Berlin by water: kayaking the Spree
There are plenty of ways to explore a city as vibrant as Berlin. But kayaking is one that offers a unique perspective.
“I love kayaking on a Friday evening,” says Tom, our guide. “Everything else is busy around you, everyone is going home from work, and it’s all quiet on the canal.”
It’s easy to see what he means. Gliding under bridges and railway tracks, there’s certainly a feeling of being away from the rush; it’s a beautiful, winding haven lined with trees. Still, that’s not to say there’s nothing to see – in Berlin, even the waterways are politicised.
Our tour takes us from the south shore of Urbanhafen in the trendy Kreuzberg up the Landwehrkanal canal and onto the River Spree, and Tom makes sure he takes time to stop and tell stories along the way - tales of communist revolutionaries thrown into the canal, of the Rosinenbomber, which hangs above our heads (used to supply West Berliners with food and medication during the blockade by the Soviet Union between 1948 and 49), and of the “Bender Block” building, central to a failed assassination attempt on Hitler in 1945.
The pauses in the tour are welcome – not only because I know another story is coming, but because kayaking is much more challenging that I remember it being. I’m in a tandem kayak, sharing with my other half, but even though there are two of us doing the paddling, it doesn’t take long before my shoulders start aching. After four hours, I feel like I can barely move my arms.
It is hard work, but invigorating and rewarding too. Each new bend reveals a different part of the city, from the colourful houseboats to high-class Charlottenburg. And I don’t even mind when we get caught in a downpour halfway through. Somehow it’s nice to sit there and soak it up instead of running for cover.
In a city that’s usually lauded for its bars and clubs, and where the crowds converge around sights like the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie, exploring the city by water offers something fresh. Tom believes the area is undiscovered in terms of kayaking, and it’s true – we don’t see any other kayakers the whole time. It’s just the three of us, exploring in our own time. And that’s something you’re never going to get from a walking tour.
Tour provided by Kayak Berlin Tours.
Picture credit: Tom Sehrer
Hey, I have a Pursuit 100 too! In Michigan I know that you don’t need a registration or aityhnng if your craft is under 16ft and no motor. You will need a life jacket though. If I was you I would also get some dry bags to store your stuff that you don’t want to get wet. If you can afford it go for a j-rack to transport it, because it’s a lot easier to load then a foam carrier, if not the foam will work though. Also if it didn’t come with one I would also recommend that you get a little j-hook to attach to the right side of the kayak there will be a small indent for it and install it in there and get some deck cord from a boat store to put in the holes near there and you will have a nice paddle holder.I have one and I made a little paddle holder with a j hook and deck cord for like $5 they wanted like $15 from the pelican website for the same stuff.
That’s 2 clveer by half and 2×2 clever 4 me. Thanks!