Blog 9 Swinoujscie Szczecin I am having to jump a few locations or I will get too far behind. We sailed South through the inland waterways of Germany where eagles dare - we saw three - and stopped over at Wolgast and then on to Ueckermunde where jane had her birthday. We had lunch out in the quaint square and to be sociable I sketched the scene which I have to include out of place in this Poland episode in order to keep up. Since writing the draft of this piece...

1-2 June Peenemünde The fine sailing grounds around Rugen almost come to an end when sailing South East from Lauterbach - the Baltic opens again to the East and waterways go South passing Peenemünde and on to Poland via navigable water not unlike the Norfolk Broads and just about as shallow. Having been born during the war, it is not possible in my view to simply pass by such an historic place as Peenemünde where the dreadful V1 and V2 weapons were developed...

30 -31 May Lauterbach You know how it is when some politician says "Hullo Manchester" when in fact they are in Birmingham - well unless I write something pretty soon that will happen and you will be led astray. Let me re-read my last blog to find where it was left..... Oh yes, the bridges at Stralsund, a road and a rail bridge side by side which open together only four times a day so don't miss them. Himmelfhart Day is very big in Germany which was why scores ...

Stralsund 27 - 28th May The city has so much to offer and storm bound we could not think of a better place to be. Somehow, we ( was it we or was it me?) misjudged the distance from Wiek, mainly I think because we assumed it would only take and hour or so to nip down the islands - in the event, we were slightly out in that it was a bit farther and took five hours. A fascinating passage along closely buoyed channels between the islands in shallow water for 25 mile...

Rugen Saturday 24th May The sun has left a peach haze hanging over the horizon now that we have cleared away the supper things from the cockpit. It is a totally calm evening, Summer warm and silent. Martins circling the water make the only discernable sound and I find time to write. We are in Rugen, a collection of islands and stretches of water almost like vast lakes separating the islands, each having a network of closely buoyed channels to lead from one por...