(text: Tomasz Jabłoński, Charter Navigator)

Units feature heating which is very important when you have kids on board, especially when you sail in months of low night temperature. Heating on Nicols barges requires gas and each cabin has an air pipe. I recommend checking if all pipes work properly. Temperature can be regulated and there is no problem if we leave it turned on for the night.

Wustrau and its surroundings are quite easy for sailing. Our route led through Wustrau – Lindow – Oranienburg and back to Wustrau. On the entire route we crossed locks maybe a couple of times. As I mentioned before sailing area is quite easy. If someone lives close to Berlin (Wustrau is located about 80 km north of the capital of Germany) and fears of chartering a boat, then I think he should come here and practice for couple of days.

Neuroppin

For those with little more time and with relevant motorboat licenses, I suggest trip to Berlin. Unfortunately, without proper licenses, our boat will take us only up to « die Schleuse Pinnow » in Oranienburg.

This is an area where you can go fishing. Therefore it may be worth to take fishing rod. Permission for seven days costs from 10 € to 30 € depending on fish species.

During our cruise, babies behave almost perfectly. To be honest more attention was focused on 6-year-old Kuba, who is in age when you keep asking lots of questions no matter if they make sense or not. On board we did not have children between 1-3 years, but it is worth to mention that sailing with them is a little bit more complicated. Energy resources must be spent somewhere and sometimes barge’s deck may be too small. Maybe I will write about it during our next trip?

Return to Cracow went quick and without a single incident. This time the driver did not mistake the city of destination for any other.

Julianna as a captain – Kuba with mom

PS Many thanks and greetings to the base manager Frank – for the help and patience on day 1 🙂