Nothing to do with Wannsee!Our capital city cruise centres on the east of Berlin: This time we want to explore the waters for which on our last cruise in the region (see BOOTE 12/2012) - such as the Mediaspree, Rüdersdorfer Gewässer and navigable Löcknitz. Beautiful autumn weather should accompany us! The best conditions, therefore, when we arrived with our Linssen Grand Sturdy 36.9 AC at the charter base of 5 star yacht charter in Köpenick - directly opposite the Schlossinsel - and head down the river towards the centre of Berlin.
1 Inner-city Spree
The first stage of the day takes us along the Spree-Oder waterway from Köpenick (SOW-km 33.4) to the Mühlendamm lock (SOW-km 17.4) - almost as far as "Mitte". Treptow-Köpenick and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg are the names of the districts on this section; the river used to form theBorder between East and West. If you look closely, you can still see their traces. But first things get modern: After we have left Lake Rummelsburg to starboard and passed the iron bridge at SOW-km 22, the monumental aluminium figures of theMolecule Man from the Spree. The work of art by American artist Jonathan Borofsky is 30 metres high. Since 1999, it has marked the point where the historic neighbourhoods of Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Alt-Treptow meet.
Mediaspree is the name given to the following section: As part of an ambitious investment project, brownfield sites and death strips on both banks were to be transformed into a new neighbourhood. The partial successes are obvious: modern office architecture on the waterfront and, of course, the huge dome of the O2 World Berlin on Mühlenstraße.
However, not all residents are sad that the economic crisis has put a damper on the construction boom: "Neighbourhood instead of commerce" is written large on the crumbling concrete. In any case, the contrasts that can be observed from on board are exciting. It goes under the strikingOberbaum Bridge with its two towers. The beach clubs are still open, some anarchic buildings crowd the shore, design gleams next to rusty scrap metal. On the lawn in front of theEast Side Gallery relaxed walkers let the October sun shine on their faces. We are almost in Berlin-Mitte, you can see the television tower on the Alex above the rooftops.
But before theMühlendamm lock The inner-city Spree between the lock and the Lessing Bridge at SOW-km 12 is still closed to vehicles without VHF radio equipment every day from 10.30 am to 7 pm due to construction work. Never mind, we still have enough to do and turn round as planned. If you want, you can visit the city with"Alex", Museum Island and government district but can also be explored from here: In theSpree Canal (junction in the upper water of the lock, left bank) there is a public sports boat mooring (Wallstraße, 24-hour stay, no service, please note: bridge with a clearance height of 2.80 metres in front of the mooring).
We also use one of these moorings that evening, but on theTreptower Park behind the Island of Youth. Here you are surrounded by greenery and if you want, you can visit the impressive (and recently restored) "Great Soldier" at theSoviet memorial to pay a visit.
2 Müggelspree
Almost back to our charter base, we follow theSpree-Oder waterwaybut at kilometre 32.8 we branch off to the east on the Müggelspree. Although its eleven kilometres are only a "transit route" for us this time, the connection is still worthwhile - if only because of the wide Müggelsee, Berlin's largest lake, which becomes the centre of water sports on summer weekends. Important: Motorboats are only allowed to use the buoyed through channel here; the maximum permitted speed is 25 km/h. At the chic plots ofLittle Venice then passes by until the Müggelspree meets theLake Dämeritz meets.
3 Rüdersdorf waters
It becomes beautiful once you have left the first kilometre of overgrown concrete and graffiti on the banks behind you, and the Flakenfließ flows into theFlakensee passes over. If you want to anchor, anchor here. Further north, boats with combustion engines (and without a mooring) are prohibited from 10 pm to 5 am.
The route leads swiftly through the onlyWoltersdorf lock (with bascule bridge). The waiting berth (north side) is unfavourably positioned; here you have to moor behind the tail unit. The fairway is narrow and dolphins obstruct the exit.
