Balmoral’s passage through the Kiel Canal yesterday was nothing short of amazing! The weather couldn’t have been better—we had bright, sunny skies the whole way through. It made our 10-hour journey across the roughly 52-nautical-mile (about 96 km) stretch of the canal an absolute treat.
We were actually expecting a long delay before entering the locks, especially at the Brunsbüttel end, since only one of the locks there is currently working. Apparently, a cargo ship crashed into one of the lock chambers last month, and repairs are still ongoing. Luckily, we only had about a one-hour delay entering the Holtenau Lock at the start, and we exited the Brunsbüttel Lock just 30 minutes behind schedule—not bad at all!
If someone asks me whether it’s better to sail through the Kiel Canal during the day or at night, I’d definitely say daytime. The views are just too beautiful to miss. Picture this: peaceful little German villages, locals strolling or cycling along the canal paths, green farmlands, grazing sheep, charming bridges… It all gives off such a relaxing countryside vibe. Sure, the rural landscapes in the Philippines are stunning too, but getting to see something similar in another country is one of the perks of being a seafarer that I’ll always be grateful for.
For those who are curious, here’s a quick explanation of how canal locks work:
Locks are like water elevators for ships. They help vessels go up or down depending on the difference in water levels between two parts of the canal. Here’s how it works:
1. Entering the Lock: The ship sails into the lock chamber when the water level inside matches the level where the ship came from. The gates behind the ship close.
2. Adjusting the Water Level: If the ship needs to go “up,” water is added to the lock chamber from the higher level ahead. If the ship needs to go “down,” water is drained out. This slowly raises or lowers the ship.
3. Exiting the Lock: Once the water level matches the next section of the canal, the front gates open, and the ship continues its journey.
The Holtenau Lock (at the eastern end near Kiel) and the Brunsbüttel Lock (at the western end near the Elbe River) are the two main locks in the Kiel Canal. They’re large enough to handle big commercial ships and passenger vessels like ours.
All in all, it was a smooth and scenic crossing. Days like this remind me how lucky I am to see the world from the sea.
Seafarer and Family Man
I'm Dexter— a seafarer by profession, a traveler by passion, and a homebody by choice.
