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Monday, 31 March 2014

Sunday 5th September 2004 Premnitz to Rathenow.

11.0° C. Sunny and hot again. We set off late at 9 a.m. as we only had just over 10 kms to go to Rathenow, A crowd of blokes from the flats across the road came and leaned on the
River Havel nr Moegelin - Wikimedia photo by Botaurus
railings to chat to Mike in German as we untied the boat. He asked them if the steam trip boat that used the rest of the mooring had stopped. They said it had. Followed Rosy down the river. A beautiful morning, sunny but still cool and fresh. There were a few fishermen along the banks and a couple went by in boats. A small cruiser went past heading upstream. A large cruiser was moored next to a stepped piled quay on the other side of the river just downstream of Premnitz at Milow. We decided to remember that one as a possibility for a mooring on the way back. Bill called on VHF to say he’d seen a large bird flying through the trees. We only caught a brief glimpse, but thought it looked like a buzzard. At K99 there was the remains of an old factory whose brick chimney had the tallest stork’s nest I’d seen yet, it must have stood over a metre and a half tall. Next to it was a new house, still under construction. Its green tiled roof and dormer windows were beautiful, but downstairs the walls were white
Canal section in Rathenow - Wikimedia photo by Botaurus
breeze block with just one small window. Maybe they’d run out of cash? At 10.55 a.m. we turned into the back water above the lock, Hauptschleuse, at Rathenow and followed Rosy down the weirstream into the town. We tied on the quay wall at 11.20 a.m. Rosy moored next to the pontoon. Connected up the electricity - someone had left credit on the meter. Filled the water tank, which took three 50c coins. Put the washing machine on. Mike went to get the car and I got on with the chores. He was back at 1.45 p.m. just as the washer finished its first load. Scrooging, we changed over sockets on the electricity post to use up what had been left in credit. Mike told Bill there was a library just around the corner and that the notices on the bank said that the mooring cost 50c/m per night on the pontoon - Bill said he’d move on to the wall overnight! Put a second load of washing in. Lunch. A large cruiser called Nautilus arrived. Mike went for a nap. Later Bill called to say he was moving Rosy on to the wall, so Mike gave him a hand to tie up. The third load of washing had finished. I made dinner while the men went in the bar
Havel in Rathenow - Wikimedia photo by Botaurus
opposite the quay to try the beer, which they said was quite reasonable and they’d paid 7 Euros for five beers.
Monday 6th September 2004 Rathenow.
12.5° C Hot and sunny again all day. Bill moved Rosy back to the pontoon. I did more washing, chores, lunch. After lunch we went to get some groceries - Bill said he’d prefer to shop at the local Plus and he was going to do some e-mailing - he’d found a bar with an internet PC. We called in the Obi (DIY) first and got two small canisters of propane for the mini blow torches, noted the price of paint, etc, and saw a very smart blue enamelled solid fuel cooker for sale - the type of thing Peter was promising to install on his new boat - 800 Euros (less than £550!) - I picked up one of their catalogues for him (he later found their UK agent and bought one in maroon enamel and is still using it to this day). Went in Marktkauf to get groceries. I was beginning to dislike Marktkauf as everything is disorganised and not laid out like “normal” hypers. With all sorts of stuff mixed up together it meant we had to walk round all of it so as not to miss anything. Back at the boat Bill had moved back on to the wall and was chatting to a man off a cruiser who had taken his place on the pontoon. Mike finished his jobs in the engine room.


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