Friday 8th -Sunday 10th October 2004 Schmöckwitz to Rudersdorf - Schmöckwitz.

Friday 8th October 2004 Schmöckwitz to Rudersdorf.

6° C Overcast, grey start, chilly. Mike took Bill with him in the car to get beer and a few

Woltersdorf lock - Wikimedia photo by Breizung

groceries from Extra, just up the road, he loaded diesel and then we set off at 9.30 a.m. with the pins in to do some washing as we went up the Seddinsee. The bird sanctuary at the northern end got rechristened Vogelshitsgebeit (should be Vogelschutsgebeit) due to the state of the trees, dozens of which had been killed by the acid droppings of cormorants and herons, their guano covered skeletons were a ghostly white. Into the Gosener Kanal and I wentmake a cuppa. Into the Dämeritzsee, heading east, and turned right into a string of lakes, which went off to the northeast, called the Rüdersdorfer Gewässer. Past the town of Erkner into the Flakensee, the washing finished just in time as we entered the lock at Woltersdorf, where we rose 2m with a speedboat in front of our bows and Rosy alongside. Mike went down into the engine room to take the pins out and the keeper came over to tell us that the lock would be closed from the 18th to the 24th (luckily he had a piece of paper in his pocket with the dates on as the numbers totally flumuxed me!) I told him we’d be back the next day. Out into a

Gosener kanal - Wikimedia photo by Biberbaer

long narrow lake called the Kalksee. I noted that there were far more boatyards, boat moorings and new houses all along the banks of the 10m deep lake than there were last time we were there. Into a narrower channel, a series of “graben” winding through Rüdersdorf to the big lake at the end of the chain. I made lunch which we ate as we went north along the Stienitzsee. Bill stopped about 500m from the end of the lake as we circled round the northern end before setting off on the run south. The weather turned colder, so we donned jackets as the cabin temperature dipped to 15° C. Mike lit the central heating. At 2.35 p.m. we moored on the outskirts of Rüdersdorf on an old derelict factory quay. The piling was rusty and the concrete beyond overgrown with weeds. Two girls came to chat as we tied up. They were learning English at school, but they’d never seen boats like ours before. Mike asked what the factory had been and they took him up the bank to have a look around. Their friends, three lads and an older girl were worried in case Mike was from the police (they were in the act of pinching stuff) as they went into the derelict factory buildings which once belonged to Siemens. Click here to look at a very interesting site that has many more pictures of the old chemical works and tells its history 

On his return Mike went in the engine room to fix the air pump we use for blowing up tyres. Bill got an invasion of fourteen year old kids on his boat. One of the girls brought her dog to

Coal wharf by the derelict factory in Rudersdorf (my photo)

play with Fanny and one of the lads showed him all the photos in his camera-phone, then went off to get a large bag containing a synthesiser/sampler which he thought was the “bees knees” according to Bill. We WERE going to have a BBQ, but Mike gave up on the idea with all the uninvited guests. He went for a nap. I checked out our ‘phone bills. WWT had changed their invoicing system. Now they charge in whole minutes, with a minimum of two minutes per call. It is still loads cheaper than pay-as-you-go or ‘phone boxes. Bill knocked to see if we were going to BBQ. I told him Mike was asleep, so he said he would start cooking his dinner, which might encourage his visitors to go home. I cooked our chops and sausages under the grill. Later someone threw a few stones which landed on the roof of the boat. Mike went out with the big spotlamp but couldn’t see anyone and concluded that they were at the top of the high

Derelict factory in Rudersdorf (my photo)

factory wall. They may not have been the kids we’d been talking to and possibly hadn’t known we were moored below them. We ignored them and they stopped after a couple more pebbles clattered down on the roof. The temperature dropped, a cold night coming so Mike left the heating on.

Saturday 9th October 2004 Rudersdorf to Schmöckwitz.

