Germany. april 2008

The first month of the 4000+ Kmtrip was taking most of my condition: Going upstream and passing many sluices/locks. But also a lot of nice bridges

Pushing and pushing the Dormund-Ems Canal, no side effects

After passing a lock, the waterpolice did pass by and asked for my papers. I forget that I had a liter of "fresh"milk in my cockpit. And did step on it. It later turned into sourcreme.

I met many people along the way, overhere the couple that takes care of the kayakclub Sterkrade: Thorsten and his wife. Thanks for the beer and the hamburgers!

Images along the way..from holland to moldova

Images along the way

Above the pumpstation from Termunterzijl.

At the moment I am still busy with….ahh many things and don't know where to start with my story about paddling from Holland to Moldova.
So it's better to put some photo's on the blog and then hopefull it will come back.

The small fishing village of Ditsum, Germany. during the trip I was doing report for the dutch newspaper "De volkskrant''. Overall I did write over 60 artickles.




After crossing the Dollard I have to upstream the river Ems. In the background the port of Emden. This was all during my first days of the trip (april 2008)

the first lap

goodday,

to all viewers.



well yesterday i did paddle my first few hours on the donau.

having paddled for over a month upstream, i was a relief. just go with the flow.

i left the blog a while unattended because i was to busy with paddling. and as i have to write for a newspaper as well every week overhere in holland, the english site is forgotten. the river rhine i did paddle for one day but the current was to strong. i did go to the wanheimer kayak club near duisburg and they helped me to get things organized.

we find a big vessel that did bring me to the main river, upstream the rhine. and we did a good interview as well in duisberg.
a whole page was for smilesformoldova.
then the battke of the river main did start a long and tiresome river....if you go upstream. sometimes, imean often the pace was not only 3 km an hour....and then the numerous locks. as for now i had more than 60 locks i did pass by.
some are helpful, sometimes have to wait for 2 hours to go together with a vessel. sometimes had to take the boat out of big quays and was always happy not to have my back in two pieces....all in all a reminder for the people who read thisl do it downstream and a beautiful river is there for you.
after a few weeks of hard work i did arrive at the main donau canal. also there a lot of locks and after a few days the lockmaster did not want to help anymore...the height was getting to dangerous for a kayak. so back to the traditional handwork, all in all hard work and always happy to be on the other side of the lock.

but it.s not all about suffering. one night a man passed by with his son, and promised to come back...with warm chicken, lots of softdrinks, lights, bread etc....i had to refuse a lot because it will not fit in the boat, although the chicken was already reserved for the belly.
or an old lady who did keep an eye on the boat because she did not trust the youngster hanging around.
for the rest it.s perfect kayaking, the cold freezing weather is now gone and we had a warm week. and now some rain again.
my first lap to the donau is done. 1245 km.
and although i speak some german...it can not be avoided to have some misunderstanding now and then...the lockmaster one time did hang out of his window because i made an error...i just could not understand what he did mean.
aber keine probleme jahhhhh.
i will take a few days of rest overhere in regensburg and do a interview and then at the end of the week it.s paddling again.
i also have a big hole under the waterline of the cockpit, but the tape is doing a great job.

well the coming two or three months i will be on the donau, danube or whatever they call it.
in 3 weeks i will leave the west of europe behind me and will go into serbia, etc...see what will overthere....

images along the way, the river Ems

Well,

after trying very hard to do things in the internet cafe the right way. i did have refuge in a Photoshop.

See here some results....paddling the Dollard and Ems...

The photo above is at Termunterzijl.

The second night of my journeywas minus 6...but during the day it is very comfortable.

The boys from the ARV, the academical Rowing Club in Munster did give me two days of shelter in their very nice clubhouse. This club stands for tradition and a life time commitment. Leather seats a billiard and during the night BBQ with Bradwurst und Beer. Thanks!

Well, it was here that i planted my tent near an old pump station, and then we sun went down......

Add salt to the Sea.

Petkum
This morning there was a news report on the local radio about storing gas under the ground.
This will happen in Germany near Jengum, this is upstream the river Ems and close to the border with Holland. We, the kayakers from Groningen are regular visitors overhere.
The plan is to remove big salt pans under the surface and replace it by gas. They are not talking about cubic meters, but cubic kilometers.
Termunterzijl
They will pump in plain water and the salt will be turned into liquid, then they pump it up and let it all flow into the Ems.
An increase of 20 % more salt in the sea. The stretch of period would be 30 years. These projects cost billions of Euros and have no effect on the German habitat.
Well they are right; the pipe will be very close to the border of Holland. And as everybody can notice, we will be the one having environmental damage.
The area Dollard/Ems is already suffering from growth from industrial development and adding projects like this will increase the number of casualties under "dwellers of the Dollard/Ems region". Borkum line
In Holland we have the expression "carrying water to the sea", in Germany they "carry salt to the sea". Who is cleverer???
Well, will this region turn into the Death Sea? With so much salt. The advantage is that we do not have to wear PFD's anymore….we will float anyway.
SaltSmurf

D-day; Dollard day

Termunterzijl



surfsmurf doing the planning

It was on a evening in May when I received a call to go to the Dollard.
A nice daytrip where Germany and Holland meet, South of the river Ems.
We left from Termunterzijl, a nice little village with a very old pumping-engine. We go Eastwards where the Ems and the Dollard will split. We go into the Mouth of the Dollard, while on the Ems you can see the big vessels going to Emden, or maybe further upstream to Papenburg to be rebuild at the famous Mayerwerff.

On the way to NieuwStatenzijl we decide to pass by the pole that is standing in the water and marks the border of Holland and Germany. We are the only one on the water, it's not very deep and little boats can only come here with HW.

We are now heading for Noordpolderzijl, but we had to "Wadlopen", Meaning that we had to walk in the mud for a while, we don't have enough water under the boat. So we are knee-deep in the silt and slime.
We will have a break in the lookout of the bird's sanctuary. People from the land can only come here by a very long jetty in this swamp area and they will be rewarded with lots of flying obstacles…..and some down to earth kayakers.


beside the lookout