The next day we headed along the Teltow Canal - the quickest way to get to South East Berlin which has another superb lake area. It was still quite windy but we made good progress. Then in the only lock on the canal while we were tied up, a yacht with its mast stowed on board couldn't tie on to the lock and the mast crashed into our canopy over the steering position, making a large tear in it. We could have cried. We swapped details with the other boat and Nick patched up the tears with some duct tape and we threw on a bucket of water and nothing came through. So fingers crossed we should make it back dry to Holland where we can get it sorted out properly with hopefully the yacht's insurance company paying for everything.
We stopped the night at Schmockowitz on the Langer See in a quiet little basin. In the evening we went for a walk and were amazed to see how little developed everything was, being part of former East Germany. I was thrilled to see my first gaslight on a street with the mantle glowing away. It looked like a scene from turn of the century London.
The next day the weather was much better but we had to return to the Tegeler See for Nick and Monika to pick up their car and return home. We sailed through lake after lake and along the very pretty Muggle Spree lined with lovely houses and manicured lawns with a sprinkling of fine restaurants along the way. Then down the Spree further and soon we were in the heart of Berlin, passing the great sights of the Dom, The Museums and the Reichstag.
We stopped briefly for Cindy the dog to goto the toilet at the spot where we had first stayed in Berlin and where our friendly tramp looked after the boat. He was there with his mates and helped us tie up and was rewarded ith a cold beer for his troubles.Then back to Tegel and a meal in the yacht club and a lovely evening on the deck drinking wine and watching the boats come and go. The girls tried their hand at some fishing.
The next morning Nick and Monika and the Leslie and Vivienne left for home in Erlangen and we headed through Spandau lock, the scene of the ramming boat just a few days before. We called in at the Shell Bunker Boat and took on board $2000 worth of fuel. Ouch! Then back along the Spree to Schloss Charlottenburg where we tied up for the night. It was the hottest night we had experienced for many years, not falling below 28C.
We continued through Berlin past all the great sights of the day before last and stopped in the Langer See for the night. From there we have headed south into the Markishe Wasserstrasse a magical series of lakes interconnected by the River Dahme (a tributary of the Spree).
Another week in this area and then we slowly head back West.
