Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH



The Kiel Canal

(German: Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, literally "North-[to]-Baltic Sea canal", formerly known as the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal) is a 98-kilometre (61 mi) long freshwater canal in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. The canal was finished in 1895, but later widened, and links the North Sea at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic Sea at Kiel-Holtenau. An average of 250 nautical miles (460 km) is saved by using the Kiel Canal instead of going around the Jutland Peninsula. This not only saves time but also avoids storm-prone seas and having to pass through the Sound or Belts.

Besides its two sea entrances, the Kiel Canal is linked, at Oldenbüttel, to the navigable River Eider by the short Gieselau Canal.

History

The first connection between the North and Baltic Seas was constructed while the area was ruled by Denmark-Norway. It was called the Eider Canal, which used stretches of the Eider River for the link between the two seas. Completed during the reign of Christian VII of Denmark in 1784, the Eiderkanal was a 43-kilometre part of a 175-kilometre waterway from Kiel to the Eider River's mouth at Tönning on the west coast. It was only 29 metres wide with a depth of 3 metres (10 ft), which limited the vessels that could use the canal to 300 tonnes.

After 1864 Second Schleswig War put Schleswig-Holstein under the government of Prussia (from 1871 the German Empire), a new canal was sought by merchants and by the German navy, which wanted to link its bases in the Baltic and the North Sea without the need to sail around Denmark.

In June 1887, construction started at Holtenau, near Kiel. The canal took over 9,000 workers eight years to build. On 20 June 1895 the canal was officially opened by Kaiser Wilhelm II for transiting from Brunsbüttel to Holtenau. The next day, a ceremony was held in Holtenau, where Wilhelm II named it the Kaiser Wilhelm Kanal (after his grandfather, Kaiser Wilhelm I), and laid the final stone.[3] The opening of the canal was filmed by British director Birt Acres; surviving footage of this early film is preserved in the Science Museum in London.

The first Trans-Atlantic sailing ship to pass through the canal was Lilly, commanded by Johan Pitka. Lilly. a barque, was a wooden sailing ship of about 390 tons built 1866 in Sunderland, U.K. She had a length of 127.5 ft., beam 28.7 ft., depth of 17.6 ft and a 32-ft keel.

Widening (1907–1914

In order to meet the increasing traffic and the demands of the Imperial German Navy, between 1907 and 1914 the canal width was increased. The widening of the canal allowed the passage of a Dreadnought-sized battleship. This meant that these battleships could travel from the Baltic Sea to the North Sea without having to go around Denmark. The enlargement projects were completed by the installation of two larger canal locks in Brunsbüttel and Holtenau.

After World War I, the Treaty of Versailles required the canal to be open to vessels of commerce and of war of any nation at peace with Germany, while leaving it under German administration. (It must be noted here that the United States rejected this proposal because it would have given other powers – notably Great Britain and France – an excuse to seek similar concessions on the Panama Canal. Even pre–World War I Germany had floated such a proposal.) The government under Adolf Hitler repudiated its international status in 1936. After World War II the canal was reopened to all traffic. In 1948, the current name was adopted.

The canal was partially closed in March 2013 after two lock gates failed at the western end near Brunsbüttel. Ships larger than 125 metres were forced to navigate via Skagerrak, a 450-kilometre detour. The failure was blamed on neglect and a lack of funding by the German Federal Government which has been in financial dispute with the state of Schleswig-Holstein regarding the canal. Germany's Transport Ministry promised rapid repairs.

Operation

There are detailed traffic rules for the canal. Each vessel in passage is classified in one of six traffic groups according to its dimensions. Larger ships are obliged to accept pilots and specialised canal helmsmen, in some cases even the assistance of a tugboat. Furthermore, there are regulations regarding the passing of oncoming ships. Larger ships may also be required to moor at the bollards provided at intervals along the canal to allow the passage of oncoming vessels. Special rules apply to pleasure craft.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH

Sunday 29 th of July 2018 and I will start my adventure along the Kiel Canal. And if you want to know a little bit more about the Kiel Canal you can click HERE. Anyway, today it is the first day of the bicycle holiday along the Kiel Canal.

On the map below you will be able to see the different stages, day by day.

