We got up at 06:00, as usual. The sun had just risen, and it was beautiful outside. It appeared as though we were in some sort of channel -- I saw a couple of buoys -- and so I went topside to check it out and get our position.
As of 06:35, we were at 53-57-38 N, 8-35-55 E. On the map Hamburg is pretty far down the Elbe river from the sea, and I thought that perhaps we were already on the Elbe and might arrive earlier than 15:00. I started down to the kitchen to ask the steward, but bumped into him right outside the bridge as he was delivering breakfast to the watch. He checked with the watch officer, who told him that 15:00 was still our scheduled arrival time.
When I went into the mess facility for breakfast there were already three German pilots onboard, just hanging out in the crew’s lounge area. One of the English maritime cadets was having his breakfast, and I asked him about our position and arrival time. He said that we were on the Elbe, and might even arrive in Hamburg by 13:00, but that by the time we’d finished docking it would be 15:00. Sort of like Liverpool, I thought.
Anyway, Ellen started two final loads of laundry before breakfast, and we mainly just hung out enjoying the scenery and packing our bags.
On the Elbe River
About 11:00 am we heard a loud speaker from shore welcome us to Hamburg. We went outside, and sure enough we could see cranes not too far in the distance. And the banks of the Elbe had become populated with cool little neighborhoods.
As we got closer, it became apparent that the port of Hamburg is a giant port. At least by crane count.
Approach to Hamburg
As we got closer, it became apparent that the port of Hamburg is a giant port. At least by crane count.
Approaching the port of Hamburg
By lunchtime it was obvious we’d be docking well ahead of schedule, and by the end of lunch we were docked. The steward told us that the Master had relayed that we were to standby until called for by the immigration authorities, who were in the ship’s office.
So stand by we did.
After about an hour of standing by in our cabin, I walked over to the other side of the ship to peek into the ship’s office. On the way I bumped into the Master, who asked me to gather everyone up and meet him in the passengers’ lounge. Which I did.
Once we were all gathered, the Master gave the four of us who were disembarking our passports. I was relieved to find Schengen stamps in Ellen’s and mine. That was all I really cared about.
Well, not quite. There was still the question of how we were going to get to our hotel.
Sebastien, Roland, Ellen and I had agreed to ride to the gate together. A few crew members helped take all of our luggage down to the ramp, and -- thinking this would be more or less like Liverpool -- we waited for the escort vehicle. And waited. And waited. And waited.
Finally Ellen said something to the duty crew member, and he said that we needed to walk over to some nearby shack and push a button to summon a vehicle.
We carried all of our luggage over, pushed the button, and waited some more. Finally a van pulled up and took us to the gate.
Once we got to the gate the big question was: Could an Uber pick us up there? Or was this like Liverpool, where there was another gate farther up the road beyond which an Uber could not drive?
Fortunately we had Roland, who spoke German and who could ask. Unfortunately, I don't think Roland really knew what Uber was. When he asked the van driver about it, it didn't seem that the van driver knew, either. I listened to their exchange, and I guessed that they both thought it was one of the local taxi companies.
Finally the van driver said that we needed to go inside the gatehouse building, and that they would call a taxi for us from in there. The alternative, he said, was to walk to a subway station.
Sebastien opted to walk to the subway -- the advantages of youth! -- while Roland, Ellen and I waited for the taxi.
After about 10 minutes a taxi arrived, and the three of us piled in. On the way out I noticed that there were no other gates, and that an Uber could, in fact, have come to get us. Oh well...next time.
We dropped Roland off at the train station, where he was continuing on to his final destination, and we all said our heartfelt farewells. Ellen and I continued on in the taxi, and about 15 minutes later we were checking into our hotel.
Our cargo trip adventure was over.
Well, not quite. There was still the question of how we were going to get to our hotel.
Sebastien, Roland, Ellen and I had agreed to ride to the gate together. A few crew members helped take all of our luggage down to the ramp, and -- thinking this would be more or less like Liverpool -- we waited for the escort vehicle. And waited. And waited. And waited.
Finally Ellen said something to the duty crew member, and he said that we needed to walk over to some nearby shack and push a button to summon a vehicle.
We carried all of our luggage over, pushed the button, and waited some more. Finally a van pulled up and took us to the gate.
The shuttle bus button no one told us about
Once we got to the gate the big question was: Could an Uber pick us up there? Or was this like Liverpool, where there was another gate farther up the road beyond which an Uber could not drive?
Fortunately we had Roland, who spoke German and who could ask. Unfortunately, I don't think Roland really knew what Uber was. When he asked the van driver about it, it didn't seem that the van driver knew, either. I listened to their exchange, and I guessed that they both thought it was one of the local taxi companies.
Finally the van driver said that we needed to go inside the gatehouse building, and that they would call a taxi for us from in there. The alternative, he said, was to walk to a subway station.
Sebastien opted to walk to the subway -- the advantages of youth! -- while Roland, Ellen and I waited for the taxi.
After about 10 minutes a taxi arrived, and the three of us piled in. On the way out I noticed that there were no other gates, and that an Uber could, in fact, have come to get us. Oh well...next time.
We dropped Roland off at the train station, where he was continuing on to his final destination, and we all said our heartfelt farewells. Ellen and I continued on in the taxi, and about 15 minutes later we were checking into our hotel.
Our cargo trip adventure was over.
Thank you for a very interesting blog. My boat trips have all been across the North Sea/English Channel on various occasions, vessels and weather between 1955 and 1995. Now I either fly or we take the Channel Tunnel
ReplyDelete