4.7 C Cold and foggy start, brightening up later. Mike was up at 7 a.m. to be ready for off at 8 a.m. Bill emerged at 8.10 having overslept. \entertaining all those Rüdersdorf kids had sapped his energy! 7° C when we set off into the mist at 8.40 a.m. When we emerged on to the Kalksee we were relieved to find we could see both banks. The mist disappeared as we went into the narrows above Woltersdorf lock. Looking back at the lake it couldn’t be seen for what seemed like a thick wall of mist! Mike steered round the back of a row of dolphins above the lock to where the sportboot waiting area was located and the keeper spotted us on his CCTV. I’d just lassoed a post as the lights started flashing and the liftbridge above the lock started to go up. Bill kept going and we twiddled round the end of the dolphins and went into the lock side by side with Rosy. Dropped down 2m with no sign

Derelict factory in Rudersdorf (my photo)

of the keeper, who was ensconced in his high cabin. Police boat N° 5 was waiting below the lock to go up. He was over on our right, so we gave him two toots on the horn as we exited the lock, still side by side in formation. Back down the Flakensee and into the Locknitz channel, past the big restaurant the “Locknitz Idyll” which was empty and deserted. Then we turned right into the alternative winding channel which was lined with holiday bungalows. Told Bill on VHF that the bridges were low. The first bridge was less than 2m high, so Mike took the mast off, the ensign and then I had to lower the moped off its wooden blocks to get under it. Just around the bend, four fishermen were sat outside a real hillbilly styled cabin, they glared at us with some suspicion. More cabins and tiny holiday bungalows lined the banks. We went round a left hand bend and rode over a fallen tree, called Bill on the radio and told him about it and he managed to steer Rosy around it. More bungalows as we came into the village of Fangschleuse, then we went into a chain of three wiggly little lakes, Werlsee, Peetsee and

Werlsee - Wikimedia photo by Lienhard Schultz

Mollensee. I made a cup of soup for elevenses. At the very end of the last lake there was a trip boat stop and we sat against the dolphins while Mike investigated the little staging alongside the pier and the electricity posts along it. Bill brought Rosy alongside us, neither of us were tied up, for Fanny to get off for a pee. She was too scared to jump across our roof. Bill encouraged her and she slipped and fell over on our roof. When Mike returned he gave Bill a report on his findings. There was nowhere to indicate that they charged for the mooring and the electricity was coin in the slot. Noted it on the chart for another time. Rosy moved off and Mike tried the mooring to see how far we could get down the side of the pier and was surprised when our stern end cleared the trip boat mooring dolphins. I cooked a hot sandwich on our return down the lakes. It was still only 11° C but the sun was trying to break through. We followed Rosy back down the lakes, pausing to have a look at the three trippers, Rhine, Elbe and Spree moored near Grünheide in the Peetsee. Back past Erkener and into the Dameritzsee.

Mollensee - Wikimedia photo by Lienhard Schultz

Two fast power boats set off from moorings at the top end of the Gosener kanal and roared off down the canal at a speed of over 40 kph. (There’s never a police boat about when the goons like that start racing) We were overtaken by the hotel ship Mark Brandenburg as we went down the canal. Down the Seddinsee and followed Rosy into the mooring at Schmöckwitz. Both boats moored with bows towards the old landing stage. Later a cruiser came and joined us. Got on with a few chores and cooked a lasagna for dinner.

Sunday 10th October 2004 Schmöckwitz.

2.1° C even colder! Sunny morning. Cloudy showery afternoon. Turning colder again later. Mike got up up early to watch the Japanese F1 Grand Prix. Waste of time watching it, he said, the Japanese TV cameras missed the main action. Turned the heating off as the sun started warming the cabin. Mike gave Bill a hand sorting out his injectors. 

Tuesday 5th - Thurs 7th October 2004 Groß Köris to Schmöckwitz.

Tuesday 5th October 2004 Groß Köris to Schmöckwitz.

