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From Cuxhaven through the Kiel Canal and on to Strande.
This entry is aimed at those who have either not been through the Kiel Canal or have totally forgotten what it was like or have nothing better to do than want to read what I have to say.
The canal is 100Km long and allows large ships and any other vessel with a motor to go from the Baltic into the North Sea ( or the other way ) without the need to travel many hundreds of miles around Jutland and have to be nice to the Danes. It is roughly 100 mtrs wide and will take two large ships passing each other in opposite directions - carefully. This can give the yachtsman a frisson of excitement, otherwise there is oodles of room for all. However, the locks at both ends can give a soupçon of panic for the unprepared as yachts share a lock with full sized ships and if one is told by the lock master to enter one of the big ship locks ( there are four ) then you can find ourself fitted in with three ships - needless to say, the locks are bigger than you can imagine - more like football pitches with high sides.
Frankly, because the canal is either higher or lower than the neighbouring land, there are nearly always only the heavily tree lined 20 mtr high banks to be seen on either side. The morning we entered the canal was one of those when the mist had just cleared and the pale sky hung down to merge with the horizon and the water into an almost indiscernible single area. We passed early fishermen hiding on the bank under large green umbrellas, large gangs of teenage swans were frequent and surprisingly all were at the white plumage stage with no grey brown feathers. Woodland birds kept up a constant song along the way but so far as I could tell lacked any species to get too excited about.
From time to time we monitored the progress of approaching ships on our AIS and noted that they were nearly all registered in far off tax free locations with half familiar names. There are vast and serious traffic light systems now and then which mainly apply to ships but all traffic must stop if three reds show in line - then there are brutal timber bulwarks which one is supposed to hide behind or tie up to - either way it is bad news to get anywhere near them judging by the violence impacted upon them on previous occasions - we did not need to use them this time.
The passing traveller is constantly kept on his toes by the frequent ferries which cross the canal and spring out on the unwary without warning - they are shown on the chart and notices displayed so you only have yourself to blame - which is generally the case for everything in the canal. It does become more attractive at the Kiel end, signs of life and colour and the thought of being able to switch off the engine.
Out of the canal into the Kiel fiord - a superb and beautiful cruising ground where one could spend two weeks and be in a different harbour each night. We chose Strande, a small haven just six miles North of the canal. Restful, quiet and where the evening sun cast a golden glow over the regimented beach chairs waiting on the tide-less sand for tomorrows host of holiday makers to return and take the air.
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