Our position is 54:18.366N 09:40.276E

Distance covered 33.4Nm

We left the little harbour at Brunsbuttel in good time to head up the Kiel Canal to arrive at Rendsburg, with time to do some much needed food shopping.  Just before we left a tug had come through the lock with a huge barge carrying 3 massive structures, which we thought at first were wind turbine blades. The tug was from Falmouth, although the other vessel that was pushing at the back to move the back of the tow sideways, was local. Internet research provided the information that the manufacturing company was from Portsmouth and specialised in carbon fibre and other composite structures and yacht rigs, but we were limited in what we could uncover. On closer inspection (and we had plenty of opportunity for that as the day progressed) Ted started to doubt they were part of a wind turbine, but that was as far as we got.

Are these wind turbine blades?

Leaving the harbour at Brunsbuttel

At the first bridge we had to wait behind the rig while a large ship equipped for heavy lifting came the other way, but after that were able to pass it and progress along the canal with a group of other yachts, about half of which were faster than us. Before long it started to rain, which made for a less than enjoyable journey. Ted took the opportunity to do some cleaning down below, meanwhile the tug speeded up and came past us again while an ex-Weymouth life boat went the other way. Where have all these old lifeboats been?

Waiting at the first bridge. There’s always a ferry when you don’t need one and there certainly wasn’t any spare headroom for the heavy lifting gear

The container ship had to stop the let them past

and then they were speeding past us

Yet another ex-British lifeboat

Would I rather be doing the cleaning?

Plenty of traffic on the canal

Further on the tug was once again held up because of another sizeable vessel coming the other way and the group of yachts we were with caught them up. A Dutch boat slipped through between the tow and some piles at the side of the canal – a brave move given that the tug was indicating he was unable to manoeuvre and was going sideways at the time, but apart from a reprimand over the radio (in English for once) no harm came of it. Subsequently the tug seemed to stay by the piles for a while and dropped behind so we didn’t see them again.

The gap between tow and piles is not big – we weren’t brave enough that’s for sure

Pushing it sideways certainly churned the water up

It started raining again as we approached the transporter bridge at Rendsburg. It is one of the few left in the world still transporting vehicles.

The Rendsburg transporter bridge complete with vehicles

It is suspended below a railway bridge

The rain was harder as we turned off the main canal down the side turning to the harbour, but fortunately it had stopped by the time we had identified somewhere to tie up, and the Dutch people on the next boat directed us to a very convenient supermarket, where we were able to stock up again. We ate at the restaurant in the marina in the evening – our first meal out since the trip began – and, as space was at a premium, we shared our table with Gerd & Ina, a very interesting couple who headed up a family boat building business that had been going for 127 years. We had already admired 2 examples of their work while walking up and down our pontoon. It must be fabulous to be able to sail such a beautifully finished wooden boat.

 Safely tied up at Rendsburg and heading ashore for shopping

Gerd & Ina’s beautiful boat

Today’s specials -  things seen along the canal banks

You’d almost think we were in Holland again

Grass needs cutting everywhere

I’m not sure if they were deepening the canal or tipping stuff into it!

Loading sand into a barge - they do put plenty in – not much freeboard

There are a surprisingly large number of swans on the canal and everywhere, and I couldn’t resist a bird on a numbered post – not an osprey nesting, but reminiscent of the ICW. Not everything was commercial

This wasn’t exactly on the banks of the canal but flew low over us  several times. We concluded it might be giving old aeroplane experience flights