Klein Korisersee - Wikimedia photo by Botaurus

9° C Sunny start, clouding over during the morning, then clear skies and hot in the afternoon. Set off at 8 a.m. as the lady bridge keeper came to look to see if she had any boats waiting. Next time we’ll moor on the other side of the bridge where there was a large grassy area with no fences. As we ran back north through the chain of lakes no one else was moving and the two big lakes, Kleinkörisersee and Hölzenersee, were smooth as silk and as vivid blue as the sky. The air was clear and crisp. I’d been doing some washing so the pins came out at 9.45 a.m. as we wound along the long thin Schmöldesee and arrived at the Dahme near Prieros. Several long narrow open fishing boats were buzzing about at high speed, stopping to inspect the contents of nets slung between poles. A red squirrel showed off his acrobatic talents running up a tree near Dolgenbrodt. At

Church at Prieros - Wikimedia photo by Clemensfranz

the top end of the Dolgensee we called at a boatyard in Gussow to get some water. They were closed for the winter Mike was informed rather brusquely. Well, there were signs such as bags over the electricity posts and the fuel pump! We followed Rosy along the narrow winding channel of the Dahme and paused at Bindow at a boatyard where a couple of lads were busy cleaning down boats which had been lifted out for winter storage. Bill managed to get Rosy into their guest mooring with only about 2m sticking out into the channel and arranged some drinking water for 1 Euro for 100 litres. We tied across the posts which their small boats had their sterns tied to and were within range of the hosepipe. It was slow but at least we refilled the tanks. I did some chores while the tank filled. Mike was busy mopping up

Fire station at Dolgenbrodt - Wikimedia photo by Clemensfranz

several bucketfuls of water from the engine room bilges. He’d left the brass tap on the drain pipe from the manifold cooler turned on overnight to drip and, for some as yet unknown reason, it had overflowed the bucket. I made lunch and we ate it sitting on the stern in the sunshine as we crossed the Krüpelsee. Down the Krimnicksee and into the Stabbe at Neue Mühle to wait for the lock, where we were joined by four skiffs and a powered cruiser. Below there were two cruisers waiting to go up. It was almost 2 p.m. as we ran down the Dahme past the coal truck unloading place on the corner of the Notte kanal (which we noticed had a sign to say there was a mooring on the canal at Königs Wusterhausen. Made a mental note that we must find time to explore that one of the days. A policeboat, N° 31, went past towing a green marker buoy - we were tempted to ask where

Dolgensee - Wikimedia photo by Lienhard Schultz

they’d stolen it from but hadn’t got the German words to make jokes like that. The crew leaned out and shouted something which we didn’t understand. Then Bill said on VHF that they’d asked if we’d come from England and he’d said yes. When they passed us they had asked Mike “which way?” which at the time hadn’t made any sense! The afternoon sunshine was warm as we followed Rosy into the Möllenzugsee and into the long lake called the Zeuthenersee with the Großer Zug off to its right. We did a diversion along the latter and the Krossinsee which lead to the Oder Spree Kanal and the Seddingsee and back to Schmöckwitz. We tied up side by side in the corner, with us on the inside under the trees. The rest of the quay was empty. Mike went off at 5 p.m. on the moped to collect the car from Philadelphia. Lots of little power boats and cruisers were out on the lake enjoying the autumn sunshine. Tugs were moving pans of brown coal from the loading place at Königs Wusterhausen to the coal fired power station by the Siemens factory at Spandau. I made Thai fried rice (Thai instead of Indonesian for a change) for dinner. Mike returned with the car as I was halfway through preparing it. Paused to help load the moped back on the roof.

Wednesday 6th October 2004 Schmöckwitz.

13.9° C Sunny, clouding over in the afternoon and rain from 6 p.m. through the night. Bill went by bike to get groceries from the Extra just up the road. Later Mike and I went shopping at Real in Treptower Park, calling in at Lutz’s boatyard to drop off a length of hose that Bill hadn’t used. Mike asked where he could get a sparking plug for our gennie. Lutz said if he hadn’t got one he could order one and it would be there the next day. He put one on order. We were home at 2 p.m. for a late lunch. Mike did his engine room checks. I spent the afternoon putting all the groceries away then cooking a kingsized stew with some cubed beef,

Kablow church on the Krupelsee - Wikimedia photo by Lokilech

onions, carrots, swede and parsnips to which I added some pearl barley and cooked it for an hour in the pressure cooker. Mike chatted to an old chap who told him he owned the spit of land south of the mooring which separates the little bay from the rest of the Zeuthenersee. He said he was at school in Schmöckwitz during the war, learning English by day and being bombed by the English at night! But there was no animosity to the English he said. German soldiers arrived and fought the Russians who were on the opposite bank. (They’d blown up the bridge, an old wood and metal arched one, to stop the Russian advance). At the time his uncle owned the narrow spit of land and the Germans commandeered it to fire a big gun at the Russians. His uncle pleaded with them not to do it as the Russians’ return fire would destroy his bit of land. He gave them food and vodka as bribes. Next day the Russians had succeeded in crossing the lake so his land was saved and the soldiers left.

