Our position is 54:23.98N 10:12.71E

Distance covered 21Nm

We were anxious about finding a berth when we left the canal, as we had discovered along the way it is Kiel Week. Ina and Gerd had given us details of a berth reservation in Laboe they had made but were not now planning to use, so we telephoned in the morning to see if we could have the reservation transferred.  However this proved impossible as both the harbour and the marina denied having any such reservation but they both stated that if we got there before 15:00 then they should be able to accommodate us so we set off immediately, just after 9am.

In contrast to the day before, the weather was reasonable and the canal seemed empty without any large traffic apart from a square rigger, Wylde Swan, which motored past us, presumably heading for Kiel Week.

Wylde Swan approaching from the rear

This was about all we saw and then they all came at once!

Hotly pursued by the French navy!

Three hours saw us approaching the locks at Holtenau, where Wylde Swan was still waiting, but as we got closer the lock gates opened and all the yachts streamed in, followed by us. Again the pontoons were really low – only just above the water – and this time there were no helpful Germans to take our lines, so I was forced to grit my teeth and jump. This is never nice when you are not sure of the nature of the surface you are jumping onto and to make matters worse they were not level, but had various humpy bits in, the wooden edges were rotting away, and the whole thing was bouncing up and down. However I landed without incident, although Ted had to rig the step so I could get back on again! This was where you have to pay the toll for using the canal so Ted went ashore to do that and before long we were all surging out into Kieler Hafen and motoring up to Kieler Forde.

None of my pictures give any impression of distance down

Ted returning from paying the toll

The gates opening and the person on the boat in front did not have the advantage of a step and only just made it back up

There were many boats of every size and shape out there with us enjoying Kiel Week, but we headed purposefully to the marina at Laboe, where we were able to find an available berth before everyone came in from the day’s entertainment.  The new Baltic Bay Marina had finger pontoon mooring, rather than the more usual boxes, which made for some intense work with warps and fenders as we entered. The forecast is strong winds for tomorrow so we will rest here a day and catch up with some jobs.

A taste of the variety of boats sailing in Kiel Week

and passing through them

Jelly fish in the marina – the water is crystal clear, a big change from Holland

And a final selection of things along the bank of a canal  -

I don’t envy the parents when this lot are teenagers

One way to build a factory extension – it appeared to be floating

but I bet this isn’t the staff accommodation

I guess global warming isn’t an issue on a canal

although you need a lot of these to keep the level topped up (it wasn’t really on a slope)

We couldn’t decide if these were manufactured here or just resting

Not everyone’s idea of a wonderful holiday destination