25/06/2009 Leaving Hamburg with a ‘whale’ in the lock to Rendsburg via the Nord-Ostsee Kanal (NOK)

It was not easy to get away from Hamburg but we all got itchy feet, and in any case we did not want to overstay our extremely comfortable and heartfelt welcome offered by my brother and his wife. After a good stew, we set off with the ebbing tide from City Sport Hafen to the NOK. We still do not really understand why you get 8 hours (plus) good tide from Cuxhaven to Hamburg and only 4 hours good tide when leaving for the NOK at Brunsbüttel. (Good explanations welcome!). We rushed and made it just in time to lock in with the ‘whale’ (Wal in German). We went as far as Km 66 of the NOK and moored at a lovely small Marina in Rendsburg in pouring rain and 24 knots of the by now familiar Easterlies. Regina, a longstanding friend of ours, our new crew member, joined us there and will stay with us until Stockholm.