Thursday 7th October 2004 Schmöckwitz.

9.1° C Sunny and warm all day. Mike went to find the cause of his engine room flood. He discovered the source of the problem when he found that the shut off tap wasn’t closing completely as the valve was damaged, probably from having debris stuck in it when he’d closed it. Must change it ASAP but in the meantime, until we can get a new one, he found he could turn it off successfully by closing it then backing it off a fraction. Took Bill with us out in the car to an Internet Café I’d spotted when we went shopping the day before. We called in

View from Schmockwitz bridge of spit of land - trees on right
Wikimedia photo by Orderinchaos

at Lutz’s boatyard, getting mislaid in an Umleitung (diversion) without any road signs on the way there, and picked up the new sparkplug for the Honda, at 3,71 EU (about £2.50) Mike thought it was a good buy - he’d expected to pay twice that price. Score one! We went on towards Treptow and found the Internet Café. Bill and I went to investigate. Signs on the door said the Internet Café was no more. We went in the computer shop next door to ask if there was another in the vicinity. The lad who came to the desk said no. Bill asked if there was one in the area of Schmöckwitz and he reeled off a string of directions which Bill wrote down. Back at the car Mike said get him to mark it on the A-Z and I went back. It dawned on me as he turned the pages of the Berlin A-Z that he was sorting out directions to Schmöckwitz! There’s an Internet Café there? I asked, er, no! Give up! Back to the boat for lunch. It was a pleasant afternoon so Mike and I went out in the car. First to Neuhaus lock to find out when they close down. Mike was

Another view from Schmockwitz bridge of spit of land
Wikimedia photo by Orderinchaos

pleased to find that they don’t close until the end of October and neither does Beeskow’s automatic lock. We went on into EHS to have a look for the Internet Café. The one by the hospital had gone, so I went in a papershop and was told there was a Spiel Casino in Linden Allee which we found easily right at the end of the main street directly opposite the City Center shopping complex. Parked opposite the cybercafé and went in. Nice modern computers and there were two separate rooms so the kids playing games didn’t annoy the adults and students using the ‘net. The only drawback was that it was a bit pricey at 2€ an hour. The first computer we used wouldn’t do a printout so the lady attendant asked if we’d like to move to another which worked OK. Did the bank statements and the phone bills for August and September. Checked our E-mails. We went to have a look at the river Oder and then went home. Took the scenic route back to the A12 via Pohlitz and Reißen into Mullrose. There was a long queue of traffic, including lots of lorries, heading towards Poland. Took the wrong turning off the motorway and went back through Zeuthen and Eichwald where there was one diversion after another due to roadworks. It was 8.30 p.m. by the time we got home. 

Monday 4th October 2004 Philadelphia to Zugbrücke, Groß Köris.

Bridge air draft gauge at Philadelphia
Wikimedia photo by E-W

7.2° C Sunny, but a chilly, breezy afternoon. We winded and headed down to the lock at Kummersdorf. An old chap was on duty working the lock.   The Wolzigersee was a placid blue mirror, a perfect reflection of the sky, until we disturbed a great flock of greylag geese which took flight only to land again a few hundred metres away from the boats. I finished the chores as we crossed into the Langersee, the washing finished as we turned upstream on the river Dahme. Mike disconnected the Markon as we went into the Teupitzergewässer. After we’d gone through the Neubrücke bridge and into the Klein Korisersee, the wind began to pick up. Through a chain of three little lakes, Kleiner Modder, Großer Modder and the Schulzen sees. Between the latter two we had a ten minute wait for the bridge keeper at Groß Köris, where we were charged 3 Euros each to pass through the Historische Zugbrücke, which opens every hour on the hour. The cards the lady keeper gave us as a receipt showed a picture of a trip boat passing through the bridge, which said that 122 years earlier Theodor Fontane had passed through with his sailing boat the Phönix and had been inspired to write a book called “Wandering through the Mark Brandenburg” in which he describes the bridge. There might have been a liftbridge there for 122 years, but the current structure certainly was nowhere