Kiel Canal by bike - Stage by stage


Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
YELLOW = Original bicycle route     RED = Short cut     BLUE = TAXI
Bigger map by clicking HERE

My alarm went off at 4 o'clock and I was enjoying my blue berries and a pot of Earl Grey tea in my room. I have brought a box of Earl Grey tea from Sweden, just to make sure I get the real thing. Anyway, I went for an excellent breakfast at 6 o'clock and thanks to the blue berries I could not eat so much breakfast even if it was an excellent breakfast.

I left Hotel Berliner Hof to go look for the European Herring Gull at the train station.

European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, Gråtrut

European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, Gråtrut
European Herring Gull / Gråtrut

European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, Gråtrut
European Herring Gull / Gråtrut

European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, Gråtrut
European Herring Gull / Gråtrut

Så att det blir rätt!
Jen Ganman and Magnus Carlssons video “Så att det blir rätt!” was removed from Youtube after just a few hours - Sweden 2018

Youtube censorship

Censorship

I get a few pictures of the Herring Gull and I walk back to the hotel where I meet the guy from Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH. He took my luggage and put it in his van. He will take it to my hotel in Rendsburg, Hotel ConventGarten where I will stay the night. I got my bicycle and some bags to hang on the side. I had problems to fit my camera but we managed to get the camera down in to the bad.

I one more bag hanging on the back with water and some MAX I had a small box up front on the bar and I had my small camera in this box together with maps etc.

I told him that I didn't wanted to use the bike through the city and I asked for a taxi. Well, he told me that he would bring me and the bike back to the Canal. I will cross the Canal with a very small ferry. We loaded the bike in the back of the van and we left Hotel Berliner Hof behind bound for Holtenau.

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
The van is here to pick up my luggage

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
My suitcase and bicycle in the back of the van

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
My suitcase and bicycle in the back of the van

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
My bike is ready for action

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
A ship leaves the lock in Holtenau

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
A ship is passing in the Canal

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
The ferry Adler 1 on the other side of the Canal

European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, Gråtrut
European Herring Gull / Gråtrut

European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, Gråtrut
European Herring Gull / Gråtrut

I say good bye to the driver and I went down the ramp to the ferry jetty. I took a picture of a ship leaving the lock in Holtenau. I took a picture of the ferry Adler 1 that will come to pick us up and bring us across the Kiel Canal. I also took some pictures of an European Herring Gull.

There were a few other people waiting for the ferry, among them the old couple that was on a tour along the Kiel Canal with Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH. I had meet them at the hotel when the driver loaded their luggage in the van. They arrived after me and they must have thought that I was a racer biker.

The ferry arrived and we boarded the boat with our bikes. Half the ferry was dedicated for bikes. I was first to board and that means that I was last to get off the ferry on the other side.

European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, Gråtrut
European Herring Gull / Gråtrut

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
The ferry Adler 1 leaving to come to pick us up

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
The ferry Adler 1 is coming

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
The ferry Adler 1 is coming

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
The ferry Adler 1 is coming

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
We're crossing the Kiel Canal

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
We can see the lock from the ferry

I was walking off the boat with my bike and I stopped on the path next to the Canal. My bike holiday can start. I got on the bike and I was biking for 5 minutes or so before I had to stop. There were some Canada Gooses and I wanted to have pictures. Getting off the bike and going through the trouble getting the camera out of the bag.

I was soon back on the bike again, but again, after a few minutes I stopped to get a few pictures of the Greylag goose. It was a lot of stop to look at the birds. If I continue like this I will not be at my hotel until very late night. So in order to save some time I removed my small Canon G7X “action” camera from my belt to the box on the handlebar

Now I can continue bicycling while taking pictures, thus no need to stop and I will be at the Hotel ConventGarten in Rendsburg in a good time.

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
I start my biking adventure to follow the track along the Canal

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis, Kanadagås
Canada Goose

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Kiel Canal by bike

Greylag Goose, Anser anser, Grågås, Grågås

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
More Canada Gooses along the Canal

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
I take the pictures while moving and my small Canon G7X
“action” camera that I keep in the box up front

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Passing a traffic signal and the construction work

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Kiel Canal by bike

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
I find a bike to sit down to relax

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
I sitt down to enjoy the views and a sip from my bottle of MAX

I was hauling arse and this bicycling thing is a nice thing. I sit down paddling along and I make 15 km/h just by sitting down paddling every now and then. I pass a bench and I decide to sit down to enjoy a MAX while enjoying the views.

