BETWEEN PALACES AND CORMORANTS

Touring trip in and around Potsdam

Thursday, 9 May 2024:

After a smooth journey and without losing anyone in the throng of Berlin's main station, we all arrived at the Potsdam Rowing Society around 4 p.m. We spread out among the boats and started our first stage of 11 km from Potsdam across the Templiner See towards Werder. There we went ashore at the children's recreation centre Inselparadies Petzow and moved into our spacious quarters. Impressed by the large dining hall, we learned over the course of our stay that the children's recreation centre can house up to 500 people at peak times. When occupancy is high, there are staggered morning seatings, so up to three visiting groups can have breakfast one after another. The KiEZ was also beautifully situated close to the water, which some of us rewarded in the evening with a swim in the lovely water of the Glindower See. Thanks to the all-round catering at the KiEZ, our land service could explore the Havel landscape on bicycles most of the time.

Friday, 10 May 2024

Our first full rowing day took us on an approximately 40 km southern loop from Potsdam through the cityscape to the Alte Meierei in the Neuer Garten and back to Petzow. We spent our lunch break at a picturesque resting spot below the Meierei by the water, where we split into two teams – „Team Sun“ and „Team Shade“. For Potsdam had offered up thoroughly summery temperatures that day. The worry that the return trip might be less interesting because we'd already seen everything once was quickly dispelled – Potsdam simply has too much to offer on its picturesque banks in the way of little palaces and pretty villas. You keep discovering something new. A special discovery on the stretch from Potsdam to Petzow is the Wentorfgraben, which seems wildly romantic especially in the early morning.

Saturday, 11 May 2024

We felt extraordinarily honoured and appreciated when, on the morning of the second full rowing day, the festive sounds of a marching band, who were also staying at the KiEZ, gave our departure a musical accompaniment.

That day, Brandenburg's nature was the focus of our roughly 36 km route. We rowed on the Havel west of Potsdam, past the island of Werder to the Göttinsee. From there our way led eastward along the angler-rich Sacrow-Paretz Canal and ended at Marquardt Palace on the bank of the Schlänitzsee, where we enjoyed our midday meal. We spent the afternoon on the calm Wublitz before heading back via the Großer Zernsee. The stillness was so perfect that we set our sculls into the wind and let ourselves drift ever so gently across the water. By then the sun had come out again and ensured that this section, closed to motorboats, would definitely stay in our memory.

Sunday, 12 May 2024

On the last day of our trip we rowed about 21 km back from Petzow to Potsdam, and some of us also completed the loop around the Schwielowsee. Now it's time to say adieu to our dearly loved island paradise and the wondrous Potsdam water world.

At sunrise we lifted the boats from the grassy bank meadow into the water for the last time and left our morning tiredness behind as we waded through the cool water. On that day we particularly treasured the sight of a small cormorant island, gliding past this striking spot that time and nature had dipped into an almost artistic white. Even if we of course know that the cormorants were the artists.

That day also showed that the waters around Potsdam are not only a great rowing area but are also much appreciated by sailors. With wind and waves, we're almost a little glad that we hadn't planned a long tour today, because the train back to Frankfurt is waiting. So it remains, for us rowers, an unforgettable touring trip that brought us closer both to Potsdam's historic splendour and to its natural beauty.