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On the way: North Sea tour
On the way: North Sea tour
An ocean liner on its way to the sea
When the smoky voice of Rod Stewart scratches over the top of the dike and a blaze of Caribbean colors cuts through the monotonous green-blue of northern Germany, the time has come: a dream ship leaves the shipyard and heads for the North Sea. On the way to Norwegian Gem with the Road King: The king of the road meets a gem of the oceans.
Jorg Lohse
03/13/2008
A mighty honk goes into the limbs, makes the heart tremble. Breathless silence lies over the land. Then an unbelievable bass frequency penetrates deep into the stomach again. The monotonous sound cloud floats majestically over the country, lost in the horizon, which here, high up in northwest Germany, seems to be in unreachable distance. And we are challenged a third time. My thumb twitches at the Road King’s bugle. The Harley replies with moaning horns – the result couldn’t be more measly. Thank goodness photographer Klaus doesn’t even try on his Honda CBR 600, but stares mesmerized at the surreal-looking scenery that stretches before our eyes.
In the middle of a small harbor basin, only a few football fields, lies a gigantic colossus made of steel and glass – an ocean cruiser that could hardly be more powerful. Do you know the dream ship? Forget it. Or better: think of it as a stretch version. Because the Norwegian Gem, which lies in front of us at the equipment quay of the Papenburg Meyer shipyard, measures exactly 294.13 meters and is a mighty 32.20 meters wide.
With the triad, shipyard captain Thomas Teitge initiated the process of cutting the cord from Norwegian Gem. Cast off the ship, then the stern of the steamer slowly pushes itself into the middle of the harbor basin. In reverse, the giant ship steers towards the dock lock. There is movement around us. Thousands have gathered to witness the spectacle. In front of the steel sheet pile wall of the harbor basin, well over a hundred mobile homes stand facing the broad side of the ship. They have been camping here for days, waiting for the moment when the luxury steamer pushes its way through the narrow dock lock into the waters of the Ems with millimeter precision work. Of course, many locals from Papenburg and the surrounding area also made the pilgrimage to the shipyard on foot or on the Dutch bike, which is ubiquitous in the north, to say goodbye to “their” ship.
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Gulliver ship in Lilliput land. Even on her maiden voyage, the Norwegian Gem steers through difficult waters.
The evening before, we had traveled through dark no-man’s-land on the A 31 and suddenly stood in the Papenburg harbor in front of the gleaming palace. The shipyard’s cranes are still busy swinging over the ship, workers in overalls and yellow protective helmets rush across the deck while the crew on the upper deck inaugurates the basketball court. Welcome attunement before we go deep into the belly of the ship to look after the well-being of the future 2,400 passengers in the laundry and kitchen area. Meanwhile, the smell of canned pea soup wafts from the mobile homes, TVs flicker bluish, and the Hymer captains stand in front of their “Dreamliner” with bottled beer. Have a ride in a pot like this? “Nope,” it says laconically, “we’d rather roll ourselves. It’s enough for us to watch the spectacle. “
That is in full swing 24 hours later. At walking pace, the Norwegian Gem pushes through the dock lock into the Ems fairway. Crowds of people build up to the left and right and marvel at a brightly painted steel wall the size of a high-rise building that passes by. Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli rumble out of the on-board loudspeakers with plenty of tremolo “Time to say goodbye” and press hard on the lacrimal gland.
We start our engines, want to accompany the gem of Norway on its way to freedom. The Nippon-Four from Klaus hums softly, while the Harley with its piston blows can at least spread a bit of marine diesel flair. In time we reach the small horticultural estate, which is exactly opposite the port exit on the Ems. As we stand on the top of the dike, the last few meters of the bow are passing the dock lock. Done! Like a baby, the ship has pressed its way through the shipyard’s narrow birth canal and is now swimming on the Ems towards the freedom of the seas – a moving moment that the on-board DJ could not match with Rod Stewart’s classic “Sailing”.