No ships passing and no birds so was soon on my way again. A few minutes later and I stopped to watch a swan family. They were swimming around eating sea weed enjoying themselves.

I can hear many small birds singing in the trees, but I never managed to see any of them. I was soon on the bike again and I reach a ferry jetty with one of the many ferries crossing the Kiel Canal. I had a few pictures but I never crossed the Canal. I have planned to cross the Canal a few times on the way back to Kiel as I will bicycle along the full stretch of the Canal.

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
A Swan family in the Kiel Canal

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, Knölsvan

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, Knölsvan
Mute Swan / Knölsvan

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, Knölsvan
Baby Mute Swan / Knölsvan

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Approaching the ferry

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Approaching the ferry

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
I take the short cut through the forest

I had decided to take the short cut already when I got the map the very first time as I wanted to bicycle through the forest. I had been on the bike for a few kilometres and my behind was starting to get sore. Coming up on the bumpy road was not doing any good for my sore behind.

And I was starting to get hungry, and I was in the middle of nowhere. Consulting the map and no sign of any restaurant. The idea of a taxi started to form in my head.

I left the forest behind and I was following a path along the pastures. I reach the point where I join the original route and I have a small village on the right hand side.

I was just about to continue when I spotted a parasol and I decided to check it out. Approaching the parasol and my hope grew, it was more and more looking like a restaurant.

Der Lindenkrug in Großkönigsförde, Gutbürgerliche traditionelle holsteinische Kochkunst
Is it a restaurant I can see

Der Lindenkrug in Großkönigsförde, Gutbürgerliche traditionelle holsteinische Kochkunst
Yes, it looks like a restaurant

Der Lindenkrug in Großkönigsförde, Gutbürgerliche traditionelle holsteinische Kochkunst
Yes, I was lucky and it was a restaurant

It was a restaurant and I stepped inside. They didn't accept any credit cards so I was very disappointed. But they told me that I could transfer money to their bank account.
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st - THANK GOD!!!

I ordered schnitzel and a pot of tea. I ordered a few sandwiches to bring with me on the bike. When I was ready I asked for ice cream. OH! What a lunch it was, the food was excellent and I could enjoy the views and passing ships on the Kiel Canal.

I asked for the bill and I will transfer the money when I'm at the hotel tonight. I was in an excellent mood when I left Der Lindenkrug in Großkönigsförde, Gutbürgerliche traditionelle holsteinische Kochkunst

I told them that I would come back on my way back to Kiel. A few seconds later they came running to tell me that they would be closed in the beginning of August for holiday.

Der Lindenkrug in Großkönigsförde, Gutbürgerliche traditionelle holsteinische Kochkunst
A proper tea pot

Der Lindenkrug in Großkönigsförde, Gutbürgerliche traditionelle holsteinische Kochkunst
Watching the ships go by

Der Lindenkrug in Großkönigsförde, Gutbürgerliche traditionelle holsteinische Kochkunst
Watching the ships go by

Der Lindenkrug in Großkönigsförde, Gutbürgerliche traditionelle holsteinische Kochkunst
Ice cream with real whipping cream

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
I cannot see the end of the track

I continued paddling my bike towards Rendsburg and I was on a pretty tedious stretch through some bushland. I could not see the Canal, and I could for sure not see the end of the track. And it was a bumpy stretch and I was reminded about my behind. DARN! It was painful and I could not wait to get to my hotel in Rendsburg.

When I look at the map I realise that I should have been keeping left to get down to the Canal. But I was going through the forest. Coming out of the forest and I was in Sehestedt and I found myself on the road. The “Bike Route” signs pointed towards the road.

I didn't felt like biking along the road and I stopped to look for a place to call a taxi. The meter on the handlebar showed 23.73 kilometers, enough for me (my behind) in one day.

