear blue skies all day, sunny but with a very chilly SE wind. Set off at 9.40 am ten minutes after the cruiser behind us set off down the lake. We went under the road bridge and into the end of the Langer Dahme lake, turning right into the Seddinsee following a WSP launch. The police boat went on up the lake while we turned right on to the start of the Oder-Spree-Kanal (OSK) through the forest. 

Weir between lock chambers at Werndorf

Mike though it would be warmer sheltered by the trees but no, the wind was in our faces and blowing hard, making it very cold. Two and half kilometres to the lock at Werndorf where the canal crosses the Werndorfersee with access back to Schmöckwitz via the Krossinsee to our right and the rest of the Werndorfersee to our left is blocked off to boat traffic. We tied to another horizontal tubular mooring for lock waiting and Mike called the keeper on the intercom. OK, ready in ten minutes. Wow, an answer straight away and they understood one another! 

Empty barge Phonix overtaking on OSK

The left hand chamber of the pair started to empty (nordkammer 57.5m x 9.5m, the sudkammer was longer at 67.5m but narrower at 8.5m) and when the lights changed to green we went in and I attached our centre line to a bollard recessed in the wall. The lock filled through the floor and pushed the boat hard against the wall, squashing our fenders, so I hadn’t got enough room to move and I stood by the ladder recess and Mike stood on the roof to move the rope up to the higher bollards as we rose 4.6m. 

Bird of prey near Spreenhagen

The keeper was in his cabin right next to where we surfaced and Mike had a chat with him about the new lock (still don’t know where it is or even if they’ve actually built it yet). He told us as it was a National holiday today the locks would close at 6 pm. The top end gate lowered to the bed of the canal and we left at 10.55 am. Back into the forest with the wind howling through the flag ropes on the mast at our fore end. Under the A10 Berliner ring road and noted there was a communications mast with a car park next to it where at least a dozen cars were parked. We’d noticed there were a few people walking dogs down the towpath towards the lock but now there were people coming back to their cars from the other direction with baskets – mushrooming in the forest, a good occupation for a holiday. 

The double floodlock at Grosse Tranke is no more!
All that remains is one lock wall (left of pic)

They all waved and said hello as we passed. At KP55 there were several fishermen. Around KP58 an empty 67m barge called Phönix caught up and overtook as a cruiser went past in the opposite direction. The barge skipper had his wheelhouse down and was wrapped up like us due to the cold wind. He waved and shouted hello. Through the village of Spreenhagen tucked away in the forest. Around KP65 a cruiser went past (a Birchwood, which are British made) then at KP66 near Braunsdorf a small open fishing boat went past also in the opposite direction to us. 

Muggelspree weir, pegel and bootsgasse.

Mike took photos of a bird of prey, which landed on an old bridge abutment and stayed there – they usually fly off as soon as a camera is pointed in their direction! The twin flood locks at Grosse Tränke had gone, all that remained was one lock wall on the left hand side. We turned left into the end of the Muggelspree just after the lock as two women in their thirties in kayaks paddled past us. The leading one asked where we were going. Mike replied “Here”. 

Moored between the pegel station and the bootsgasse,
Muggelspree at Grosse Tranke

We think she thought we were aiming for the low metal landing stage for the bootsgässe (trolley for hauling small boats out up the slope, past the weir and back down the rails into the water beyond the weir), which they were about to use. We moored between the steps to a pegel (water level marker) and the end of the metal staging. There were crowds of people milling around and lots of cyclists as there was a small car park on the opposite bank of the little river. It was 2.45 pm. Once we were securely moored above the weir we packed up and went indoors, glad to be out of the wind.

Wednesday 2nd October 2013 Philadelphia to Schmöckwitz. 37kms 2 locks.

