As if by magic, an unmanned, oversized railway carriage rolls into the water on rails in front of us and disappears to the bottom of the canal, gurgling softly. Only the steel skeleton of the wagon still sticks out of the water. We steer our boat over the wagon and tie it to it.
We hit a piece of steel hanging on the trolley with an iron hammer. The acoustic signal can be heard far and wide. Suddenly, masses of water plunge from a bypass into the side of the canal next to us. The railway wagon below us vibrates briefly, then a jolt - and it rolls uphill completely silently. It takes our still-floating boat with it. The water stays behind. Our keel touches down on the lorry. Nothing can be corrected now.
With no one in sight, we drive our ship on rails several hundred metres uphill on a green meadow. The lorry climbs over a hilltop. Here we finally see the "lock keeper", who puts his hand on his uniform cap in a friendly greeting. In his other hand he holds a handheld VHF radio so that he can transmit an order to the machine operator in an emergency.
The machine operator has no visual contact with the shipping traffic on the rails. He operates the heart of the system in a large machine hall, which is located to the side of the canal and below the level of the upper water. He directs water onto a paddle wheel with a diameter of eight metres. The water power is used to drive two lorries via a steel cable, which transport the ships in a shuttle service.
We leave the upper of the five boat slips, which has brought our little ship to a height of 99.50 metres above sea level. To the south in front of us lies the contiguous navigable area of the Upper Lakes. Our destination for the day is the small town of Miłomłyn (Liebemühl), 37.2 kilometres to the south, where the waterway system forks to the south-east and south-west.
With our charter boat "Haber 33 Reporter" we have the canal to ourselves. Tall reeds line the banks. Seagulls, swans and herons nest in them. Between tall poplars and gnarled willows that have unfurled their fresh May green, yellow rapeseed fields shimmer through. It smells of spring.
Occasionally, you will see an old farmstead made of red clinker bricks on the shore, on the ridge of which the bunting nests, or a church tower in Nordic brick architecture. A tranquil landscape with unspoilt nature, where time seems to have stood still. We are sailing at the eastern end of the EU, and yet modern Europe seems far, far away.
Again and again, the canal opens up into long and narrow lakes. The largest on this stretch is the Jezioro Ruda Woda (Röthloff Lake), which measures 12.1 kilometres in length and is a natural part of the canal system. The hilly banks are wooded. Old manor houses and small villages bear witness to the fact that this land has been farmed for generations. We are completely alone on the lakes. When the sun breaks through here at the end of May, it is so warm that you can cycle in a T-shirt. And the clear lakes are perfect for swimming.
After a long day, we reach Miłomłyn (Liebemühl) at 9.15 pm and moor in front of the long-closed lock. The Oberland Canal forks here, and we were expecting a touristy place. But nothing of the sort. The small town is completely sleepy.
All the shops are already closed. And we can't find anywhere to eat. We haven't bought anything yet and can't even cook on board. Seeking advice, we call the charter company. Fortunately, he knows his way around. After five minutes, he gets back to us and tells us to walk to the other side of the town, where the Hotel Miłomłyn is waiting for us.
We arrive there at 10.10 pm - at the same time as the chef, who has been brought back from home. He conjures up a delicious fillet of pike-perch with fresh potatoes and wild chanterelles for us. Including drinks, we pay 40 złoty (about 10 euros) per person.
In the morning, we shop in a sklep (mini-market) not far from the lock and fill the fridge. Then we are faced with the decision: south-east towards Ostróda (Osterode) or south-west to Iława (Deutsch Eylau). We decide in favour of Ostróda and want to take Iława with us on the way back.
We enter the Miłomłyn lock at midday. The lock keeper operates the bulkheads and gates by hand and is helped by his granddaughter. He says that this is a strenuous day for him. He has to lock two ships today. Our charter boat is the first.
An hour later, we arrive at the Zielona lock, beautifully situated in the forest. Here, too, we are the only boat for miles around. Shortly after 4 p.m. we reach the town of Ostróda, which is located on Jezero Drweckie (Lake Drewenz). There is a busy promenade with shops and bars, a water ski lift and a landing stage for the "White Fleet" - but unfortunately no jetty. The paved promenade is too shallow. We moor at the floating pontoon of the "White Fleet". In the ice-cream parlour behind it, we are kindly told that we can stay for two hours, but that a passenger boat would be using this berth in the evening.
After a tour of the town, including some shopping, we see the passenger ship arrive at 6 pm. We cast off and reach the northernmost tip of Jezero Drweckie an hour later. A massive wooden jetty and a restaurant behind it invite us to moor. The place is called Piławki (Pillauken). Owner Jurek Rutkowski gives us a friendly welcome and says that we are welcome to use the electricity and water. It's free for restaurant guests. Jurek bought the former party property with restaurant, bungalows, campsite and jetty in 2004 and is currently in the process of modernising it.
