Rhine water levels 2016 and similar topics

[travelin_nat]

We were quite amazed at the vineyards growing on very steep hillsides. They were quite numerous. I feel for the people charged with working them.

[notamermaid]

"The Lorelei has moved." This is how a short news report on local television started the other day. Puzzled I listened more closely and it turns out that the statue on top of the rock was moved to a nicer spot. She had been close to the hotel looking Southwest and is now standing in the beer garden (!) looking Northwest. Well, which ever way she might be facing if she can see the river she - like the real human tourists - will not see much water.

 

Yes, here comes the dreaded bit: the level has fallen further, Worms is now at 72cm and Koblenz is at 78cm. Prediction does not look to good.

 

notamermaid

[tstr]

notamermaid, I am going on a Moselle/Rhine cruise on 10/26 in your opinion does it look like water levels could be a problem for this?

 

If so at what point do the companies make that decision?

 

Thanks

[Cobbie48]

notamermaid, I am going on a Moselle/Rhine cruise on 10/26 in your opinion does it look like water levels could be a problem for this?

 

If so at what point do the companies make that decision?

 

Thanks

 

We depart Amsterdam 10/18 for the Rhine and Moselle on Avalon. Do you think our cruise will be impacted by the water levels? We end in Basel 10/30.

[CanadianTraveller22]

Hi - we sail Wed Oct 12 from AMS to BSL. Do you think we will be impacted? Thank you NotaMermaid (and anyone) for your advice.

 

Diane and Steve

[AAAMomOfOne]

Hello,

Sailing 10/22 from Nuremberg to Amsterdam, hoping water levels go up! I don't know what level is considered too low (not a mariner by any stretch of the imagination!). Thoughts?

Notamermaid, I love your updates, you are invaluable!

[Riversanddale]

Thank you so much for continuing your posts. We board in Amsterdam in just over a week headed for Budapest and we're hoping for the best. We aren't up to a "bus cruise" so we're watching carefully and have a week to decide. Enjoy your crisp mornings and that lovely sunshine.

[notamermaid]

I am not looking for sympathy, really, when others are worrying about their holiday, but MY COMPUTER HAS BROKEN DOWN! :eek:

 

I am briefly using someone else's ("is it o.k. with you if I log into cruisecritic?" - Yeah, all right, but do not log into anything else").

 

Here goes.

 

Thank you for your questions, I very much appreciate your trust.

 

I am happy to report that the water level has not fallen as much as predicted yesterday.

 

Worms is at 68cm right now and Koblenz is at 83cm (that one was lower this morning but has risen again slightly).

 

As regards ship swaps and bus tours I can only say that the situation we have at the moment indicates that it could happen, starting with the large 135m boats. It is very tentative and if you are in any doubt or would like confirmation of any kind regards your itinerary please phone your cruise line. Last year the 110m boats made it through the Rhine Gorge, with little clearance to the river bed at around 65cm water level. KD, the local cruise has posted on their website that there are disruptions to their day excursions.

 

Viking, who are generally very quick with their updates online (very good Viking!) have only mentioned one change to an embarkation port yet, not mentioning low water levels.

 

If you would like to follow along the situation as it happened last year (when the situation was worse) have a look at last year's thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2191352&highlight=Rhine+water+levels+2015&page=10 starting around # post 187.

 

This is what I wrote: "... This morning more than ten official stations on the Rhine in Germany report low water levels. ..."

 

As of tonight 15 official stations on the Rhine in Germany report low water level. Overall though, the situation is not as dire as last year yet. This figure might change again overnight. The levels "hover" between the low level mark and normal mark right now.

 

Gotta go, this computer is slowing down.

 

notamermaid

[Di Princess]

Oh, dear, Mermaid,

I am so sorry you have lost your confuser. I am lost without mine. You are always such a big help to everybody here. I recommend an Apple. :D

Mine is 5 years and (like me) slowing down a lot. I need to take it into a Genius so they can clean it up.

Interesting that a 13-inch laptop is $1300, a 15-inch is $1500, and the 17-inch is $1700. This month (every year in October) Apple comes out with new phones and laptops.

Although expensive, the customer service and repair is top-of-the-line. Thanks again for all your help! ;)

[notamermaid]

Thank you, Di Princess. Have phoned my trusted computer expert, repair kit coming on Monday, hopefully.

 

 

Accident in the Rhine gorge.

 

Human error and the low water were the combined causes of a ship accident early this morning. A barge got stuck near Oberwesel, not far from the Lorelei rock. The dangerous cargo has to be pumped off today. Shipping is possible at the sight, traffic has just been instructed to slow down. Hopefully, by tommorrow the situation will have returned to "normal". I is not really that normal as sailing conditions are difficult in low water, especially in the treacherous Rhine gorge.

 

Worms is at 64cm, Koblenz at 81cm (Koblenz is higher than had been predicted).

 

There has been little rain and it is sunny with temperatures between 8 and 13 degrees. It is currently raining a little in Mannheim (good for the Rhine gorge) and Trier (good for the Moselle and the lower Rhine).

 

notamermaid

[AAAMomOfOne]

Thanks Notamermaid! Glad you are getting your computer fixed. Technology is great only when it works!

[Daisi]

Glad to hear you will be back on a computer soon Notamermaid, your reports are something I look forward to each day. My B&S-in-law leave for their cruise next week, so I have been keeping them updated. Hopefully all the rain comes at night after festivals, so cruises can run smoothly, and the locals are able to continue the vineyard celebrations.

