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Rhine water levels 2019 and similar topics


notamermaid
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Every single street and public lot in BH is now in one of three categories: meters, kiosk machines, or permit-only.  The meters and kiosks run until 8 pm, permit limitation until 6.  So you can still go to dinner with free parking if you are willing to walk from the side streets.  Albert Meadow was also our secret parking spot – now controlled by a kiosk machine @ $2 an hour.

 

Now back to water levels!

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4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Every single street and public lot in BH is now in one of three categories: meters, kiosk machines, or permit-only.  The meters and kiosks run until 8 pm, permit limitation until 6.  So you can still go to dinner with free parking if you are willing to walk from the side streets.  Albert Meadow was also our secret parking spot – now controlled by a kiosk machine @ $2 an hour.

 

Now back to water levels!

 

Thanks Jazz---you're right--let's pray for decent water levels on the Rhine in early October!!!!!

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The Elbe is in desperate need of water, the Main Danube canal is closed (again), Frankfurt is in nervous anticipation of the disposal of a bomb - with a closure of the Main river in the process - and with little rain coming one wonders how long the level at Pfelling on the Danube will hold (it is still looking good for this week).

 

Everything is lovely and easy-going on the Rhine though. Or is it?

 

Just to round up events.

Last week a barge grounded on the lower Rhine - a river closure of several hours.

 

Sunday morning a barge lost the use of its engine due to an unidentified object blocking the propeller. It got stuck in Rüdesheim - a river closure of several hours followed.

 

A few days ago, in Bonn, an excursion boat called MS Beethoven was hit by a barge. On board the MS Beethoven was a group of college children celebrating. Thankfully, there were only minor injuries of three crew members. The children were unharmed and after safety checks, the boat was allowed to sail on. After recovering from the slight shock the children resumed celebrating.

 

Yesterday, a barge hit a wall near Basel after the main engine had suddenly stopped working. No injuries. After checks, the engine was back in working order and the barge allowed to sail on.

 

All minor accidents, thank goodness.

 

Here is another that is so unusual it was picked up by several national newspapers (sites). Yesterday, at Andernach - which is also a minor river cruise port - a barge folded in the middle while being loaded in the harbour which is right at the river bank, it literally sagged and then the steel gave in, water flowed into the hull putting the barge in danger of drowning. To reduce the risk of further aggravating the situation from waves, river cruise traffic was suspended. The barge was emptied, the water pumped off and then the vessel towed into harbour area away from the navigation channel. Traffic resumed last night (with German audio report): https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/koblenz/Andernach-Gueterschiff-droht-zu-sinken,andernach-schiff-100.html

 

I think that is quite enough for a week.

 

But I do not want to leave you without the latest, very pleasant-looking, water levels: Maxau 567cm, Kaub 228cm, Koblenz 206cm. And the weather is all you could possibly want for great photos of castles without being too hot. :classic_smile:

 

Happy sailing everyone.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Edited by notamermaid
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4 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

The Elbe is in desperate need of water, the Main Danube canal is closed (again), Frankfurt is in nervous anticipation of the disposal of a bomb - with a closure of the Main river in the process - and with little rain coming one wonders how long the level at Pfelling on the Danube will hold (it is stilling good for this week).

 

Everything is lovely and easy-going on the Rhine though. Or is it?

 

Just to round up events.

Last week a barge grounded on the lower Rhine - a river closure of several hours.

 

Sunday morning a barge lost the use of its engine due to an unidentified object blocking the propeller. It got stuck in Rüdesheim - a river closure of several hours followed.

 

A few days ago, in Bonn, an excursion boat called MS Beethoven was hit by a barge. On board the MS Beethoven was a group of college children celebrating. Thankfully, there were only minor injuries of three crew members. The children were unharmed and after safety checks, the boat was allowed to sail on. After recovering from the slight shock the children resumed celebrating.

 

Yesterday, a barge hit a wall near Basel after the main engine had suddenly stopped working. No injuries. After checks, the engine was back in working order and the barge allowed to sail on.

