Tin caravan, bumper to bumper. On the major access roads, "jeht jar nischt", as the Berliners say, once again. The beginning of the week, quite normal in this huge city. There's a roadworks somewhere ahead and a lorry has lost its load on the bypass. The radio shows a sense of humour and plays "Stau" by Herbert Grönemeyer - not an everyday song. "More variety," celebrates the presenter.
So it goes, from the city motorway right through Adlershof in the south-east towards Köpenick, and we're right in the middle of it. It's mid-May, the most beautiful spring, but outside it smells of clutch and exhaust fumes. We're doubly glad that we only really want to get into the city to escape it again as quickly as possible - with the charter boat waiting for us at 5 Sterne Yachtcharter on the banks of the Dahme.
With a considerable delay, we roll into the Spreemarine harbour on Grünauer Straße, beautifully situated under green riverside trees and with a view of the baroque façade of Köpenick Palace shining in the sunshine on the other side of the river. They are already waiting for us, but before we take over the boat, we have a relaxing coffee in the 5 Sterne Yachtcharter office: "First of all, arrive and switch off," is the friendly greeting.
Service visit to the "captain"
After the formalities, we board the "Aries", a brand new Linssen Grand Sturdy 36.9 AC, "our" yacht for the next week. The classy Dutch yacht is in top condition both inside and out, and the fittings and furnishings are a real treat. 5 star yacht charter really does live up to its name: duvets, bathrobes and warm fleece blankets, towels and toiletries ensure a hotel standard, and the equipment in the pantry leaves nothing to be desired, from tea towels to toasters. Entertainment is provided by a CD radio with external speakers and a flat-screen TV with DVD player and DVB-T reception in the saloon. Thanks to the bow and stern thruster, the 11.10 m long steel displacement vessel can also be manoeuvred easily in "tight" situations.
Catering for the trip can also be ordered in advance from the charter company and delivered on board. Otherwise, you can do your shopping at Kaiser's on Oberspreestraße, for example; the supermarket is about 400 metres from the harbour and is open from 8 a.m. to midnight.
In the evening, we cross the bridge to Alt Köpenick. You can't miss the tall brick building of the town hall with its unmistakable Wilhelmine "charm"; the same was true of the man standing on its north-west corner today: inconspicuous, "kleen", with a narrow face and bushy moustache - if it weren't for his uniform: Wilhelm Voigt.
Clothes have always made the man; in the days of the Kaiser, the "colourful skirt" of the Prussian army was almost as revered as the Almighty himself; and so even the simple shoemaker Voigt managed to pull off a "janz jroßet Ding" in 1906: He disguised himself as a captain, commanded a group of soldiers off the street and marched straight to Köpenick town hall, where he had the mayor arrested and collected the municipal coffers before making off in a hackney carriage. None of those taken by surprise questioned the legitimacy of his actions - after all, he was in uniform. In the meantime, the "Captain of Köpenick", long since a legend, stands once again as a monument in front of the town hall; only he can no longer get in.
We dine in proper style one flight of stairs below in the rustic vaults of the "Ratskeller". Wilhelm Voigt's "favourite dish" is also served: pork knuckle with black beer sauce, cabbage and potatoes (11.50 euros). Hearty!
Accompanied by a Dahme
It's grey over the capital the next morning as we cast off the lines and turn the bow of our Linssen southwards. On the Spree-Oder waterway (SOW), which is formed by the Dahme between Köpenick and Schmöckwitz in the south, we are immediately met by a barge carrying a wide barge full of sand for one of the numerous major construction sites along the inner-city Spree - Berlin is still being "built from the barge".
We head upstream at the permitted 8 km/h; the Teltow Canal soon branches off to starboard, forming the southern connection to the Havel near Potsdam over a length of 38 kilometres. We continue to "accompany" the Dahme, however, passing the Mitschiffs Werft site (formerly VEB Yachtwerft Berlin), where tugboats and excursion steamers on slip cars await their beauty treatment in the drizzle, and arrive at the Langen See with its two-kilometre regatta course between wooded banks.