Instead, the water in the adjacent Kalkfließ is astonishingly clear: you can see right down to the sandy bottom. Lots of greenery now adorns the banks, with allotments stretching towards the water. Unfortunately, there are no sunbathing facilities in the most attractive places, such as at the pretty café north of the lock, or at theRüdersdorf Museum Parkwhose exhibition portrays the industrial history of the district and is well worth a stopover. www.museumspark.de
The area's busy past is still visible, however; industrial ruins, chimneys and factory skeletons rise up out of the trees everywhere, for example at theLangerhans Canal. Limestone used to be quarried here and sand and gravel extracted for the construction of Berlin. Anglers and boaters have long had the green idyll to themselves. The wildly overgrown last section with the Straußberger Mühlenfließ is a state waterway and opens up onto the truly picturesqueLake Stienitz with a wide reed belt and lido. If you want to stay overnight, you will find a place at the Gelbe-Welle jetty of theMC Stienitzsee Petershagen in the middle of beautiful forest solitude. (RüG-km 13.3, 1 E/m, electricity and water, www.mc-stienitzsee.de ).
4 Löcknitz
The next detour leads from Flakensee to the Löcknitz. First we follow the river itself, which runs through deep forest and boggy lowlands for the first three kilometres. Pure nature, Berlin is suddenly very far away. Then, at Fangschleuse, theWerlsee. He is followed by theLake Peetz and the again very naturalMöllenseeall narrow waters connected by short streams. After just under eleven kilometres, we have reached the end of the navigability. A beautiful tour up here!
We moor for the evening at the public jetty in Grünheide on the eastern shore of the Werlsee (LöK-km 5.4). It's actually quite nice, albeit without service. Our tip: The restaurant "Karma am See", right on the southern shore of the neighbouring Peetzsee, has its own jetty for guest moorers - and very impressive cuisine. (LöK-km 5.8, electricity and water, 10 E flat rate, www.karma-am-see.de ).
5 Dahme waterway
We are heading south, our destination is the "Märkische Meer". But we are still almost 80 kilometres away from Scharmützelsee. First we follow theGosen Canal in theLake Seddin. At its south-western end, we meet the intersecting Spree-Oder waterway and the Dahme waterway that begins there. Continue southwards, now via the long, beautifulLake Zeuthenthat we have all to ourselves.
Once under the Berlin motorway ring road, the Neue Mühle lock awaits us at DaW-km 9.4. A little further on, we pass the Senzig pier on the southern shore of the Krüpelsee. There is space there and we moor spontaneously, even though it is only early afternoon. There's not much going on here either. It's actually a nice spot, especially from the managed terrace on the bridge, but with a mooring fee of 1.50 euros per metre, it's not exactly cheap. We pay a total of 22 euros including electricity and showers.
On the other hand, of course, the experience of mooring at the "longest inland sea bridge in Germany" to be located. The surrounding area is also to be further developed for tourism and a development plan already exists. Supply options in the nearby town. www.seebruecke-senzig.com
6 Storkow waters
FromSenzig From here we follow the Dahme waterway until kilometre 25, where the Storkow waters branch off. They lead for almost 34 kilometres toBad Saarow at the northern end of theLake Scharmützel.
Luckily, the weather continues to play along as we climb theLake Wolzig the entire deck: Because on the next section, about two kilometres east of the Kummersdorf lock at StG-km 10.3, theLowest bridge the waterway (with a clearance height of only 3.69 m at mean water level). Pay attention to the water level before passing through!
We have to pass through locks twice more on this day, first inStorkow (self-service, also at the following bascule bridge), then inWendisch Rietz. Just behind the exit onto the Scharmützelsee is the cut-through to the basin of theMarina Wendisch RietzVisitors go alongside at the fixed guest jetty. The harbour is part of an extensive complex withScandinavian holiday homeswith a high recreational factor directly on the lake (StG-km 23.1, 1 E/m, electricity included, shower: 1 E. www.ring-yachtcharter.de ).
Around ten kilometres remain to Bad Saarow; across the whipped-up Scharmützelsee - despite the bright blue sky. Sailors are hard upwind. The "Märkisches Meer" really lives up to its nickname! We stop at the jetty of theBad Saarow Marina The pitches are moored at the open-air theatre and are very quiet (1 €/m, electricity: 1.5 € p.p., visitor's tax also 1.5 € p.p.; shower: 1 €. www2.bad-saarow.de/shipping ).
Arrived! The only thing left to do for the remaining two days is the return journey to Berlin. So we enjoy the sun on deck and clink glasses: It's 3 October, theDay of German Unity - and without him we wouldn't be here now.
