HEADING HOME AT LAST
The time has arrived. Just after 09:00 on 20 August 2004 the
SAS Mendi left the quay at Kiel to head for the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal (the Kiel Canal). A tugboat helped the ship away from the quay whilst members of the Naval Administration Unit in Germany (NAUG) waved the ship good bye. The Project Director of Project SITRON and some guests from Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW) and the NAUG joined the ship for the journey through the canal.
The Kiel Canal is an artificial waterway in north-western Germany, linking the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The canal extends in a north-eastern direction across the state of Schleswig-Holstein
from Brunsbüttelkoog, near the mouth of the Elbe River, to Kiel on the Baltic. The canal is very level and has locks only at its ends to accommodate the North Sea and Baltic Sea tides. Constructed between 1887 and 1895 and subsequently enlarged, the canal is 98 km long, 103 m wide and 11 m deep. The canal shortened the distance between the North and Baltic Seas by about 322 km and eliminated the difficult passage around Jutland. The canal was internationalised by the 'Treaty of Versailles' in 1919.
GOING THROUGH THE LOCKS
A lock is a portion of a canal that can be shut off by folding gates. The gate ahead of the ship is closed before she enters the lock. Once in position, the gate behind the ship is closed. Sluices in the gates are then used to let water in or out. The water can thus be raised or lowered to the same level as the water ahead, allowing the ship to pass safely through the canal. Traditionally the youngest member of each department collects money and then runs ashore to buy ice cream whilst the ship is in the lock.
The
SAS Mendi in the lock.
 |
The
SAS Mendi in the lock, aft view.
|
Leading Seaman Scheepers, (a ship's diver) rushing back with the ice creams.
|
The Chief Boatswain's Mate, Chief Petty Officer
Fisher enjoys his ice cream.
|
Unlike in the open sea, the water in the canal is very flat. It carries much traffic, including ships, motor launches and yachts. A road runs parallel to the canal and at various places there are walkways and bicycle tracks.
A container ship in the lock behind the SAS Mendi.
|
Cyclists next to the canal.
|
Heavy traffic in the canal.
|
A passing yacht.
|
A ferry waiting to cross.
|
People waiting on other side for the ferry.
|
Passing underneath a bridge. Although it creates the impression that the mast is going to hit the bridge, it cleared the bridge with metres to spare.
|
After nine hours of smooth sailing on the calm waters of the canal, the ship entered the lock at the Elbe River. The ship's company said good bye to the guests and the
SAS Mendi sailed into the North Sea. The reality of being at sea struck a couple of people soon enough when they started to feel a bit queasy.
A final farewell from guests.
|
Leaving the Kiel Canal.
|
Saturday was a normal day at sea with everyone settling in. On Sunday morning a church service, conducted by Chaplain Ndumiso, was held in the Junior Ratings' Mess. By 12:30 on 22 August the ship was in the English Channel with Calais (France) on port side and the white cliffs of Dover (England) on starboard side.
The Navigation Officer, Lieutenant Harrisawak, inserting Navtex Warnings on the chart.
|
Leading Seamen Hyster and Mbovane on watch on the bridge.
|
Leading Seaman Swartz on look out on the bridge wing.
|
Sub-Lieutenant Ngidi (officer of the watch) with the white cliffs of Dover in the background.
|
The English Channel is very busy. The officer of the watch and the look-outs on the bridge wings therefore had to be alert at all times, more so than under normal circumstances.
Ferries crossing at high speed just aft of the SAS Mendi.
|
Ferries crossing at high speed just aft of the SAS Mendi.
|
|