The city with its dense development, factory buildings and multi-storey houses is suddenly a thing of the past, we are in the countryside - and almost out of Berlin again. South of Schmöckwitz, the SOW joins the Spree-Oder Canal to the east; we now follow the Dahme Waterway (DaW) into Brandenburg. On the western shore of Lake Zeuthen, pubs with shady beer gardens and jetties await stressed-out city dwellers, while magnificent villas from the Wilhelminian era lie half-hidden behind ancient oak trees.
As a rule, 10 km/h from the shore is permitted; on lakes and "lake-like widenings", i.e. at a distance of 250 metres or more from the shore, the speed limit is 25 km/h - but only outside the "protective strip close to the shore", which is 100 metres wide. Within this strip, the speed limit is 12 km/h. This also applies to the other waterways that we still have ahead of us on this trip: first the Storkow waters (SkG) to Bad Saarow and then the Teupitz waters (TpG) (further nautical information on the area can be found on pages 84-85).
Prussia's scattered sandbox
The first lock of the trip opens the bascule bridge and lower gate at "Neue Mühle" shortly before two o'clock in the afternoon. Shortly before this, we have passed under the Berlin motorway ring road - and thus finally said goodbye to the outskirts of the metropolis. With the first rays of sunshine of the day, we enter the chamber at DaW-km 9.5, together with a fine dinghy cruiser from Wannsee and a slightly weathered cabin cruiser. Not only the smell of tinned ravioli emanates from the cabin, but also the greatest successes of "Karat" and - much to the displeasure of the well-tanned Wannsee skipper - spread throughout the lock chamber.
To the east of the elongated Krüpelsee lake, the river winds its way into the area of the Dahme-Heideseen Nature Park which stretches from here to Storkow in the north-east and Teupitz in the south-west. Deep pine forests and sandy soils characterise its unique, slightly undulating face, which was shaped by the last ice age. There is so much sand that even today you can still find dunes far from the coast. The barren soil, from which it was difficult to extract anything, led to the Mark Brandenburg becoming known throughout Germany as Prussia's "scattered sandbox".
After the shallow Dolgensee, which must be crossed in a buoyed fairway, we leave the Dahme at kilometre 25 of the waterway near the village of Prieros and turn north-east towards the waters of Storkow, which begin here. It is already past four o'clock in the afternoon when our Linssen reaches Lake Wolzig and heads for a small harbour on the western shore.
Marked with the "yellow wave", this is where the narrow entrance to the Harbour of the inn "Zur Fischerhütte" in the middle of the countryside. The small, rectangular harbour basin of the former fishing cooperative offers space for five 10-metre yachts alongside, the water depth is 1.30 metres. Services: Electricity, water, sanitary building with showers. Mooring fee: 1 euro per metre, toilets and showers: 3 euros per person. Electricity is charged according to consumption.
The smoke from the smoker's stall is an enigmatic blue colour; the result is sold directly at the counter of the fishery's small salesroom. The neighbouring restaurant also serves local fish such as zander and catfish in the evening.
About the Märkisches Meer
Lake Wolzig and the Great Lake Storkow, around ten kilometres away, are connected by the Storkow Canal. At the beginning, it follows a natural flow through wet floodplain land and swamp forest, after which it follows a much more organised course. A good two kilometres east of the Kummersdorf lock (SkG-km 10.25), in the village of Philadelphia, is the lowest fixed bridge in the cruising area: the clearance height at medium water level is 3.69 m; pay attention to the water levels on both sides! In Storkow itself, a lock (SkG-km 15.4) and a bascule bridge await us; both are operated with the request switches at the waiting points themselves and are surprisingly quickly behind us again. Then it's the turn of the Great Storkow Lake, which is lined with dark pines, cane and reeds.
One more self-service lock in Wendisch Rietz at SkG-km 22.7, and it lies before us: the Scharmützelsee. Theodor Fontane, the great traveller and poet of Brandenburg, saw the lake, which stretches for more than ten kilometres, on a hike in 1881 and gave it the name "Märkisches Meer".
In Fontane's time, Bad Saarow was still a rural nest at its northern end. It was not until the end of the German Empire that a cautious cultural activity began with the railway connection and the opening of the first moor baths. This changed abruptly in the "Golden Twenties": suddenly Berlin was the cultural centre of the world, and the city's haute volee needed a place to relax - with chic, of course.