 

All minor accidents, thank goodness.

 

Here is another that is so unusual it was picked up by several national newspapers (sites). Yesterday, at Andernach - which is also a minor river cruise port - a barge folded in the middle while being loaded in the harbour which is right at the river bank, it literally sagged and then the steel gave in, water flowed into the hull putting the barge in danger of drowning. To reduce the risk of further aggravating the situation from waves, river cruise traffic was suspended. The barge was emptied, the water pumped off and then the vessel towed into harbour area away from the navigation channel. Traffic resumed last night (with German audio report): https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/koblenz/Andernach-Gueterschiff-droht-zu-sinken,andernach-schiff-100.html

 

I think that is quite enough for a week.

 

But I do not want to leave you without the latest, very pleasant-looking, water levels: Maxau 567cm, Kaub 228cm, Koblenz 206cm. And the weather is all you could possibly want for great photos of castles without being too hot. :classic_smile:

 

Happy sailing everyone.

 

notamermaid

 

This list of minor incidents that caused river closures and traffic problems should be quoted every time someone enquires about scheduling private shore excursions from a river cruise!

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48 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

The Elbe is in desperate need of water, the Main Danube canal is closed (again), Frankfurt is in nervous anticipation of the disposal of a bomb - with a closure of the Main river in the process - and with little rain coming one wonders how long the level at Pfelling on the Danube will hold (it is still looking good for this week).

 

Everything is lovely and easy-going on the Rhine though. Or is it?

 

Just to round up events.

Last week a barge grounded on the lower Rhine - a river closure of several hours.

 

Sunday morning a barge lost the use of its engine due to an unidentified object blocking the propeller. It got stuck in Rüdesheim - a river closure of several hours followed.

 

A few days ago, in Bonn, an excursion boat called MS Beethoven was hit by a barge. On board the MS Beethoven was a group of college children celebrating. Thankfully, there were only minor injuries of three crew members. The children were unharmed and after safety checks, the boat was allowed to sail on. After recovering from the slight shock the children resumed celebrating.

 

Yesterday, a barge hit a wall near Basel after the main engine had suddenly stopped working. No injuries. After checks, the engine was back in working order and the barge allowed to sail on.

 

All minor accidents, thank goodness.

 

Here is another that is so unusual it was picked up by several national newspapers (sites). Yesterday, at Andernach - which is also a minor river cruise port - a barge folded in the middle while being loaded in the harbour which is right at the river bank, it literally sagged and then the steel gave in, water flowed into the hull putting the barge in danger of drowning. To reduce the risk of further aggravating the situation from waves, river cruise traffic was suspended. The barge was emptied, the water pumped off and then the vessel towed into harbour area away from the navigation channel. Traffic resumed last night (with German audio report): https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/koblenz/Andernach-Gueterschiff-droht-zu-sinken,andernach-schiff-100.html

 

I think that is quite enough for a week.

 

But I do not want to leave you without the latest, very pleasant-looking, water levels: Maxau 567cm, Kaub 228cm, Koblenz 206cm. And the weather is all you could possibly want for great photos of castles without being too hot. :classic_smile:

 

Happy sailing everyone.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Sorry, too hard to edit quickly on my phone. 

 

I wouldn’t call college students children. Kids, fine, or young people or students, but not children. 🙂

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7 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

Sorry, too hard to edit quickly on my phone. 

 

I wouldn’t call college students children. Kids, fine, or young people or students, but not children. 🙂

Interesting. Not sure where the cut-off age is for children or young people, perhaps I put it higher than others. German Abitur school age puts them at 18 or 19 so to go with British English more correctly I should call those on the boat teenagers. I think I caused some confusion as I put them at college, i.e. excuse my confusion of the words high school and college. Some American English usage eludes me.

 

notamermaid

 

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In the US, voting rights apply at age 18 but you can't drink alcohol until 21.  But on the nomenclature of college students, I would go by how they act – and 'children' is sadly very often the correct term.

