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Potsdam on October 30, 2021
Arrived at the winter berth
Dear friends
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With roaring winds and gusts of over 60 km / h, we happily arrived at our winter berth in the marina at Tiefen See in Potsdam on October 22, 2021. We are setting up here for a varied cultural winter. It is already the fourth winter that we spend in this hospitable port. Accordingly, we were welcomed at the jetty by Andrea, the harbour owner, and the team of harbour masters. They all helped us to moor against the offshore wind and welcomed us with a flower arrangement. We are delighted that two more couples are spending the winter on their ships in the harbour. Sociability is ensured. |
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A trip across Germany
Our arrival in Potsdam ended an 850 km journey from Groningen in the Netherlands across Germany. We had previously been given the opportunity in the Netherlands to vaccinate ourselves against the Covid virus. This gave us "free travel" through all the different German federal states and their districts, which had repeatedly issued different protective rules depending on the local frequency of infection. Fortunately, none of the prescribed measures restricted shipping or mooring for overnight stays. Only a medically recognized mouth and nose mask had to be worn in all non-private indoor areas as well as at train stations and waiting areas.
Some friends accompanied us on our trip. Between Hanover and Wolfsburg even our son Erich and his girlfriend Alexandra were guests on board with their one-month-old baby Lorianne. It was wonderful travel days into autumn. There was enough time on the way to visit special attractions here and there:
(from left) Linchen and Trinchen on the city tour in Leer - memorial beacon for burial at sea at the port exit in Emden - artistically designed salt graduation in the spa gardens of Bad Essen.
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Our visit to Switzerland
We had to stay away from Switzerland for 16 months - due to Covid. The Dutch people made it possible for us to have a varied and warm-hearted stay in the Netherlands from March 2020. Vaccinated against the Covid virus, we were allowed to enter Switzerland with a rental car on August 17, 2021 without the obligation of a 10-day quarantine. Our first grandchild Lorianne, born eight days earlier, was waiting for us there with her parents Erich and Alexandra.
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Lorianne Aurélie * August 9th, 2021, the daughter of our son Erich and his partner Alexandra |
Such a small earth citizen automatically awakens feelings of desire to dress her. Bernadette and her friend Brigitte quickly set about buying a suitable fabric in Bern and using the afternoon to sew a baby suit. Here is the result: |
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Between appointments at the doctor and the dentist, we met numerous friends and acquaintances. It was a warm reunion everywhere. Here is an atmospheric selection with
(from left) Kurt and Marianna, Gotthard and Ruth, Nadja with Jessica, Annelise and Urs.
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Bernadette's sister Marie Therese and her husband Beat granted us hospitality in the attic of their house in Münchenbuchsee near Bern, for which we are very grateful. When Bernadette's brother Steve and and his wife Beatrice came to visit us, a small Meier meeting spontaneously developed, at which only Berta and Franz had to stay away because of other appointments.
(from left:) Steve, Beatrice, Marie Therese, Bernadette, Beat, Freddy, Heinz
Our son Rainer and his girlfriend Åsa, who came from Sweden, were also allowed to live here for a few days. It was a long-awaited, happy reunion.
40 happy years of marriage
On August 28, 1981, forty years ago, we ceremoniously entered the state of marriage in front of the registrar in Zollikofen. For this anniversary, Hannes and his friends Chrigu and Babs had invited to a celebration in Luterbach that brought our whole family together around one table. What a wonderful family feeling!
from left: Charlotte, Erich, Alexandra mit Lorianne, Hannes, Åsa, Bernadette, Rainer, Barbara, Christian, Heinz
Our ship - a reliable partner
Our ship Dagens 2 reliably brought us from place to place throughout the entire sailing season. The recently installed new windows and the small sewage treatment plant have further improved our well-being on board. We enjoy it every day. In July in Leeuwarden, we were able to have the first annual service carried out on the small wastewater treatment plant. Since then we know a lot more about their inner workings and the interaction of the various cleaning elements. This increases confidence in the system and creates the opportunity to intervene appropriately in the event of malfunctions. This is typical for the relationship between the skipper and his ship, because he is always the first on site to rectify faults. Specialists do not wait outside on the shore, but must first be found and be available on time. It is reassuring to know that skippers are always ready to offer help and advice.
Entry of Dagens 2 into the colorful Reitdiephafen in Groningen (taken by Catherine and Roland Stirnemann on MS Caro).
The decisive step from ship to shore
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In May we were allowed to accompany our friends Fons and Marian through the last few days on board their ship Kabbelaarsbank in Jachthaven 't Huizerhoofd before the new owner came to take over the ship. On August 11th, Fons and Marian moved into their newly acquired house in East Frisia and settled down after more than 20 years of shipper life. There she sails away, the Kabbelaarsbank
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We too will be confronted with this definitive step from ship to shore in the foreseeable future. But the experience of Fons and Marian shows how much inpredictable coincidences can play a role. After unsuccessful attempts to sell, they had actually settled on board for a few more years. But one day they surprisingly received an offer from a wealthy buyer and accepted right away. It was a similar coincidence with our Dutch friends Toni and Gerda. In distant southern Sweden they received a surprising visit from a German who was precisely looking for the type of their ship. Within few days they came to an agreement and gave him ownership of the ship. Now they will transfer "their previous" ship to Emden by summer 2022. With this in mind, we too are ready for a short-term decision, but meanwhile we are calmly planning our next shipyard stay in Maasbracht in the summer of 2023. At this time, the European certification of our ship has to be renewed, for which we have to go to a dry dock.
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Summertime will end this weekend and the Christmas decorations will soon be hanging in the shopping streets. Bernadette is already working hard on her Advent calendar, which many people are happy to find in their mailboxes every morning of December. We don't run out of work and ideas. You will hear from us again. With kind regards
(Our latest news - unfortunately only in German - can be found on "Aktuelles auf Blogspot") |
Arrival at Marina am Tiefen See in Potsdam on October 22, 2021 |
From October 22nd, 2021 to April 1st, 2022 we are lying with Dagens 2 in the marina at Tiefen See in Potsdam and can be found there in the winter months at the address:
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Heinz und Bernadette Gubler |
Our email and web addresses remain unchanged: |
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