passage report 61 On ye Bike Germany

Passage Report: No. 61

On ye Bike – Frankfurt to Wurzburg

June, 2011

The mind was in synch, was the body? Lack of berths had prevented Sahula visiting the riverside, medieval towns. It was time to reclaim. Skipper, hired Bruno (bike –not quite Brutus) (80 Euro per week) and headed off, over 215 km, to Wurzburg.

The trail, a bitumen track, signposted, exclusively for cyclists (no helmet required), followed the Main River. Germany is laced with similar facilities.

Tent and sleeping bag on the rear carrier and a backpack overloaded for all eventualities, Day One effortlessly spruiked some 50 km.

Can you tent in the fields? At 1700, muscles complaining, tent up – no one objected (or dared!).

Barges passed, ducks - ducklings, swans - signets, glided by - a Sahulian view reversed. Evening rain – good book (Ken Follett) Skipper was snug and oblivious. Dinner was cold sausage and “brot.” River wash and shave.

Historic village centres yield mid morning “Backerei” (bread, patisserie), midday meal and “eis” (icecream).

Schloss Johannisburg (12th century, Archbishop hilltop, palace, destroyed shell 1945, rebuilt – madness of war), Schloss Schonbusch (17th century, Archbishops garden palace), aristocratly, rose above the cobbled lanes, leaning, cross timbered houses, spired churches, of ancient Aschaffenburg. Superb, slow, touristic, progress.

Sulzbach, Wallstadt, Obernburg, Klingenberg (stone Teddy Bear -7493 Teddies – Guinness Book record) – orderly, spotless, human less, seeming surreal, villages. Chinese restaurant connotes change.

It rained, it poured – Skipper swept along, wet, cold and fast. Then sun dries all.

Bruno slows – river views tent, book – rest.

Miltenberg “backerie” breakfast, empty, morning quiet of a town time unchanged. Window flower “pots” create colour splashes. Flowers seem especially bright or luminous. Castle ruins remain the river guardian.

Suburban industry, neat, clean, prosperous, ensures a decentralised village economy serviced by road, rail and river.

Curiously common, village cigarette machines facilitate smoking.

Cross river, the trail charts through Freudenberg, under Wertheim’s red towering monastery and river bridges, reflecting the red rock, river cliffs and ancient quarries.

Speed trains rocket by, cars hurtle on parallel “paths.” Then diverge to peace of red, purple, blue and yellow, poppy, wildflower, silver, blue, patchwork, wheat fields.

Cyclists – adorned to test – spiral by; Bruno ambles on, soaking in the agrarian idyll.

Markt Heidenfeld, Rothenfels, Lohr – Skipper’s raw seat, tested muscles demand rest – tent up, river birds gather. Curious dog exercising locals have been to Townsville, Australia.

Bells toll to herald dawn. Gemunden, Karlstadt and destination Wurzburg.

City of Prince Bishops, palaces, cathedrals. 1945 records massive bombing leaving building shells. Since rebuilt to again a magnificent river town (120,000 – 25,000 students)

Skipper opts for central Hostel Fish (17 Euro a night) – two nights of bunk bed, hot shower! Raw seat, unknown muscles – recuperation.

Enough, “body” books on a train to Offenbach, Sahula. A packless bike ride to 17 - 19th century, aristocrats Schloss Philippsruhe (Hanau). Hanau is home to the Brothers Grimm – fairy tales.

Summary:

Germany is laced with bike trails. They are popular. These are exclusively for cyclists and pedestrians. They are bitumened, well maintained and signposted. Along the rivers they relatively flat. Hostels exist in most towns (17 -25 Euro per night). Some hotels offer special deals to cyclists.

A superb trip would be the Romantic Road trail from Wurzburg to Fussen (Neuschwanstein Castle and Zugspitze alps). An English couple advised it took eight days or longer.

Skipper tented out each night at random, natural sites on the river bank. It was free, with a river wash. There were no security issues. The bike was locked to the tent.

Evening meal was cold food bought in villages. Backerie’s or small restaurants provided breakfast and lunch.

Cost of the trip was minimal – some 20 euros a day. Train was 26 Euros. Bike hire – 80 Euros a week, 100 Euros deposit from Hex bikes in Frankfurt. A suitable seat is critical or suffer!

Passage Report No 60 Danube Report to CA

Passage Report No. 60

Danube Report

Danube Report from Sahula submitted to Cruising Association of UK.

Sahula is now in Regensburg, Germany. She has completed a cruise from Istanbul, across the Black Sea to Constanta, Romania and up the Danube.

This is a short report on the Danube cruise. More details are on a blog site – www.sailblogs.com (Sahula) and videos on YouTube (davidhaighsahula).

Sahula is an Australian registered, 9.5 tonne steel, 12m x 3.5m x 1.5m (1.6-7 loaded), “Van de Stadt 36” sloop. She had a crew of two and a Yanmar 54 hp motor. Average revs used: 1800.