Holzernersee - Wikimedia photo by Botaurus

near that age. The base and road supports were of modern concrete and the bridge itself was a modern electrically operated metal one, a steel copy of a Llangollen style bridge. A little police boat, N° 23, was waiting on the opposite side and came through the bridge first. We continued down the channel leading to the last few lakes in the chain. There were loads of leaves in the clean clear water and a very strong smell of poplars in the air. Into the Schulzensee, through another narrow channel and out into the Zemminsee, which connected to the Schwerinersee and then the Teupitzersee. We did a clockwise circle around the two islands at the end of the big lake then headed back, retracing our course. A trip boat

Teuplitzer see - Wikimedia photo by Wusel007

had set out from Teupitz and we had followed it back through the lakes, but it winded in the last lake before the liftbridge and we met it on its return journey, coming back south, and passed it in the narrow channel under the motorway bridge, north of the Zemminsee. More power boats passed us, heading south to play in the lakes, as we waited a half hour for the bridge keeper to arrive for the 4 p.m. opening. She let us through and we asked if we could stop on the far side of the bridge, she reluctantly said yes. At 4.10 we tied to the wooden piling, using chains around the horizontal wooden bars to stop our ropes jamming between the logs. While we were eating dinner we spotted a woman walking up and down and thought she was just having a look at the boats. Bill said later she owned the land that we were tied to and she wasn’t at all happy about us being there - she spoke severely to Bill, telling him we were only allowed to stay there to wait for the bridge, but finally she said OK

we could stay overnight. 

Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd October 2004 Philadelphia to Bad Sarrow and back.

Friday 1st October 2004 Philadelphia to Bad Sarrow and back.

10.4° C Grey and overcast. We were supposed to go at 8 a.m. but Mike forgot to set the alarm clock and so we left a little later at 8.30 a.m. The lock at Storkow had been completely

rebuilt and was supposed to be automatic, but there were two men on the lockside and one of them worked it for us. Mike asked him if he knew where we could get some drinking water. He asked how much (if it had only been 50 litres or so, I think he

The liftbridge at Storkow

would have let us fill up from the cabin) and he said the first yacht haven around the corner in the town and made comment that they charge several Euros - tourism! He rode down to the lift bridge to operate it for us and said when we came back it would be on automatic operation. We set off with pins in and the washing machine in action. South on the Großer Storkowersee, through the narrows and we saw one large Berlin cruiser moving as we crossed the next lake, Dolgensee. Three rowing skiffs were in the middle of the lake going the same way as us - but faster -they were in the lock at Wendisch Rietz when we got there. The lock had also been rebuilt and was now automatic. We squeezed past two WSA boats moored below the lock and joined the skiffs, full of noisy middle aged women rowers, who had to move up to let us in. It took twenty minutes to fill the lock and we only rose about a metre. The WSA men were working on the lockside putting the finishing touches to the surrounds of the new lock, which had a larger than life log cabin alongside it. I did the ironing as we set off up the Scharmützelsee, the last of the chain of lakes. The washing finished and Mike took the pins out. Nothing much was moving except us as we steamed on northwards up the lake, a fisherman trawling a long net and one solitary trip boat as we got closer to Bad Sarrow, the spa town at the end of the lake. Bill hung back and didn’t go all the way to the end of the lake. We went into the yacht haven for water. A chap off a houseboat, a converted WSA tug called Dietz, said that the harbour master was at lunch. I said we had only wanted some water and we started to untie to set off again when the Harbour Master returned. Two Euros for 300 litres. OK. Mike chatted to the Harbour Master and the other club members who had turned up to look at the strange boat. I showed him the newspaper report of 1999 when we went to EHS. He went off to get his camera and take photos. The chap off the tug had to take the pix as the H.M. wanted to be on them with us! He wanted to know if we wanted any fish - there was a good place close by that sold fresh lake fish and did we want any diesel? We were a bit overwhelmed! Meanwhile Bill had got fed up waiting and had cruised off back down the lake. It was 1 p.m. by the time we’d untied and said our farewells. Rosy was moored on the