A shining pearl in the sand
This is still true today: Bad Saarow, with its noble buildings under the shady avenues, has long since become a shining pearl in the sands of the Mark Brandenburg, and the modern thermal spa with its high feel-good factor has become a centre of attraction for those seeking relaxation far beyond the region's borders. But the "old" spa town is also worth a visit: For example, the railway station from imperial times - or the Hotel-Restaurant "Die Bühne" right next door, with its lovingly designed mixture of Art Nouveau living room, Wilhelmine waiting room and appealing, creative cuisine.
By the way, we find a free berth in the Sports boat harbour "open-air stage" The concrete jetties are equipped with solid fingers. Service: electricity, water, sanitary building; mooring fee:
1 euro/metre, 1.50 euro visitor's tax per person/day, flat-rate 1.50 euro service charge per person/day; shower tokens 1 euro for 5 minutes. Shopping: Edeka (Pieskower Straße).
The next day, we make our way back and get to know the waters of Storkow not only from a completely new perspective, but also in much sunnier weather. It's Ascension Day, and the Lord's Day excursions are out and about along the riverside paths, sometimes with decorated handcarts, sometimes on bikes - and with increasing cheerfulness as the day progresses.
Finish at the blue hour
The Storkow rowing club (SkG-km 16.4), where we moor in the early afternoon, is already busy tapping and barbecuing in a great atmosphere. With "refreshments" in each hand, we set off for the Storkow Castle which is about one kilometre away to the south-east. The imposing brick and half-timbered building, which was restored a few years ago, houses the information centre of the Dahme-Heideseen Nature Park with an interesting exhibition. www.storkow.de
Back at the rowing club, hungry and thirsty, we are relieved to find that neither the barrel nor the barbecue have been emptied. Then we make ourselves comfortable on the aft deck of our Linssen with an unobstructed view of the lake. Service: Electricity, water, sanitary facilities; mooring fee: 1 euro per metre, 1 euro flat rate per person, 2 euros flat rate for electricity. Caution: Only moor at the back of the jetties, as the ground quickly becomes shallow towards the shore. Eating: Steakhouse "Matador", (Reichenwalder Straße), shopping: Edeka, Lidl (Rudolf-Breitscheid-Straße).
Under a bright blue sky, we are back at kilometre 0 of the Storkow waters by midday the following day and back on the Dahme, but only for another kilometre. Because then the Teupitz waters branch off - this time to the south-east. It starts with the Schmöldesee, narrow and with steep banks. Dozens of motorboats are anchored in the shade of the pine trees, sometimes in packs, sometimes alone, in front of bow or stern anchors, while the shore line leads to the next tree trunk. Everywhere you look, the sun is shining under parasols and the water is almost summery.
Lake follows lake: after the Hölzernen lake comes the Kleine Köriser lake, then the two Modder lakes (small and large) and finally - before the Schulzensee lake - the old Groß Köris bascule bridge (TpG-km 11.85). When closed, it is only passable for small boats with a clearance of 1.50 metres. The others have to wait: it is opened manually between 8 am and 7 pm on the hour. But be careful when mooring to the rotten and partly broken dolphins: the lines slip down easily and you have to watch out for the suction when a passenger boat passes the waiting area.
At the end of the Teupitz waters (and almost at the end of our trip) lies Teupitz itself, tucked away in a corner at the south-western end of the lake of the same name. Our destination there is the town harbour (service: electricity and water, sanitary facilities; mooring fee: 1 euro/metre, 1.50 euro/shower token, 0.50 euro/kilowatt hour of electricity). What remains? A wonderfully balmy evening and a lake that becomes a profound mirror at "blue hour". Take a deep breath! Tomorrow it's back to Berlin - but our little escapes have been a success!