Leaving Kummersdorf lock

-0.1°C Overnight - first dip below freezing. Sunny with a crisp deep blue sky and only 4°C when we set off at nine. The cruiser that had moored behind us at dusk the previous evening was still there. Sorry we weren’t continuing up the remaining splendid lakes from Storkow to Bad-Saarow as we set off to retrace our steps to Schmöckwitz. Twenty minutes later we arrived at Kummersdorf lock. A sign on the lockside gave the lock dimensions and said the chamber was 34.50m long - our guide said 40m – we think the guide was wrong. A smiling young man came and opened the gates as the lock was already full. He went back to helping another young WSA chap varnish the woodwork on the lock cabin while the lock emptied and dropped us down 1.2m. The old Storkow canal was beautiful in sunlight, winding through the woods. 

Unusual sight - wreck on Langersee

I scooped up a jam jar full of water so Mike could have a look later under his microscope at the green algae that were growing where the water was warm in the sunshine. At the start of the Wolzigersee there were two coots busily investigating the contents of some fishing nets. 

Wolzigersee - mill pond flat today

By contrast with Monday the lake was now flat calm, like a millpond and not a sign of any boats, just one two-man canoe paddling across the 3 kms wide pool. As we were about halfway across we spied a cruiser behind us, the one that had moored behind us the night before. He overtook us as we entered the buoyed channel to the next canal section, not a wave or any acknowledgement that we were even there! Likewise at the first bend on the canal, where a young couple were launching a large fast speedboat and didn’t speak. Then, as we passed a cruiser right under the first road bridge, we must have suddenly become visible as the crew were smiling and waving.

Before he realised I was taking a photo........

After!

Out into the Langersee, heading south, passing the sunken wreck of what must once have been a fine centre cockpit cruiser. Out in the sunshine it was quite warm but in the shade of the trees it was chilly. At the end of the Storkowergewasser we were back on the Dahme, turning right heading Northwest now, passing many small boats moored next to some very smart summer holiday chalets at Dolgenbrodt. The wind had started to ripple small waves across the Dolgensee, a deep blue reflection of the sky. Small fluffy clouds started appearing.  Two cruisers came into the lake as we approached the next river section. The first one opened up and made huge waves – until I took a photo – then he slowed off a bit. He knows the speed limit is 12kph, but within minutes he was off again doing around double that. I noticed there were some Egyptian geese among the ducks in a garden backing on to the river, hadn’t seen any of them for a long while. The river wound through some really lovely countryside. Small boats were moored in lots of places where there were more summer bungalows. Three elderly people in a small open boat with an outboard motor went past. 

The man is sitting on the bows of this hireboat.
The stern looks the same.

They waved and said “Morgen”, but the expressions were definitely “Well, I’ve never seen anything like that in all my life!” Another strange type of hireboat went past, shaped like a box afloat, I thought at first it was another shed, but no the middle of this looked like a boat cabin but the bow and stern were flat box-shaped. I took a photo of it just before the bridge at Bindow. We slowed down to look for water taps at the various boat moorings and were overtaken by a 15m Locaboat called Berlin, the longest boat we’d seen for a bit. 

Pushtow loading brown coal
at Konings Wusterhausen

The crew waved from their sheltered wheelhouse. No signs of any taps at the boatyards, although one had a row of empty guest moorings with electricity sockets. An egret took off as we started on the 90° bend in the river and we met five two-man (plus cox) rowing boats going in the opposite direction. Into the Krimnicksee with another cruiser was catching us up. The lock at Neue Mühler was full with the top end gates open and another cruiser already in it as the one behind us overtook us. No room for us in the lock so we waited next to the tubular construction above the lock. Mike moved closer to the lock so I could get off and I went and asked the lock keeper if we could have some drinking water. 

Brown coal

He went to ask his boss, and was back in a couple of minutes to say yes, if we’d got a hose. Mike brought the boat into the chamber and found a hose out of the bow locker while I unlocked the water tank. We chatted with the young keeper who spoke a little English. Two cruisers arrived below the lock, he said they’re on holiday, they won’t mind waiting a little. So we carried on filling up – the tap was pretty slow. After about ten minutes the keeper closed the gates behind us and started dropping the lock off while Mike reeled the hose back in. 

A smart shed out on the bank for painting, etc.