I found Landhaus Sehestedt and I went inside. I asked if they could call a taxi for me and my bicycle. I said thank you and I went outside to wait for the taxi

Landhaus Sehestedt
Landhaus Sehestedt

Landhaus Sehestedt
Landhaus Sehestedt

Landhaus Sehestedt
Landhaus Sehestedt and my bike waiting for the taxi

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
The taxi is coming down the road

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Here we go

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Can we get the taxi in to the taxi?

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Not so easy to get in to the taxi

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
So, ready to go

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
23,73 km under my belt today

It was nice when we reached Hotel ConventGarten in Rendsburg. When I checked in they told me that my luggage was in the room already. Great! I went to my room and they would bring me a kettle and milk. I have my Earl Grey tea from Sweden with me. But darn, it was hot in my room. It was like a sauna as the sun had been pounding the room all day long.

North Europe and there is no AC and one or two days of heat is nothing we can do anything about. But after 3 months heat wave they should at least have bought fans for the room.

The room was nice, but the heat was not acceptable. Very bad! But it was a lovely staff and they arranged a kettle for me, even though you expect this from a room in this price range.

Hotel ConventGarten in Rendsburg
My room at Hotel ConventGarten

Hotel ConventGarten in Rendsburg
My room at Hotel ConventGarten

Hotel ConventGarten in Rendsburg
My room at Hotel ConventGarten

I drink my tea and a MAX, yes, my luggage is full of Pepsi MAX and they bring it around Germany for me in the van. OK, one of the things I had planned to do already when I decided to do the “Kiel Canal by bike” tour was to cross the Kiel Canal with the ferry hanging in wires from the Rendsburg transporter bridge.

After crossing the river in the hanging ferry I would go to drink a soda at the restaurant under the bride, Brückenterrassen Restaurant und Café. Looking at the ships going by watching them greeting the ships by hoisting the flag playing the national hymn of the country of the flag that the ship flies.

They called me a taxi from the reception and I was soon on my way towards the Rendsburg transporter bridge. I could not see the hanging ferry and I asked the taxi driver about the ferry. He told me that the ferry was hit by a ship.

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Ferry jetty on the other side of the Canal

Kiel Canal by bike - Die Mecklenburger Radtour GmbH
Ferry jetty is no longer in use


A ship, Evert Prahm hit he ferry and 2 people were injured. Read the interim report: Serious Marine Casualty. Collision between the general cargo ship. EVERT PRAHM and the Rendsburg transporter bridge on 8 January 2016 by clicking HERE

So this was a disappointment, I took a table at the Brückenterrassen Restaurant und Café, sitting just next to the Kiel Canal. I asked for 2 bottles of soda water. I left after 20 minutes, and after 20 minutes I had not seen any soda water or any ships passing.

There was a ship passing when I left the place, but the only thing I got out of the visit to Brückenterrassen Restaurant und Café was a Carrion Crow looking for food at the parking place. I was looking for a taxi but no luck, so I had to walk back to the hotel.

Brückenterrassen Restaurant und Café
Waiting for my soda water at Brückenterrassen Restaurant und Café

Brückenterrassen Restaurant und Café
A ship is passing when I leave

Carrion crow, Corvus corone, Kråka

Carrion crow, Corvus corone, Kråka
Carrion crow / Kråka

Carrion crow, Corvus corone, Kråka
Carrion crow / Kråka

Carrion crow, Corvus corone, Kråka
Carrion crow / Kråka

My alarm is set to go off just after 4 o’clock in the morning. Breakfast at 6 thirty and then I will take off towards Hotel Klein Amsterdam in Friedrichstadt. And I will pass the second high lights on the trip, Bergenhusen, the “Stork Village” One of the things I really don’t want to miss. And I hope I have better luck than I had with the ferry hanging from Rendsburg transporter bridge

Bergenhusen

Bergenhusen (Danish: Berringhuse) is a municipality in the district of Schleswig-Flensburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

Bergenhusen coat of arms
Coat of arms
By Uwe Nagel from Bergenhusen - Kommunale Wappenrolle Schleswig-Holstein,
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3013879


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well, you just have to click HERE to find out if I have any luck with the storks




Visit Alternativ för Sverige's You Tube channel by clicking HERE


If you cannot reach their channel, or see some of their videos, it is because of the censorship. China!!?? NO NO, it is Sweden 2018!!




       
                  
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Flag of Skåne / Skånska flaggan Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.


                                       

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