The cruise started from Teos Marina, Sigacik (Izmir) on the 15th March, 2011 via the Dardenelles, Marmara Sea to arrive in Istanbul on 25th March. At Istanbul, she anchored in Yesilkoy small boat harbour awaiting crew from Australia.

After the Bosphorous and awaiting weather, she left Poyaz fishing harbour (Turkey) on 4th April to cruise (2 nights) across, direct, to Port Tomis Marina, Constanta, Romania.

After the mast was stored along the deck (and excursion to Bucharest), on 12th April, Sahula entered the Constanta – Danube Canal. On 13th April the Danube odyssey began. Some 6 weeks later, Sahula arrived, some 2000 km later, in Regensburg. Another option is to enter the Danube Delta – a natural heritage site.

Over long days an average of 70 km was travelled each day. Distances of 100 km a day were achieved if current was reduced by dam lakes in the latter parts of the River.

Current was some 2-3 km through Romania, Bulgaria and into Serbia, Croatia to Hungary. An exception was the Hells Gate (or gorge) section were, while a dam reduced current, the narrow river provided some. Also a local” gorge” wind against current created, in parts, a 2 m sea. Going uphill Sahula “surfed” before it. The River was closed to commercial traffic. At other times as well the “rear” wind assisted the daily average.

The lower Danube, through Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, is a meandering, wide, peaceful place, past villages, fisherman huts and small boats. Hungary is the same, albeit with more prosperous villages. Sahula anchored (near sand banks to lessen risk of tree obstacles) each evening between town stops. Beautiful Ruse was Sahula’s first stop. The Ruse Yacht Club provided a welcome and facilities.

Checking in with Border Police, customs and harbour master was, at times,

bureaucratic but officials were generally friendly and efficient, albeit, within non-sensible systems.

Fuel was available but requiring carrying containers from the local service station. A container trolley is useful.

Town berths for visiting yachts are generally non-existent. Pontoons cater solely for commercial traffic, especially the passenger boats. In some cases this meant not stopping or anchoring. A dinghy crossing is not for the faint hearted.

Belgrade, Budapest, Vienna – beautiful cities – but Budapest is the “Queen of the Danube.” It embraces the River as no other.

Industrial visual degradation (reported especially in the lower part) is mainly confined to large towns. It is not overwhelming. River pollution is not an obvious issue.

The River was shallow in places. A River boat captain suggested Sahula “move along” due to seasonal shallowing. Locals reported the lowest river height in memory. Dunafoldvar, Hungary was nominated as the lowest river height (there are less dams) but Sahula found the German sector, (between dams) after Passau (Inns River [larger than Danube] junction), the most persistently shallow i.e. less than 2m (1.7m) and the channel, at times, very narrow (less 100 m). Current increased to some 5 km in places. However, generally, depth averaged 2-3 m. Large barges and passenger boats (some 120m long) draw 1.5 – 1.6 m. Their skill in navigating the winding, vagaries of a changing river, at speed, at night, is remarkable. “…we follow the red line on the digital chart…” – such faith. Skipper observed two survey boats on the Danube.

At no point did current put at risk Sahula’s journey. A large rope around the propeller in Viden, did, however, almost have this effect. Generally, the River water is green and clean (Blue from local hills). Engine water was not blocked at any stage.

Sahula’s references included: Danube –a River Guide (Heikell 1991), Cruising Bulgaria and Romania (Allardice, 2007), 8 chart books (Pierre Verberght – updated). The latter is the “official” navigation aid. They are critical. Charts (same as in the books) are also available on the Web.

Agency for Exploration and Maintenance of Danube River (Bulgaria HQ Ruse): Danube Charts and information – river heights, floods, weather …: www.appd-bg.org

Water levels for Europe: www.elwis.de

Digital charts Europe waterways: PC Navigo by Pierre Verberght (Holland) 0032 475 490131. Cost (2011): 400 Euro. “…Put in the boat details and the intended trip. It calculates the time to do it and depth available…”

Heikell, while mostly out of date on river information, provided an overall map and interesting historical information on many towns. It is still a useful book.

There is other material, printed in German, including a large reference on “The Danube.”

Distance and navigational markers “dot” the whole River. They are well maintained. River heights are also signposted, at infrequent, points.

CENVI navigation regulations apply. A “blue” flag is advisable.

A 2m draft yacht could do the trip. Obviously, shallow draft is useful. This year, river heights were historically low. Rains and snow melt came through in December, January. In another “wet” year, deeper draft is possible.

It is difficult to determine when to do the trip. Spring is reported as flood time. However, these occurred in December, January. Sahula commenced early (in the cold) and would recommend this time. Weather was generally good, with intermittent, rain and cold in the lower reaches. Only in late May was swimming possible or enjoyable.

A remarkable, memorable journey. Sahula passed 4 “downhill” small yachts. She was reported as the second to transit “uphill” and the only Australian yacht.

