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Old 08-23-2016, 03:55 PM   #104
Irish Rambler
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City: NARBONNE
Vessel Name: 'Snow Mouse.'
Vessel Model: BROOM FLYBRIDGE 42.
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,733
At last we got the good news that the river Rhine which had been in flood condition for some months due to heavy rain in the Alps was safe for us to navigate.
Quick checks got us back in cruising mode and we set off to good wishes and many Gute Fahrts (good journey) from our new found German friends who had been so helpful to us. Very friendly and kind hosts.


The first leg of our journey to us from Datteln down the Rhein-Herne canal to Duisburg. Geographically we were skirting the Ruhr valley industrial hub of Germany, not everything is smoking chimneys as the authorities are turning derelict factories into recreational parks by literally removing all traces industry and returning the land to it's former glory. (photo).
Old coal burning factories now use gas and even the gasometers are prettified.(photo's).
We even saw where someone had imported sand and made a beach with rows of deckchairs and a bar, even the surrounding windbreak wall had a tropical island mural.
This is a very busy commercial water way and just look at the headroom this 'Rhine barge' has.(photo)
Duisburg is the largest inland port in Europe and it would shame many a seaport, the barge skippers are just brilliant at handling their craft they would shame many of us and these things can be up to 6.000 tonnes ! (photo).
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