We’d managed to load in about half a tank’s worth so we were three quarters full, enough to last us to EHS. The second cruiser waiting below was a hireboat, belonging to Kuhnle but a French-style large cruiser. Took more photos of the two brown coal loading staithes by the Nottekanal in Könings Wusterhausen. Several tugs were arriving and coal was being emptied from railways wagons into empty pans. It was quiet as we ran north through the lakes, past a big hotel called Zeuthensee with a sign inviting passing boaters to stop and have a coffee break. Lots of large houses with gardens stretching down to the lake at Zeuthen reminded me of the Thames.

The canoe, leaving.

 As we reached the northern end of the lake it became alive with sailing boats, cruisers and small speedboats. One small rowing boat decided to row directly across our path almost under our bows – takes all sorts! We mentioned Dutch cyclist ancestry! There were two cruisers and a canoe on the mooring at Schmöckwitz when we arrived at 3.45 pm. The cruiser at the upstream end hadn’t moored as far down the quay as he could have because of the trees and the canoe had tied in the middle of the space between the end cruiser and the wall of the road bridge, so I had to untie the canoe and move it up a bit so we could get in. 

Moored at Schmockwitz

It was an ancient canvas and plywood canoe and its owner returned with some shopping – an elderly man plus grandson aged about eight. He glared when I said sorry hope he didn’t mind us moving his canoe. As he left he shouted something at Mike but who knows what he said, it didn’t seem very pleasant. Mike went by car to find a garage and get some diesel.

Monday 30th September 2013 Schmöckwitz to Philadelphia. 37.1kms 2 locks

Brown coal loading. Konings Wusterhausen

Cold night. Sunny but with a cold wind, especially on the wide-open lakes. Winded and set off down the big lake, Zeuthenersee, a long wide lake, heading South just after nine am. A tug pushing one pan loaded with brown coal went past heading North as we passed Zeuthener Wall island. A WSP launch was following it, but took the opposite side of the island and put the power up as it did so. The lake narrowed as we reached the junction with the Grosser Zug, another lake branching off to the Northeast and linking on to the Oder-Spree-Kanal (OSK) the route to EHS. 

Neue Muhle lock

On through two small lakes on the river Dahme,  the first was called Sellenzugsee and the second Mollenzugsee. A tug and two empty pans had been fast catching us up as we came down the big lake and so Mike paused in a wider section of the narrows near Wildau to let it past. Two guys on the leading pan were working the bow rudder with a large spoked wheel to ease the 110 metre push- tow round the two bends. 

Windsurfer on Wolzigerersee

Under the A12 autobahn bridge and past the brown coal loading staithes, where boats were busy as always loading from railway wagons, which tip as they come to the end of the rails, emptying the contents into the hold of the barge below. As we went under the next bridge the scene changed from one of intense industrial use to calm, quiet waters leading to Neue Mühle lock. It was ready, so Mike took the boat in and threaded a rope through a vertical bar in the wall. We were soon up 1.4m and on our way again. 

Kummersdorf lock 

The Dahme widens out again to form two lakes, the Krimnicksee and the Krüpelsee, a zig-zag running east as far as Kablow. Back into the narrower confines of the river for the next four wriggling kilometres running South again as far as Gussow and the Dolgensee. At the end of the Dolgensee there followed a couple of kilometres on the Dahme before heading north on the Langersee and the start of the Storkower-wasserstrasser. The Dahme continues South via Prieros and Märkish Buchholz into the forest, but not for us on this visit. A short narrow channel took us on to the Wolzigersee, a deep (10m) and almost round lake almost three kilometres across. 

Idyllic mooring at Philadelphia

The wind picked up and produced some interesting waves for the kite-assisted wind-surfers. Once on the Storkow kanal we were soon at the next lock, also ready for us, at Kummersdorf, a rise of 1.2m and then continuing again along the canal. At 4.15 pm we tied next to a wooden-edged grassy bank with stumps, under trees in Philadelphia.