The cruise will continue up the Main – Danube Canal, down the Main and Rhine Rivers. Originally to re-enter the German canals from Duisburg to Lubeck on the Baltic. However, due to a short three month Schengen visa for “foreigners” this was changed to Holland and the UK.

Skipper David Haigh is able to be contacted on djhaigh@gmail.com

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passage report No. 59 Regensburg to Frankfurt

Passage Report No. 59

May, 2011

Regensburg to Frankfurt

“Push off,” Sahula is swung by the current, the aft mast end hits the concrete wall, a mast light and wind indicator paddle snap – the price for not removing them. Fenders are placed on the mast ends.

Sahula is at the Regensburg marina. “Don’t worry it is soft” “It will rain on Friday.” Sahula is “perched” some 20 cm balanced on her keel, pontoons lines are bar tight. Overnight the River has dropped.

Five locals pushing, a motor boat pulling and Tanya revving – Sahula leans to and breaks free to another berth.

A revisit (by train) to Passau to see Captain Jord (River Countess) at his home. A visit to the Government “Foreigners” office with Jord speaking German results in “You must leave end of visa.” (no agreement Australia and Germany).

Skipper must now rethink the next part of the trip. It is resolved to cruise the Rhine to Holland and leave for the United Kingdom for winter and home then next season to Norway.

Sahula, departs, threads the “700 year old bridge,” clunk - a hidden obstacle strikes hard the hull. Steel is a friend.

At Kelheim, another of Ludwig 1’s folly’s,( other is Walhalla temple, Regensburg) the “pudding” like “Liberation (Napoleon’s defeat) monument squats high above the River.

“Marina” means Sahula’s keel rests in silt overnight. (11 Euros – Kelheim Yacht Club)

Past the dividing marker: Danube to left, Main – Danube Canal to right. 7 weeks and 2412 km to the Black Sea, 2012 to Constanta Canal. Skipper congratulates Crew on a job well done. Sahula and Tanya (engine) likewise. A unique and remarkable adventure.

Ahead the Main – Danube Canal to Bamberg – 16 locks, 171 km, (3-4 m), ascending to 406 m.

A swan family swim idly by, signets resting on mother’s back. Castles perch above river villages.

“Lyaemer” (2100 tonnes) is Sahula’s ticket to a speedy transit through locks. Locks fit one barge and a “sportsboot.” She also created “horibulus lockius.”

Sahula was trapped – if she swung out from behind the barge she would meet 2000 tonnes exiting the lock. Drifting, the rudder felt the shore rocks. Full ahead, barge forward propeller surged, Sahula bounced, missed the now almost past barge and was free. Dark disaster is never far.

To Holland downhill from the 406 m summit. Five locks (three: 24 m) to Nurnberg.

Green and Red navigation markers changed sides – uphill markers from sea.

Dusk, Sahula moors behind “Stormy” (German yacht enroute to Romania) at a factory river wall.

Guests of Klemens (lawyer and yacht owner of Nurenberg)and Reiko, to a Bavarian biergarten.

Lock, lock and locks – 34 locks over 384 km to Frankfurt each between 20 minutes to an hour.

Varied locks yield surprises: turbulent up, calm down, through draining current, static or floating bollards so far apart “sportsboots” can only use one, two closing gates in one, exit gates sink or rise, non or English speaking lock masters, one lock master manages a number of locks using cameras, sportsboots yield to commercial barges, turbulence from exiting barges, sportsboot “waiting” wharf – too shallow or non-existent, other sportboots (rowing sculls, motorboats) crowd space. Patience is a virtue.

Rural greens – ochre steepled, orange/red roofed villages - unchanged patchwork of agrarian life.

“Venetian” Bamberg, “unspoiled gem of medieval and Baroque architecture (2300 buildings declared World Heritage).

Locked out (lock repairs), Sahula alongside a barge, Skipper walks to the local village – neat, impossibly clean, a large church citadel and a “backerie” – hot bread shop.

Garden rural fields – a Monet of red poppies, purple, white, yellow wildflowers. Steep, terraced vineyards line the hills blessed by chiselled stone icons.

Wuzburg, city of Prince Bishops, bridges, churches and hilltop monastery.

Weinberg Yacht Club pulls Sahula to the wharf, “It’s only soft” (1.4-5 m)(12 Euro). Passing barges suck out, then fill the depth. Alarms ringing, Sahula departs.

Holiday time: massed tents, campervans and village festivals. Sahula cruises cautiously between swimmers, skiers, canoes, rowing sculls.

Anxious ducks, geese, swans and frantic families quickly cross.

Navigation lights signal late dusk alongside a lock wall.

Maintenance is avoiding the unprepared. Calcified loo pipes give Skipper a lesson.

Sahula “races” to Frankfurt, arriving a week early at Speck Marina, Offenbach (12 Euro/night).

Skipper must now resolve the way ahead: to Holland and England or to Baltic and Finland.

Next Report No. 60: Frankfurt, Rhine to Holland.

David

6th June, 2011