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Grigory, Sergei and I seem to have a new tradition. On 28 June, aboard Meerbär again, our second Windjammer Parade at Kieler Woche, Germany’s major maritime festival.
It began in 1882 as a regatta for imperial yachts. Now sailing week, street festival, international show and naval open day combined. Dozens of countries, hundreds of boats, drones, fleets and festivities: Kiel becomes a maritime capital for June’s festival week.
The Windjammer Parade is on Saturday near the festival’s end. Tall ships and private boats like ours. No entry fee: join in, keep clear and don’t obstruct. Listen to the radio; easy to find yourself in a frigate’s shadow.
We left around eleven. Wind 24–28 knots. Meerbär @morskoymedved sailed confidently, up to six knots. Towards the red lighthouse at the fjord entrance. A metre of wave was enough to feel the hull working, handrails becoming extensions of your hands. No time for snacks.
Deceptive sun: bright, without warmth, then evening reveals skin the colour of sunset. Sunscreen, glasses, cap, jacket essential. What feels excessive ashore saves you afloat.
No boat? Buy a tall-ship ticket, or watch ashore from Laboe or Friedrichsort. Maritime theatre: sailing ships almost abreast, swaying and turning, like rehearsing an Arctic expedition’s departure.
By the lighthouse, Grigory had the right story, as always.
‘Built in the sixties. Pilots stationed here, meeting ships. The 2023 storm damaged the foundation. Now they work from shore.’
‘So?’
‘Five minutes to reach a ship becomes half an hour. Can’t repair it: no specialists. Germany can’t build things like this any more.’
Returning through Friedrichsort’s narrow stretch, an unexpected triangle: a racing yacht one side, historic excursion ship Lisa von Lübeck the other, metres between us. Grigory dropped the sails to let both pass. Someone on Lisa screamed at us in German. The words escaped me, but the message was clear. Apparently, his interpretation of COLREGs was poetic: rather free.
Berthed by three, about twenty-five miles behind us. A little wet, salty fingers, lightly burnt out, but happy. Like last year. Perhaps next year too. Plenty to discuss for the rest of the evening.
#notes
It began in 1882 as a regatta for imperial yachts. Now sailing week, street festival, international show and naval open day combined. Dozens of countries, hundreds of boats, drones, fleets and festivities: Kiel becomes a maritime capital for June’s festival week.
The Windjammer Parade is on Saturday near the festival’s end. Tall ships and private boats like ours. No entry fee: join in, keep clear and don’t obstruct. Listen to the radio; easy to find yourself in a frigate’s shadow.
We left around eleven. Wind 24–28 knots. Meerbär @morskoymedved sailed confidently, up to six knots. Towards the red lighthouse at the fjord entrance. A metre of wave was enough to feel the hull working, handrails becoming extensions of your hands. No time for snacks.
Deceptive sun: bright, without warmth, then evening reveals skin the colour of sunset. Sunscreen, glasses, cap, jacket essential. What feels excessive ashore saves you afloat.
No boat? Buy a tall-ship ticket, or watch ashore from Laboe or Friedrichsort. Maritime theatre: sailing ships almost abreast, swaying and turning, like rehearsing an Arctic expedition’s departure.
By the lighthouse, Grigory had the right story, as always.
‘Built in the sixties. Pilots stationed here, meeting ships. The 2023 storm damaged the foundation. Now they work from shore.’
‘So?’
‘Five minutes to reach a ship becomes half an hour. Can’t repair it: no specialists. Germany can’t build things like this any more.’
Returning through Friedrichsort’s narrow stretch, an unexpected triangle: a racing yacht one side, historic excursion ship Lisa von Lübeck the other, metres between us. Grigory dropped the sails to let both pass. Someone on Lisa screamed at us in German. The words escaped me, but the message was clear. Apparently, his interpretation of COLREGs was poetic: rather free.
Berthed by three, about twenty-five miles behind us. A little wet, salty fingers, lightly burnt out, but happy. Like last year. Perhaps next year too. Plenty to discuss for the rest of the evening.
#notes
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