Rosy below Storkow lock

stumps at the end of the lake before the lock at Wendisch Rietz. I turned the blue pole and we went down the lock together - with no screaming, laughing women this time. The WSA men had packed up and gone home. Through the narrow channel to the Dolgensee. There was a very strong smell of manure, someone must have been muck spreading somewhere upwind as we went north on the lake. Back at Storkow I turned the blue pole for the lift bridge. The modern replacement wooden Llangollen style bridge lifted 20cm then stopped. An old chap on opposite the bank said we’d have to call the WSA - the intercom was on the bank by the blue pole, so we had to shove back over to the far side to call. No sooner had I pressed the button than a man appeared and opened the panel next to the bridge. Shove over again to get through it as the bridge was offset. We were soon through to the lock. I turned the blue pole, again it had been installed so close by the lock that we had to back off to get over to the side where the lock was. It worked OK on auto, but the chap who had operated the bridge came and stood by in the cabin to work the lock, just in case. We dropped down 1.5m on to the Storkower kanal and were soon tying up at Philadelphia. It was 4.40 p.m. Back in the same place we’d left that morning. Bill had a change of scenery and moored behind us (he was in front the night before). The sky was clear after a beautiful red sunset, a colder night due

Saturday 2nd October 2004 Philadelphia.

5.9° C (due to that clear sky) Sunny and mild. Went to the shops in Storkow for some bread and a few groceries. Bill had been before on his bike, so he gave us directions to the shops. He hadn’t been in the Plus, so we went in there. It wasn’t very good. Not much selection. Mike said they hadn’t got Holstein Pils in crates, so we’d have to go to the other supermarket anyway. Good thing - they hadn’t got any brown bread, only rye or white. We got the bread and more stuff in Edeka. Had a look in the main square to see if there was a market on - there wasn’t - so we went home. Lunch. I had to dig out the mossie net for the side doors as we were invaded by wasps. Mike serviced the Honda, then started it up for me to run the Mac and do the log. Mike set up the BBQ. The lady who lived in one of the houses close by the mooring called Mike and Bill to give them some pears. She said they were falling off the trees and would only go to waste, which was a shame. We cooked sausages and chops, which we had with baked spuds and ratatouille. A young lady, with two small children and a little dog, went riding past on her bike. She stopped to have a chat; she was from the next village down the canal, Kummersdorf, she spoke good English - once she’d got over the shock of seeing two narrowboats. Bill gave the family the guided tour of Rosy. We packed up after it dropped dark and chilly at around 8 p.m. Very pleased to hear the sounds of owls hunting in the woods nearby. The first owls we’d heard since leaving Condé. Ran the genie and watched TV, the last episode of Tony Robinson’s “Worst jobs in History” set in Victorian England. Tanning was the worst job, as they had to soak cow hides in a disgusting concoction of water and urine plus dog and chicken dung. The smell must have been really foul - in fact I can remember the smell of a tannery as I used to get off the bus in Wolverhampton close by one and it definitely was the worst smell imaginable.

Sunday 3rd October 2004 Philadelphia.

10.6° C Sunny and warm all day. We had a lazy Sunday for once. Mike was miffed that he couldn’t watch snooker (can’t get BBC or ITV). He lit the coal fire as it was getting chilly.

Wednesday 29th & Thursday 30th September 2004 Hermsdorfer Mühler to Philadelphia.

Wednesday 29th September 2004 Hermsdorfer Mühler to Philadelphia.