But the Norwegian Gem is not really picking up speed yet. The Ems fairway is narrow and winding, and the captain has to reverse the 40 kilometers to the mouth of the river. The 300-meter ship can only turn in the North Sea.
We watch the pot as it slowly disappears around the next bend in the river. Whereby “disappear” is actually the wrong word. After all, the ship is omnipresent in the East Frisian lowlands and attracts everyone’s attention for kilometers. The builders also receive a lot of attention. On the few kilometers of the river to the open sea, anger and appreciation are close together.
On the one hand there is the Meyer shipyard with over 2000 employees and umpteen orders, from which many medium-sized craft businesses in this structurally weak region benefit. Because the ship is not just welded together from simple steel plates. In addition, 1200 cabins have to be made habitable with carpets, curtains and washbasins, walls have to be painted and cable harnesses pulled. Every six months a luxury cruiser fully equipped with fitness clubs, theaters and fine restaurants leaves the huge dry dock halls. The order books have been filled for years. And yet: “When Meyer coughs,” says a local reporter for the local newspaper, “the region is in bed with” a fever thermometer. ”
On the other hand, there are the people who live from the river. Like the dike shepherd in Nesseborg, who can no longer let his sheep graze on the Ems in the shadow of the shipyard, because the grass becomes inedible due to the damming of the river before each overpass. Or the Emsfischer von Jemgum, who fear for their existence due to dredging and constant deepening of the river. On our turn along the dike we hear critical tones again and again.
In the small East Frisian town of Weener, however, there is no sign of this. With the Road King and CBR we laboriously push our way through the crowds that are pushing towards the Ems. Here the Norwegian Gem has to pass the next bottleneck after the Papenburg dock lock. It is an old railway bridge that stands in the way of the smooth passage over the Ems. In the afternoon, an entire segment of the bridge was unhooked, which is now dangling from the steel cables of a floating crane. Those who wanted to travel by train from Weener today had really bad tickets. But why travel when the spectacle is taking place in front of your own door?
In the meantime, darkness has fallen over the river, and there is now a festival atmosphere on the dike. The Norwegian Gem rolls up out of the blackness like a shining ball, flanked in the nothing of the night by a melange of bicycle and flashlights that accompany the ship along the dike. There is also a lively atmosphere on board, the guests of honor from the shipyard and shipping company do not seem to regret it at all that the maiden voyage of Norwegian Gem does not take them to some dream Caribbean beaches.
As at the dock lock, the luxury liner passes the opening of the bridge without the slightest twitch. Stopping or maneuvering are foreign words. Shipyard captain Teitge is supported by the Emden pilots’ brotherhood, and all maneuvers of the overpass have been trained together on the computer simulator.
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The sky piles clouds to form mountains, the air tastes salty. The pounding of the engine mixes with the sound of the sea.
While the mood in Papenburg was still characterized by sadness and farewell, ten kilometers away there is a party mood. Passengers on deck and passers-by on the dyke cheer over the first-class steering performance of the bridge crew, whose red-lit workstation now resembles a submarine command post. And who acknowledge the applause on land with the obligatory triad from the mighty foghorn.
We also join the caravan again, give the Pott escort in the direction of Leer, where the onlookers are already crowding on the Jann-Berghaus-Bridge. At this point the Ems is much wider than before. Nevertheless, the bascule bridge offers one of the last opportunities to get really close to the ocean liner again. We positioned ourselves with the bikes directly in front of the barrier on the bridge. Only a few meters separate us from the colossus when suddenly the water police, who also have the say on the bridges and dikes, march in: “100 meters distance!” Suddenly comes from the loudspeakers.