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16 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Interesting. Not sure where the cut-off age is for children or young people, perhaps I put it higher than others. German Abitur school age puts them at 18 or 19 so to go with British English more correctly I should call those on the boat teenagers. I think I caused some confusion as I put them at college, i.e. excuse my confusion of the words high school and college. Some American English usage eludes me.

 

notamermaid

 

you could have really confused folks by calling them Gymnasium students! (and I'm referring here to the German name for what we in the US call a High School or to be more precise a Prep School  - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnasium_(Germany).  :classic_smile:

 

OH .. so all's clear on the Rhine from Basel to Koblenz?  Or should I start worrying about conditions there 2 weeks from now (boarding 22 July)? 

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2 hours ago, CharTrav said:

you could have really confused folks by calling them Gymnasium students! (and I'm referring here to the German name for what we in the US call a High School or to be more precise a Prep School  - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnasium_(Germany).  :classic_smile:

 

OH .. so all's clear on the Rhine from Basel to Koblenz?  Or should I start worrying about conditions there 2 weeks from now (boarding 22 July)? 

Yes, that is a good one. We teach children/teenagers arithmetic and all sorts of things in a "Gymnasium".

 

As regards water levels. They look fine as I said and when I look ahead, I can see rain forecast on four days in the crucial areas in the next eight days (varying amounts). It is certainly very likely that the level around Kaub will stay at a reasonable level for the next two weeks, it will rise briefly in reaction to the rain. Being at 227cm now it would have to loose a good 130cm for river cruisers to become concerned. I would say that is very unlikely within 12 days. Under 90cm is the range when a change to the worse can relatively quickly bring the level down to decision-time for sailing or not sailing for individual ships. It does not mean ships do not sail. The Rhine river is never closed by the authorities in low levels (harbour areas outside of the navigation channel might be excepted - I am not familiar with details).

 

For those new to the subject: the free-flowing stretch around Kaub is the first hit by low levels - the famous Rhine gorge with all the castles.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

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New to this thread.  Looking at Rhine river cruises....have heard springtime is best.  I'd love to do one next month, but keep reading the caveats regarding the water levels and the potential for it to turn into a bus trip.  That would just be agonizing for me.  What do you think of the Rhine, Budapest to Amsterdam for mid-August?  

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Hello dasisme,

 

Budapest to Amsterdam, the classic long route. 🙂  Mid-August last year we already had low water problems. This year looks better, but we can never be sure. On that route the Danube between Regensburg and Passau is actually more likely to be the problem area - before the Rhine becomes one as well. So on such a long river cruise you need to factor in two problem zones.

 

It is very difficult to advise you and how strenuous those coach tours are only past cruisers can help you with.

 

I would say if you are willing to put up with a short coach tour and ship swap on the Rhine (potentially you may actually use an excursion boat and even shorter coach trip) then look at those companies that have cruises starting in Amsterdam and Basel on the same day and enquire with them if that means they can swap ships midway if the need arises. If that is agreeable to you then the Rhine is a safe bet in August. Passau to Regensburg or thereabouts in low water is always a coach tour I believe and a bit longer than on the Rhine. If that is too much for you then you might prefer not to go or do the shorter itinerary. We just cannot get a forecast now, the Danube could be just about fine in August.

 

Something else that could help you in your decision: 110m ships can normally sail for a bit longer in low water due to the lower draft. It is only a few centimetres but it could be just what the ship needs on that day.

 

Hope this helps.

 

notamermaid

 

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That's why we decided to go earlier, in July instead of August. On this cruise we should start in Vienna and travel the Danube, Main and Rhine, ending up in Amsterdam two weeks later. Flying out this afternoon and have our fingers crossed that all goes well, including the flights. I am a very nervous flyer. 

Know that July is a busy month for local tourists as well as those who travel from the US and other places, but will just have to take our chances.

Thanks for your helpful information.