Much milder night at 13.1° C Wet. Pouring with rain most of the night and when we looked outside first thing. The bedroom window above my head had started to leak and Mike had a

Lock at Kummersdorf

look to see where the wet was getting in. Have to get the hopper out when (if!) the weather dries up. At ten the rain eased off. The blonde lady keeper at Prieros confirmed that the local locks would be closed after the 3rd October, but could be put on call out by making a telephone call the day before. We dropped back down the lock and continued downstream along the Dahme to the crossroads where we went north east on the Storkower Gewasser, along the Langer See then into a winding canal linking with the large round lake called the Wolziger See, a deep lake (over 10m) which we entered at the south west edge and crossed to exit at the north east side, near the town of Wolzig, hidden from view in among the trees. The rain poured down. Last time we crossed the lake it was windy - at least we hadn’t got both today. I made some lunch as we carried on up the

Above Kummersdorf lock. Storkowergewasse 

Storkow canal. The rain stopped as we followed the curving channel, with 2m of deep clear water. A Kuhnle hireboat came past us heading downhill, then we passed another moored under the trees. We rose about a metre in the lock at Kummersdorf. I asked the lady keeper when her lock shuts (she spoke no English but we managed) and she said not until 31st of next month. We said we’d see her next week and she nodded and waved as we left. Followed Rosy on along the canal to moor at 2.30 p.m. at the wooden edged low quay at Philadelphia, under the trees. Mike staked the satellite dish on the sloping bank next to

Kummersdorf lock in 2013

the boat. It poured with rain again. Mike ‘phoned Hans-D and said we’d be at EHS next day by car. We had to go and collect MBK spares from Spandau in the morning, so we’d see him around 1.30 p.m. He said he’d meet us at the Mielenzhafen. I got on with the chores, then helped Mike unload the moped off the boat down the plank. He went to get the car from Schmöckwitz and I got on with catching up with the log entries. He was back just after six, I helped run the moped back on to the roof up the plank in the wet and get it covered. Made pasta carbonara for dinner. Bill was having troubles with his 12v system, he was not getting a full charge from a good day’s engine running. There was only enough power to run just the fridge for three or four hours by then the voltage had dropped to ten volts. It needs looking at, but Bill’s convinced it just requires three new replacement batteries. Mike thought that there may be other problems with his system!

Thursday 30th September 2004 Philadelphia.

Moored at Philadelphia in 2013

10.1° C Showers in the morning and sunny spells in the afternoon. Mike and I went to Spandau to get the bits he’d ordered for the moped from the MBK shop. On the way we called at Neue Mühler lock in Königs-Wusterhausen, where Mike went to find out if the lock was due to close within the next few days. The keeper was busy, he didn’t speak English and wasn’t doing too well with Mike’s attempts at German. He wrote down the opening times for the lock for October and the ‘phone number - so the lock wasn’t in imminent danger of closing and only being available on call out. (We think). We got on the A100 Berlin inner ring and off at Spandauer Dam. Mike went in the MBK shop and bought the bits he’d ordered, a new chain and a sprocket wheel for the moped, then we went across the road to fill the car’s tank up with diesel before returning to the A100. Took the autoroute south, A115, to join the A10 Berliner outer ring running east, then the A12 which took us all the way to Frankfurt where we got off and

Track by the mooring at Philadelphia in 2013

headed south (on new roads) into Eisenhuttenstadt. We were late. We’d told Hans we would be there at 1.30 p.m. and it was 1.50 p.m. There was another one of the members there as Christian (the boss) was laid up with a bad knee (he’d been working too hard!). The club’s boats were due to come out of the water on the 22nd of next month, so we said as there was enough space anyway for the two boats along the wall - where they’d installed new metal gangways - that we’d like to arrive around the 15th. The guy had only come down to the club for an hour and had to leave and lock up. Hans was on his bike, so we said thanks and “Bis bald” - see you soon - and followed Hans back to his house to see Marianne. We stayed for coffee and a chat. Hans showed us photos of their son’s new house and their two grandchildren, Hannah (aged 3) and Karl (aged 5), who are growing up really fast. Before heading back to the boat we did some shopping at the Real hypermarket. Took the 246 scenic route back through Beeskow and Storkow to Philadelphia, a very pleasant ride. Bill had been to Storkow on his bike to do a bit of shopping. Later Bill and Fanny came over to have a planning meeting for the next few days’ travels.