We are the only guests in his rustic restaurant. He serves us a starter of Russian pierogi, stuffed meat pockets made from pasta dough, and a main course of chops with braised cabbage and boiled potatoes. Everything tastes delicious and costs just under 10 euros per person. Jurek hopes that his restaurant will become well-known among boat tourists and is delighted that charter boats are now finally travelling in his region.
He offers us the chance to make a campfire on the lawn in front of the boat mooring and would bring us beer from the pub. Unfortunately, it starts to drizzle and we head back on board. In the morning, he sets the table on the jetty and serves us a hearty breakfast for 10 złoty (2.50 euros) per person.
We continue eastwards and pass the Ostróda (Osterode) and Mała Ruś (Klein Reusen) locks, both of which are so narrow that the boat only fits in without fenders. The canal, covered by tall trees, ends in Jezioro Szelag Wielki (Great Schilling Lake). We cross the lake in a south-easterly direction. Through an old clinker-built shipping tunnel we reach the Jezioro Szelag Mali (Small Schilling Lake), at the eastern point of which the navigability ends.
On the recommendation of the charter company, we moor in Stare Jabłonki (Old Finch) on the jetty below the "Anders" hotel. A wooden staircase leads uphill through a park-like garden to the four-star hotel. Most of the guests arrive by coach from abroad. We are the only ones who have travelled here by boat. Like the other hotel guests, the sensational evening buffet is open to us and we get an idea of how rich Eastern European cuisine can be. We feast our way through the evening, fearing a hefty bill. We are disappointed: for two people, we pay a whole 48 euros for various main courses, starters and desserts, including a good wine. Boat mooring included.
From the easternmost point of the Upper Lakes, we head towards the western end of the canal system. The journey takes us back to the familiar town of Miłomłyn. At the fork in the waterway there, we turn west this time and continue our journey on the Iławski Canal (Eylau Canal). Our destination is the town of Iława (German Eylau). But the distance is too long to cover by the evening. Shortly before sunset, we discover a remote farmhouse with a jetty on the south bank of the Iławski Canal at kilometre 6.8.
As we moor up, we are greeted by three yapping dogs. The landlord comes to the mooring, calls the dogs back and kindly tells us that we are welcome to stay the night. It is absolutely deserted here, there is no town nearby, storks perch on the meadows next to the canal, and deciduous forests begin behind them.
In the morning, we continue our journey through the picturesque landscape. The picture doesn't change until we reach Jezioro Jeziorak (Lake Geserich), the largest body of water in the region. Iława lies to the south of the lake. North of the town, wealthy Poles have built their villas on the eastern shore of the lake. In between are jetties belonging to yacht clubs and sailing boat charter companies.
The only boat refuelling station is in Deutsch Eylau, where we refuel as a precaution. As there are so many boat harbours here, we choose the most beautiful one and moor at "Pod Omega". In addition to the marina and restaurant, the family business also includes a small boatyard with all boat-related services.
The old centre of Deutsch Eylau can be reached on foot from the marina in a quarter of an hour. One of the sights worth seeing is St Nicholas Church, which was built by the Teutonic Order around 1320. We are pleasantly surprised that the town's German past is not hushed up or even denied (as was once the case in socialist Poland), but that the memory of it is kept alive. The sign of the "Society of the German Minority of Dt. Eylau" hangs prominently next to the entrance to the town hall. Many Germans spend their holidays here, and some have settled here permanently.
Ten kilometres west of Deutsch Eylau lies the former Schönberg Castle, now known as Szymbark. The mighty 14th century castle complex once belonged to the Pomesan cathedral chapter and has been owned by the Finck von Finckenstein family since 1699. When the Red Army approached in the winter of 1945, the Finckensteins fled westwards. Only their trusted forester stayed behind and buried several chests of silver in the castle park. The Soviets did not hesitate for long, shot the forester and set fire to the entire estate.
The current resident of the castle ruins is an oddball Ukrainian war veteran with his German shepherd dog. He shows us the gigantic castle, or rather what is left of it, and tells us about the last days of the war around Schönberg Castle in Russian-Polish gibberish with a lot of "boom-boom".
We say goodbye to Deutsch Eylau and the hospitable marina "Kod Omega", because time is pressing for our return journey to Gdansk. As guest berth holders, we pay 6 złoty (1.50 euros) per night - including all services - and head north on Lake Geserich in the afternoon. In Siemiany (Schwalgendorf), on the western shore of the lake, we spend the night at the "Kurka Wodna" jetty, which belongs to the restaurant of the same name with an adjoining supermarket.
We set off at 6.30 a.m. because we have a long journey home ahead of us. We reach the top canal slide at around 2.30 p.m. - almost too close to make it down all five slides in one go. By the time we pass the penultimate slide, it's almost 5 pm and the lock staff are actually off work. We ask politely and pay a small fee to lubricate the lorry. The lock keepers are friendly and drive the last lorry under our keel. At 5.25 pm we have also passed the lowest of the five chutes.