Reluctantly, we allow ourselves to be pushed back with the pack, which the Norwegian Gem would have loved to caress the steel hull one more time at this point. While the ship is picking up speed again, we roll with the Road King and the CBR onto the top of the dike right next to the bridge and are greeted happily by Manni, Andrea and Claus. The real East Frisians have made themselves comfortable on this first-class lookout since the afternoon with their Setra bus converted into a motorhome. The East Frisians, about whom people like to joke, for their part take a wonderfully refreshing way of poking fun at many a stupidly asking tourist: “The cruise ship? No, no, my lady, that will come later. This is just a lute gas tanker that had to get out first. Would you like to drink a jever with us for so long? “
When the Gem, as stipulated by maritime law, sounds its foghorn again when passing the port exit of Leerort, Manni is in his element. He climbs behind the wheel of his Setra and answers with what feels like twelve bars from his bus horn. Much better. The Harley is silent, insulted, Klaus grins.
The floating palace has now passed the bascule bridge without much ado. Here, too, the spectators cheer, rockets rise, and the people of Leer say goodbye to the fleeting guest with gun blows. “Would you like to see the ship from below?” We suspect another joke from the East Frisians, but they just want to send us to the autobahn: “The Pott is about to drive over the A 31. You have to take a look.” We swing into it Saddles and set off in the direction of the Emstunnel. Just in time we turn onto the Emsland Highway, which is aimed straight as an arrow from the Ruhrpott towards the North Sea, and drive right towards the dream ship before we disappear into the tunnel and let the Ems and the ship rush over us.
We set off, step on the gas, to meet the Norwegian Gem again at the Ems barrier in Gandersum near Emden. The almost half a kilometer wide bulwark, built at the mouth of the Ems primarily to protect against storm surges, represents the last “obstacle” before the ship enters the Dollart Bay and reaches the open North Sea. It has been in operation since 2002, although the construction of the barrage is still causing a stir today: Critics complain that this only secures the transfer trips of the ocean liners of the Meyer shipyard every six months, while the damming of the dyke foreland permanently destroyed the flora and fauna of the dike.
It is now well after midnight, but people are still out and about to marvel at the spectacle that takes place every six months. They stare spellbound at the glittering wall, which pushes up from a distance and also masters the barrier passage through it without any problems. We look after the shining point for a long time, until it is lost in the vastness of the dollar as if lost in the open sea. She is almost at liberty.
The ship has cast a spell over us. The next day we get on our bikes, want to see the Norwegian gemstone one last time in daylight in Eemshaven. We steer through the East Frisian Rheiderland towards the Dutch border, pass tiny settlements with tiny houses and funny names like Tichelwarf and Aaltuckerei. Jemgum is followed by Critzum and Hatzum is followed by Ditzum and Pogum. Sounds kind of logical. The Road King hums with satisfaction.
At Nieuweschans it goes over the open border to Holland. Razor-sharp and as if drawn with a ruler, the streets cut through the fertile marshland that was laboriously wrested from the sea directly behind the dykes. Like an oversized vacuum cleaner, the Milwaukee twin devours the flat land in the chrome-plated headlight housing.
Ideal terrain for the Road King, because riding a motorcycle in the north is not just looking for curves. Motorcycling in the north is pure meditation. Let your body and mind fly straight ahead for ten minutes before a curve that bends at exactly a right angle forces you to rethink and bend. Klaus can hardly follow my thoughts on the super sporty CBR 600 RR and breathes again and again when a roundabout finally forces him out of the exhausting monotony in the crouching position into the long-awaited incline.
Admittedly, this pounding escape through the seemingly endless expanses of the north is only a pleasure in bright sunshine and a blue-washed sky. Woe, dark clouds and thick fog lay over the land for days, and legendary will-o’-the-wisps pull the hiker to the side, as if they wanted to lead astray in the swampy moor. Tales from bygone days, but we the northern lights do not want to deny them a spark of truth.
We let ourselves drift, arrows past hectare-sized, never-ending fields. Only a few farms give the eye a stop in this wasteland. Always present in the distance: wind turbines and the green strip of dykes that delimits the horizon. Occasionally broken by old gates that were once closed with heavy beams during storm surges.
At some point you have lost your bearings in this distance, take a look at the position of the sun and finally dig out your navigation system. You look at the display in amazement, yes, here you are standing directly at sea level.