Monday 23rd September 2013 Kremmen to Spandau North of lock. 39.5kms 3 locks

The quay at Kremmen - home for two wet weeks

Grey clouds and later just brief spits of rain. Set off at 6.40 am and went upstream of the road bridge to wind. Ten minutes later we passed the boat that had arrived at dusk the night before and moored in front of us on our way downstream, no signs of life aboard. Spotted a tall wooden hide for hunters that had been blown over and was lying hidden among the trees. A heron kept flying off in front and then a pair of cranes struck up from the field to our left and flew over the boat, calling loudly as they went - no time for the camera. 

A long straight section of the Kermmer Rhin

The tree that had been brought down in the gale last month and had just missed a house in the forest had now been chopped into a neat stack of logs. A crow was busy attacking a white-tailed eagle as we arrived at Hohenbruch lock. It was just 8 am and the keeper came out to work the lock for us. Mike saw a pair of white-tailed eagles flying over the lock as we dropped down in it. Not far below the lock we passed a most unusual little sailing boat with moveable outriggers. It was sitting in among the lily pads and its skipper waved and said "Morgen" as we passed by. 

Hohnebruch lock

Not sure if it was anchored or not, maybe had wind-down legs like the sheds have. Into Tiergarten lock for 9 am. Same chatty keeper, he wanted to know if we liked Kremmen, so either someone told him we were there or he must have driven past and seen the boat moored there. He laughed when Mike took photos of a vole sitting on his lock gate. Then as we were leaving two pairs of ducks flew low over the boat and, fearing a bombing run, we both ducked, laughing, as was the keeper. 

Vole taking a break on the lock gate. Tiergarten

At the junction with the Oranienburger kanal there was a notice that said “Munition Beratung” – ammunition?? And there were three men in a small metal pontoon doing something in the water. Hope it wasn’t live WWII stuff! The canal was deserted, no boats, but we saw a child minder walking with a strange box on two wheels containing four toddlers who couldn’t be persuaded to wave back to the funny man on the funny boat. Little beaches along the canal that were full of swimmers and sunbathing youth in the summer were now empty. A lady walking her Alsation dog stopped to wave and say hello. 

Below Pinnow lock. Oranienburger kanal

The quiet lock keeper worked Pinnow again for us and at 11.10 am we turned right on the Oder-Havel-Kanal and started looking for a drinking water tap. The first place was an offline basin and the first boat we’d seen moving was coming so we slowed down so we could have a look and maybe turn into the arm. No good. There was just a small channel between houses with stumps to moor boats to, but none there, and no tap. We carried on down the Havel. Fifteen minutes later our second boat of the day went past, a smart charter boat. 

A private, palatial, floating shed.

We found a landing to tie to at the Marina Havelbaude. No coin operated taps and so Mike went to find someone in charge and paid 2€ for our 300 litres. While he was away I filled the kettle, made a cuppa and did the washing up. We set off again at 12.15 pm with the big gennie running to do some washing.  Finished just before we had done the length of the Havel lake leading to Spandau. The quay was empty so we had our choice of mooring. It was 2.25 pm. 

Photos of the moorings between the lakes at Lindow

Bored. Not moving as the weather has turned nasty, rain and more rain. So here are some of the photos I took of the moorings in Lindow as we went from the Vielitzsee towards Gudelacksee.

North end of the Vielitzsee where it narrows coming
into the town of  Lindow

Holiday bungalows have moorings for small boats

And bigger boats have boat houses

More boat houses

A chalet with a long offline mooring

More boats and boat houses,
more like car ports than garages

Under the road bridge looking towards the railway bridge in Lindow

Boats moored beyond the railway bridge

More bunglaows and a little slipway

Bridge over access to offline basin

Sailboats as we get nearer the big lake

Slipway for sailboats

Another old boat house and bridge

Modern bunglaows

Getting nearer to Gudelacksee

Another bridge over access to an offline basin

New boathouse

Charter boats

Offline basin with a tent and caravans

Smaller boats moored in the shade.

An old communist era boat house

End of the channel to Gudelacksee

View of Gudelacksee

A Bunbo cruising across the Gudelacksee