Nick Bowles

We got to the Kiel end at Holtenau around 17:00 (12 hours had gone by so easily) and stopped on a pontoon to pay the canal transit fee at the machine. The cost for a boat under 40 feet is …. 18 euros. The Caledonian Canal is ten times the price, although you do get to cross Loch Ness. Once through the second and final lock of the canal we headed to the delightfully named Stickenhorn marina, and tied up at the first “steg” that had a “frei” tag. After a relaxing G and T and and also an easy days sail from the Kiel fjord. Once out of the marina we hoisted the sails and off we went on a reach over blue seas. A perfect sail saw us on the transit into the harbour and our first experience of a box berth. These involve going in bows-to or stern-to and tying up to two piles at the opposite end of the boat. This is a bit tricky the first time a crew attempts it but we did o.k. thanks to some help from friendly neighbours.