We look around and suddenly see the gemstone sparkling in the distance, as it lies majestically on the quay in Eemshaven on the North Sea. Suddenly the Norwegian Gem appears like a seasoned ocean liner. And the dimensions have straightened out again. At sea she is no longer the Gulliver ship, carefully pushing its way through Lilliput land.
Now she has finally arrived in her element. In our minds we hang up Rod Stewart again and say goodbye: Goodbye, Norwegian Gem, always have a good trip and always a hand’s breadth of water under the keel.
Info
The flat land in the north-western tip of Germany not only attracts with large ships. Motorcyclists can always enjoy being drifted along the dike.
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A landscape that knows neither a beginning nor an end.
Ship overpasses
The Meyer shipyard in Papenburg, founded in 1795, has been specializing in the construction of cruise ships for around 20 years. Every six months or so, an ocean liner leaves one of the two dry dock hangars, which are among the largest in the world. If the weather cooperates, those who decide quickly can see the transfer of the 252-meter-long »Aida Bella« in just a few days on March 29th. In autumn 2008 the »Celebrity Solstice« will leave for the North Sea. The 315 meter long luxury cruiser has been under construction since March 2007. A precise schedule can be found at www.meyerwerft.de.
getting there
Coming from the south you travel on the A 31 motorway, from the east you take the A 1 and A 28 to the Leer triangle on the A 31. From the Papenburg junction, the route leads directly to the Meyer shipyard. As an alternative to the motorway route, you can get in the mood for the ship passage from Oldenburg on the B 401, which leads along the coastal canal to Papenburg.
Tour tip
From Papenburg it goes left of the Ems through the Rheiderland over Weener and Jemgum to the picturesque fishing village of Ditzum at the mouth of the Ems. From there the route leads to Bunde, in Nieuweschans you cross the border into the Netherlands. The journey through the endless expanses of the marshland to Termunten am Dollart is an experience. Via the port town of Delfzijl you continue to Eemshaven, an artificially constructed seaport in the 1970s. Always worthwhile: a detour to the North Sea island of Borkum (ferry information: www.ag-ems.de). On the Eems-Dollart-Route you can drift into the provincial capital Groningen. We recommend the Groninger Markt, which stretches through the city center every Saturday with numerous fish, flower, cheese and junk stalls. It continues to the legendary race track to Assen (www.tt-assen.com). On the N 33 you drive eastwards in the direction of Veendam to Winschoten and Vlagtwedde. After a detour to the Bourtange Fortress (www.bourtange.nl), you will return to Germany. Between Dorpen and Lathen you pass the magnetic levitation test track of the 500 km / h Transrapid. Via the Westerwolde-Hummling-Route the way leads to Sogel to Clemenswerth Castle and over the hilly landscape of the Hummling with the 73 meter high Windberg the way leads back to Papenburg.
Map: Maucher
Travel time: one to two days; Distance covered: 280 kilometers.
gastronomy
Due to the proximity to the North Sea, you can always enjoy delicious fish dishes on the way. These are particularly deliciously prepared in the “Old House on the Siel” directly at the Ditzum harbor. Recommendable fast food options are available in the fish snack bar at Termunten harbor and at the fish stalls on the Groninger market. If you like it spicy, you should definitely try the Dutch specialty kibbeling – fried hake or cod with a garlic dip. In Sogel you can take a break in the “Hummlinger Teestuben” (Loruper Weg 2), where you can enjoy homemade cakes and traditional buckwheat pancakes. The best place to go for accommodation in hotels, guest houses or private quarters in the region: Papenburg Tourist Information (phone 04961/83960, www.papenburg-tourismus.de). By the way, you can also do this here
Viewing appointments can be booked at the shipyard.
Maps and navigation
A good basis for the tour through the German-Dutch border area is the MOTORRAD general card No. 4 »Bremerhaven – Emden – Osnabruck«. For navigation through the Marsch am Dollart between Nieuweschans and Delfzijl, an off-road navigation device is recommended. The Garmin Zumo 400 proved its worth on this tour.
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