Cruising stages
- Berlin-Köpenick (Dahme) ▹ Blossin (Wolziger See) 41 km
- Blossin ▹ Bad Saarow (Scharmützelsee) 29 km
- Bad Saarow ▹ Storkow (Großer Storkower See) 19 km
- Storkow ▹ Teupitz (Lake Teupitz) 35 km
- Teupitz ▹ Berlin-Schmöckwitz (Seddinsee) 44 km
- Berlin-Schmöckwitz ▹ Müggelsee ▹ Berlin-Köpenick 32 km
Total 200 km
TERRITORY INFORMATION
Precinct
For the cruise described by us, an inland waterway boating licence (SBF Binnen) is required. Although the charter certificate applies to the Dahme waterway and the adjoining Storkow and Teupitz waters (chartering without a licence is possible), the Spree-Oder waterway requires a licence. Otherwise, the area is also suitable for less experienced skippers. In the greater Berlin area up to around Königs Wusterhausen in the south, however, commercial shipping must be expected, and at weekends in the main season there is also a high volume of pleasure craft. The water police regularly monitor compliance with the regulations. For navigation: Critical points are emphasised throughout. The nautical parameters in detail:
- Spree-Oder Waterway (SOW) Length: 130 km (from the junction with the Havel-Oder Waterway in Berlin-Spandau to the confluence with the Oder at Eisenhüttenstadt), locks: 7, maximum speed: 12 (km 0-6.3 and km 33.2-45.1), 10 (km 23.5-33.2 and 45.1-130.2), 9 (km 6.3-23.5), 25*, height: 4.01 m (Jannowitz Bridge, Berlin)
- Dahme Waterway (DaW) Length: 44 km (from the junction with the Spree-Oder Waterway in Berlin-Schmöckwitz to the end of navigability in Märkisch Buchholz), locks: 3, maximum speed: 10 (with corresponding signposts: 8), 25*, height: 3.80 m (Märkisch Buchholz bridge)
- Storkower Gewässer (SkG) Length: 33.4 km (from the junction with the Dahme waterway in Prieros to the end of navigability in Bad Saarow), locks: 3, maximum speed: 8, 25*, height: 3.69 m (Philadelphia bridge)
- Teupitzer Gewässer (TpG) Length: 18.3 km (from the junction with the Dahme waterway in Prieros to the end of navigability in Teupitz), locks: none, maximum speed: 8, 25*, height: 3.83 m (Groß Köris bridge)
*Maximum speed in relation to the shore on lakes and lake-like extensions with a width of more than 250 m, outside the protective strip near the shore (100 m), inside the strip: 12 km/h.
within the strip: 12 km/h
Berths
There are plenty of moorings in the area; only those used on the trip are described in this report. They are marked in blue on the map on the opposite page. There are also good harbours and moorings in Schmöckwitz, Zeuthen, Senzig (all SOW), Storkow, Wendisch Rietz, various on Scharmützelsee (all SkG), Groß Köris and Schwerin (all TpG). Detailed information can be found in the cruise literature.
Cruise literature
- Water Hiking Atlas Berlin and Brandenburg. Kompass maps: 96 p., format: 150 x 235 mm, ring binding, 16.99 euros. ISBN: 978-3-85026-742, www.kompass.de
- Törnatlas Mecklenburgische and Märkische Gewässer. Quick Maritim: Map volume, 100 pages, A4 format, 25 euros. ISBN: 978-3-9806720-5-4, www.quickmaritim.de
- Cruise planner for Mecklenburg and Märkisch waters. Quick Maritim: Harbour handbook and travel guide with area information, 92 pages, A4 format, 15 euros. ISBN: 978-3-9806720-7-8, www.quickmaritim.de
CHARTER INFORMATION
offers its charter fleet of exclusive Linssen yachts from two bases: Berlin-Köpenick and Zehdenick to the north of Berlin. Not only do the steel displacement yachts themselves meet the highest standards, but the equipment and the service offered before the cruise also deserve top marks.
In addition to the Linssen Grand Sturdy 36.9 AC that we chartered, the company also offers other models from the shipyard for 2, 4 or 6 people. Information: 5 Sterne Yachtcharter, Schleusenstr. 13, 16792 Zehdenick, Tel. 03307-420 01 10.
LINSSEN GS 36.9 AC
Length: 11.10 m, two double cabins, each with its own WC and a shower at the front. Equipment: bow and stern thruster, electric anchor winch, heating, flat-screen TV with DVD player, CD radio, canopy for the entire aft deck, fully equipped galley, duvets, towels, bathrobes, fleece blankets, toiletries. Weekly rates depending on season: 2100-2750 euros (110 euros discount on each subsequent week).