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Notamermaid,

 

Glad to hear the Rhine levels are good and hopefully all the random minor accidents have occurred for the next couple of weeks.  We head out tomorrow for a pre-cruise stay in Como and board our ship in Basel next Tuesday.  While I'm happy that the forecast includes some rain to keep the water levels up, I just hope they don't dampen our shore excursions too much.  We've had enough hot and rainy weather in Chicago lately that I'm not really looking for more.

 

daveil

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daveil,

Have a great trip. Weather is looking mixed, rain and sunshine for next week. Pleasant temperatures for touring.

 

And water levels continue to be good for sailing, with some rain coming tomorrow and a bit more during the week I cannot see them falling to a worrying level soon.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

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Hello everyone. I am leaving on Jul 10th for Budapest to take Vikings Grand European Tour. I got an email today about the Danube water levels being low. Should I be concerned or do you think they are sailable? I just don't want the cruise to turn into a bus tour being my first time going on the ocean or river. Thanks for any input. 

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30 minutes ago, jnk715 said:

Hello everyone. I am leaving on Jul 10th for Budapest to take Vikings Grand European Tour. I got an email today about the Danube water levels being low. Should I be concerned or do you think they are sailable? I just don't want the cruise to turn into a bus tour being my first time going on the ocean or river. Thanks for any input. 

You might do better checking (and posting in) the thread for the Danube, rather than the one for the Rhine.

 

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Thanks gnome12 for linking.

 

jnk715,

I have to "own up" here a tiny wee bit. I have been watching the Danube of course and say the level at Pfelling falling under RNW for a day. That means the navigation channel is getting a problem. HBCcruiser in her Tauck review thread had a hint at low levels in her daily printed. She posted a photo where I spotted the sentence. Since then due to rain the river has risen again. And might well do so further. I did not want to make anyone worry unnecessarily. 

 

You have been sent what I would call an "advance notice" and I find it very good of the company.

 

For your particular cruise date I cannot anticipate the impact of course.

 

As you are concerned I suggest that you add yourself to the roll call - if you have not done yet - and talk to the cruisers there. Some of them are only active posters in the roll call rather than on these main threads and may be able to reassure you.

 

I shall post on the Danube thread soon.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited by notamermaid
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The water levels on the Rhine: Maxau 515cm, Kaub 200cm, Koblenz 189cm. All looking rather pleasant.

 

But to be honest, the forecast and trend show the level at Maxau falling. That is completely normal for the Summer months. What we cannot say is how fast this will happen and that is the worrying bit. So, unfortunately, there is no way of knowing what any August sailings have in store for them. For the remainder of July I am still optimistic as we are quite a bit away from the dreaded 90cm at Kaub.

 

For the barges the situation now means preparing for the low levels that are more or less inevitable. How the German authorities want Rhine River traffic to prepare for the future I will tell you in a later post.

 

notamermaid

 

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1 hour ago, Fourmiler said:

I’m feeling reasonably optimistic regarding water levels for an August 24 Amsterdam departure.  

You have every reason to be I would say. It certainly looks much better than it did last year. On 5th July 2018 I posted that the level at Kaub was 137cm. The sort of good news is also that in the low water level report of the BAfG (the Federal Institute of Hydrology) - 1st update published yesterday - they have published the Kaub prediction graph for the next ten days and the most likely scenario shows a figure that will be hardly any lower in ten days than it is now.

 

notamermaid

 

 

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It is the 14th of July and to greet our friends in my neighbouring country let us shout "Vive la France!" and here is the history lesson for it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day

 

We should join in the celebration with some Alsatian wine - that is what I will do in fact, i.e. drink some Edelzwicker from Riquewihr - and get "in-depth" information about the wines by virtually going into the wine cellars of Strasbourg courtesy of Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/historic-wine-cellar-of-strasbourg-hospital

 

By the way, if you have no Alsatian wine readily chilled you may use other river cruising regions like Rhone and Bordeaux. :classic_smile:

 

And as we are on the subject of French pastimes, has anyone ever seen a Boule playing field on a river cruise ship? I wonder if it would work, quite like the idea.

 

Cheers!

 

notamermaid

 

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