At 8 pm we reach the town of Elbląg (Elbing), which is almost on the Vistula Lagoon. We stay one night at the Wodnik yacht club. In the morning, we turn westwards in Elbląg into the Jagiellonski Canal, which leads us to the River Nogat. We travel downstream on the river to the mouth of the Vistula Lagoon. A strong sea breeze blows around our noses. After a brief look at the wide expanse of water, we immediately turn left again and head into the Szkarpawa (Elbląg Vistula), which takes us further west.
Our original plan was to travel via the Szkarpawa to the Vistula, cross the main river and then take the boat back to the charter base in Gdansk via the Martwa Wisła (Dead Vistula). However, the Vistula is flooding and has become a difficult river to navigate. On the advice of the charter company, we hand the boat over to the fisherman in Rybina (Fischerbabke).
Fisherman Mirosław Narloch lives in a small house right next to the Rybina bascule bridge, of which he is also the bridge keeper. When he sees us coming, his large family is already gathered around the jetty, setting the table and putting sausages on the barbecue. Two of his children have come from England this weekend on a visit home. There they earn many times more as tradesmen than you could get in the Weichsel-Werder - if you get a job at all.
There is a lot to talk about and celebrate. The fisherman's wife serves smoked fish, potato salad, pickled cucumbers and pierogi on the rough table on the riverbank. We empty our fridge and fisherman Mirosław makes sure there is always plenty of beer and vodka on the table. We are a natural part of it. A lovely German-Polish evening that underlines the feeling of always being welcome among our eastern neighbours.
WHAT SKIPPERS NEED TO KNOW
The company The Polish charter company Vistula Cruises has been offering licence-free boats for cruises on the Vistula, the Vistula Werder (east of Gdansk) and the Upperland Canal since 2008. The fleet consists of houseboats between 30 and 40 feet, which are designed for travelling on shallow waters. The friendly, helpful team led by company boss Lukasz Krajewski is there for guests around the clock and helps with registration at locks, moorings and restaurants, among other things.
The boat The "Haber 33 Reporter" chartered by us has a self-contained double cabin fore and aft as well as a wet room with WC/shower. There is a small galley in the cosy saloon. Three additional berths are possible in the saloon. The bow thruster helps with manoeuvring. Seven bicycles can be carried on the roof.
Technical data: Length overall 10.10 m, width overall 2.98 m, draught 0.47 m, height above waterline 2.32 m, built-in diesel: Vetus 13 hp, diesel tank 120 l, fresh water tank 400 l, fuel consumption approx. 1.5 l/h. Current diesel price in Poland: 5 zloty/l (1.25 euros).
The prices Depending on the season, the boat costs between 1600 and 1850 euros/week. Deposit 600 Euro. Takeover/return is usually Sunday/Saturday in the Marina Gdansk. Other schedules can also be arranged individually. In order to shorten the relatively long journey from Gdansk to the Upperland Canal, the boat can also be taken over or returned in Elbing, for example. In this case, there is a surcharge of 150 euros for the transfer of the boat. Booking address: Vistula Cruises, Lukasz Krajewski, PL-43-600 Jaworzno, ul. Cillkowicka 130, Tel. 0048-606 361 704, e-mail: lukaszkrajewski@vistulacruises.eu; Internet: www.vistulacruises.eu
Tips for the tripIf you want to explore the Oberland Canal and the entire lake district, you should charter for a fortnight. It also makes sense to save at least one journey from Gdansk to the canal (or back) by checking in/out in Elbing. We travelled for ten days including arrival and departure, which we found relatively short due to the size of the area.
Before or after the cruise, you should treat yourself to a day in Gdansk. Next to the Marina Gdansk (charter base) is the very nice Hotel Gdansk, from where it is only a few steps to the old town. The hotel's attraction is its own brewery, imported from Bavaria.www.hotelgdansk.pl
The journey Getting there You can fly to Gdansk from all major German airports. If you book early on the internet, you can get a return flight for less than 100 euros. If a crew arrives by car, it can be parked in a guarded car park.
The literature There are plenty of maps in Polish and German on board, which can be purchased inexpensively in local tourist offices. A booklet worth recommending is the German-language "Kleine Reiseführer - Der Oberländische Kanal" published by Tessa Verlag. It contains a good description and illustration of the construction history and technology of the canal. There is also a description of the shipping routes on the Oberland lakes. It can be ordered on the Internet for 4.90 euros at: www.map fox.de/3936194076.php. The "Harbour Guide Poland" published by Edition Maritim includes the waterways from Gdansk to the Vistula Lagoon and the Oberland Canal. The book is out of print, but still available on Amazon.
Lock times and fees The five inclined levels are open daily from 9 am to 5 pm in summer. You should therefore arrive at the upper or lower slide by 2 p.m. at the latest to avoid having to spend the night somewhere in between. It costs 6.24 zloty per "slide", i.e. a total of 31.20 zloty (around 7.80 euros). The four locks further south between the lakes operate from 9am to 7pm. Locking there costs 6.24 zloty (1.56 euros) from 9 am to 4 pm and 12.48 zloty from 4 pm to 7 pm.
