I had the FREYA map of our route which showed many new bridges built since Father's time, with road or rail connections.
Once on our way again I could see two new bridges just ahead of us, and then a little further along was one that looked rather familiar. I took a photograph for my records. I went back to my table for coffee and then back on the forward deck when I could see more bridges ahead of us.
I was looking at some old framed photographs down on the lower deck and asked the Manager about them. I told him about Father's photographs and he asked to see them. He was really interested and asked to borrow them for a moment and go and show the Captain. That was fine with me. He saw me later and returned the pictures and said the Captain was really interested, and thank you. I noticed that near one of the tables was a Mail Box on the wall - ooh, I'm on a Mail Ship again.
Over the hours we also saw many ferries crossing the water, either with a single ferry, or two ferries because of the traffic demands on both sides.
Soon it was announced that lunch was served (I think about 12.30) on the lower deck and when I went down to see what was available, I was astonished at the vast quantities of food. There were tables of starters, a bigger table of main course dishes, more tables full of desserts and cheese, and when I went back to my table there was a big flask of fresh coffee. The Bar was very busy but there were fruit juices and cold water available to all of us as well. I went back for some dessert and was amazed to see how much food had been consumed. The constantly replenished dishes were left out for over an hour I think as people kept returning for more.
The sun had come out at last and there were more of us on deck enjoying the sights, and I met a friendly lady who spoke good English and we enjoyed talking about our families and home. Yet again there was a broadcast to announce that afternoon tea was now available downstairs and suddenly the inside lounges and decks cleared as passengers headed down to see what was available. Whatever there was soon disappeared but I enjoyed a couple of small cakes, taken back to my table.
I spoke to the young lady behind the bar when she had a few quiet minutes, and asked how many passengers were on here today. She thought about 130, although the day before she said they had catered for about 240 on a shorter trip. I was surprised and really impressed with the catering service on board. I was also surprised to hear though that sometimes during the Canal transit many passengers were seasick, and complained about the rough water. I could hardly believe this, but she assured me that it often happened, although we were doing very few knots along this Canal, and FREYA seemed particularly steady. I wonder if they get many repeat customers...
My English-speaking friend on deck had been invited onto the Bridge and later told me that the Captain thought that one of the bridges in Father's photos was probably the one at Hochdonn. It seems it had been altered at a later date, but it was still recognisable.
(Soon after I returned to the UK I received an e-mail from Joachim Creutz with some photos he had taken on board, but also sending me a couple of links to websites with other bridge photos. He thought that one of them was probably one of those photographed by my Father in 1931, which had subsequently been slightly altered. It was still recognisable, and I was pleased that the train line was still in use on the day I sailed underneath it. Joachim said:
"Additionally I send you a link, which will lead you to an old picture-postcard of the bridge over the canal at Hochdonn:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hochbr%C3%BCcke_Hochdonn#/media/Datei:Anonymer_Fotograf_PC_Hochbr%C3%BCcke_Hochdonn_bei_Burg_in_Dithmarschen_Dortmunder_Union_Louis_Eilers_Nordostseekanalbr%C3%BCcke_Bildseite.jpg
http://www.apt-holtenau.de/holtenau-info/history/prinz-heinrich-bruecke.htm
I think, that was the one."
Thank you again Joachim, that was very kind of you.)
That was interesting as a week ago I had received a note from the lady in the FREYA office telling me that because of weekend events in Brunsbuttel, our ship would finish her trip in Hockdonn, just half an hour earlier than expected. That was fine with me, as I had also booked a seat on a coach returning by road to Kiel, whether from Brunsbuttel or Hochdonn.
About 4 p.m. we could see a familiar looking bridge far ahead and the Captain announced that "this was one of the bridges shown in the lady's photos"; my kind friend Joachim translated this for me, and I waved up to the Captain to thank him. Photos were taken and suddenly the end of the trip was in sight, with the Hochdonn bridge and coaches for us on the quayside.
Goodbyes and handshakes followed as we came alongside with a small bump, and everyone disembarked. I had met FREYA's 'ropesman' earlier and said thank you and goodbye to him too, and to the Purser/Manager, and found the coach taking me back to Kiel. I sat with another congenial German lady I had met on deck and we enjoyed the sunlit drive back to Kiel. She mentioned that she had sailed from Bremen in 1961 on the ship BREMEN to New York because she wanted to travel and work abroad for a while, but she was so homesick for family etc. that in 1963 she sailed home again on the same ship. I said I had also left home in late 1965 to go to work at sea so I quite understood what she meant.
Outside Central Station there were many noisy goodbyes from my new acquaintances as we all went our separate ways, and I headed home after a fascinating day out.
Ships seen: Freya, Gothmann, Stena Scandinavica, Color Magic, Laboe, Alkor, Holltenau, Osterbotten, Maureen S, Stadt Kiel, Bussard, Kiel, Bulk, Gothman, and lots of Canal ferries and ships
To be continued...