[Riversanddale]

So grateful for all your help Notamermaid and we hope your computer is singing along soon. We understand.

[notamermaid]

The rescue operation for the barge (see #post 335) has been rescheduled. The cargo (nitric acid) is being pumped off during this morning. The river will be closed to traffic at the site for about three hours. This is what the stranded barge looks like, I think the photographer is standing where in normal conditions there would we water, the gravel is normally not visible: http://www.swr.de/landesschau-aktuell/rp/bei-oberwesel-festgefahren-salpetersaeure-tanker-liegt-auf-grund/-/id=1682/did=18278042/nid=1682/1jmlezc/

 

By the way, have just read that a barge had an accident on the Danube near Deggendorf (Germany), temporary river closure with delays there, too.

 

Water levels: Worms 64cm, Koblenz 74cm.

 

notamermaid

Edited October 10, 2016 by notamermaid
additional information

[Jay23]

Computer on song again Notamermaid. Excellent..

[notamermaid]

Temporarily only, Jay23, nervously typing fast. No reply from the computer expert yet.

 

notamermaid

[notamermaid]

All went well with the barge. Part of the cargo is in a different ship now and the barge was abel to leave the shallow where it got stranded. River traffic back to "normal" according to the local news.

 

As the level is so low and the barges sail with less cargo there is increased traffic to make up for that, two to three ships carry what normally one would transport.

 

notamermaid

[ParrotheadG]

For those cruising soon...we left Kinderdjke a little while ago. So far, the only mention of river levels is that we may have to go a bit slower through portions of the Rhine since there are shallow areas. So, they got us off on our windmill excursion a bit earlier so we could leave a bit earlier. So far, everything has been awesome here on the Kara!! Great food and service! Weather is cool and a bit windy, so plan on layers!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Jay23]

For those cruising soon...we left Kinderdjke a little while ago. So far, the only mention of river levels is that we may have to go a bit slower through portions of the Rhine since there are shallow areas. So, they got us off on our windmill excursion a bit earlier so we could leave a bit earlier. So far, everything has been awesome here on the Kara!! Great food and service! Weather is cool and a bit windy, so plan on layers!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

We will be cruising on Kara on 30th October from Basal to Amsterdam. Thank you for this reassurance o the level. I am checking this thread several times a day!! Also thanks for the for the weather update. Layers it is.

[Jay23]

Basel not Basal. Sorry to late to edit.:(

[notamermaid]

Thank you ParrotheadG,

 

for the very valuable information. So, as it stands at the moment Viking is confident about making it through the Rhine gorge at a river gauge level at Koblenz of around 75cm. I am relieved to hear that. Going slowly, actually you will see the castles for longer then. The plus point of the situation. Have a great time in Cologne. I recommend the chocolates from Café Reichard (never tried the coffee there) just across from the Dom, address is Unter Fetthennen 11

 

Jay23,

 

All Saint's Day 1 November is a public holiday both in France and in Germany. Just saying, in case it has an impact on shoppping occasions.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

P.S.: Computer problem temporarily fixed.

Edited October 10, 2016 by notamermaid

[Cobbie48]

Thank you ParrotheadG,

 

for the very valuable information. So, as it stands at the moment Viking is confident about making it through the Rhine gorge at a river gauge level at Koblenz of around 75cm. I am relieved to hear that. Going slowly, actually you will see the castles for longer then. The plus point of the situation. Have a great time in Cologne. I recommend the chocolates from Café Reichard (never tried the coffee there) just across from the Dom, address is Unter Fetthennen 11

 

Jay23,

 

All Saint's Day 1 November is a public holiday both in France and in Germany. Just saying, in case it has an impact on shoppping occasions.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

P.S.: Computer problem temporarily fixed.

 

As always, thank you for all your information. Looks like there will be rain coming to Cologne next week. We sail from Amsterdam on Tuesday.

 

Will November 1 be a holiday in Switzerland as well? We will be in Lucerne.

[notamermaid]

Yes, in Luzern and many other Kantone, not in Basel it seems.

 

Forgot to mention that All Saint's Day is not a public holiday in all of Germany, but in some Länder, all those that the Rhine flows through and a few others.

 

This website is quite good, my computer switches me to the German site automatically. You can access the equivalent with .com: https://www.timeanddate.de/feiertage/deutschland/

 

notamermaid

Edited October 10, 2016 by notamermaid
additional information

[ParrotheadG]

Just had a wheelhouse tour, and the captain said we would not have a problem with water levels. He said it is getting low, but we will be ok. Hope the same holds true for those coming through shortly! Notamermaid, any other tips for Cologne?? Thanks as always!

[notamermaid]

Just had a wheelhouse tour, and the captain said we would not have a problem with water levels. He said it is getting low, but we will be ok. Hope the same holds true for those coming through shortly! Notamermaid, any other tips for Cologne?? Thanks as always!

 

Brilliant!

 

Lovely sunshine here right now, hope you have in the Netherlands, too.

 

Cologne: I like the Roman-Germanic Museum next to the Dom, lots of very old stuff standing around. :D

 

For nice stuff, some nice food and a good wine selection roam around the department store Kaufhof Galeria, walk down Hohe Strasse, you sort of stumble upon it; a bit further at St. Agatha is the English Shop for anglophiles like me. ;) That is my shopping trip tour when I am in Cologne.

 

If you have time, you could walk onto the railway line bridge to see the love locks.

 

notamermaid

Edited October 10, 2016 by notamermaid