Rhine water levels 2018 and similar topics

[G.M.T.]

1 hour ago, nstarrenburg said:

If this is accurate then the next two weeks are looking positive.

Nice painting, by Picasso?

[nickbevoz]

1 hour ago, G.M.T. said:

Nice painting, by Picasso?

And it changes over time...

 

http://wxmaps.org/pix/prec4

[Mark_T]

The water levels around the gorge still seem to be teetering around go/no go territory so I'm not surprised that there is little sign of anyone going up or down at the moment.

 

Scenic Crystal is one to watch of the next couple of days though, she is still east of Frankfurt right now but heading for Cologne eventually.

[notamermaid]

10 hours ago, DaveinCharlotte said:

 

Alas, if I'm reading MarineTraffic right, River Voyager is one of Vantage's 135m ships (it's the older River Navigator that's 110m).  Our Nov 16 Bonn-Budapest trip is still looking very problematical at this point - Danube as well as Rhine gorge to worry about.  The River Splendor is supposed to wrap up a Budapest-Bonn trip in a few days; it's moored in Bingen at the moment, and I'll bet that's the furthest it gets.  On the Vantage website, I can't find any cruise that ship is supposed to take for the rest of November.  So maybe it will be available for ship-swapping to bridge the Rhine gorge.  Wouldn't help with the Danube though...  

You are right, sorry. Oops, fog in the valley, fog in my brain I think.

It makes even less sense to send her through the gorge then, even if she could make it. Well, teetering is the right word by Mark_T. The river levels are not conducive to calm and balanced nerves for anyone. While Viking at least has mastered the art of ship swapping, they also appear to have problems even making it to convenient docking places (for swapping). At the moment it is not to be bad and the stretch downstream from Koblenz to Emmerich has somewhat recovered. But it is not enough and we are still waiting for that proper rain which is not coming. It is all in Italy and Greece, filling the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately I cannot see the situation changing for the better very soon.

 

Let's have a closer look at river levels and their translation into navigation channel depths: Maxau 334cm equals a (guaranteed) depth of 175cm, Maxau 55cm equals 167cm, Koblenz 54cm equals 186cm.

 

To follow: an interpretation of Mr. Weatherman Picasso's latest changing painting...

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Before I get to Picasso, here is an article from the Sydney Morning Herald that explains the problems well. Taking in the direct experience of a freight barge captain it is a good reminder that much is at stake. And I quite literally told a dear lady to fill up with petrol before her next car journey even if the tank is still half full.

 

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/once-mighty-river-reduced-to-a-trickle-20181105-p50e31.html

 

It has got a nice map of Germany to get your bearings. So here is the corresponding map with precipitation for Germany (and the border areas): https://www.wetteronline.de/regen-karte?fcdatstr=20181105

Easy to follow along through the days. Just change Mo to Di and so on to the right of the map (German abbreviations for the days of the week). The first rain of any significance in the right areas is this coming Wednesday with Friday into Monday bringing more. The right area is, when you divide the map into four squares, the bottom left square, the whole of it, preferably. And at least the 2-5mm colour, that is rain, anything less is insignificant drizzle.

 

Oh sorry, I am being negligent. I mean the bottom left for the Rhine, but also the bottom right of the map for the Danube would be good.

 

notamermaid

 

[MitchellD]

Currently on the uniworld boat River Queen and am docked in Koblenz at the moment. No problems so far, been smooth sailing tbh.

[notamermaid]

2 minutes ago, MitchellD said:

Currently on the uniworld boat River Queen and am docked in Koblenz at the moment. No problems so far, been smooth sailing tbh.

Hello MitchellD,

Thank you for reporting from your trip. The splendid River Queen! Her length of 110m is certainly giving her that little extra space under the hull which makes her one of the lucky ones to still go all the way to Basel. That is what the crew/captain has put into the "computer" and is appearing on marinetraffic. The Swiss Tiara (110m) came through the gorge this morning, had a short stop in Koblenz, so looking good for those vessels still.

Enjoy Koblenz, and next up, the castles! What is your next port of call?

 

notamermaid

 

[nickbevoz]

27 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Before I get to Picasso, here is an article from the Sydney Morning Herald that explains the problems well. Taking in the direct experience of a freight barge captain it is a good reminder that much is at stake. And I quite literally told a dear lady to fill up with petrol before her next car journey even if the tank is still half full.

 

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/once-mighty-river-reduced-to-a-trickle-20181105-p50e31.html

 

It has got a nice map of Germany to get your bearings. So here is the corresponding map with precipitation for Germany (and the border areas): https://www.wetteronline.de/regen-karte?fcdatstr=20181105

Easy to follow along through the days. Just change Mo to Di and so on to the right of the map (German abbreviations for the days of the week). The first rain of any significance in the right areas is this coming Wednesday with Friday into Monday bringing more. The right area is, when you divide the map into four squares, the bottom left square, the whole of it, preferably. And at least the 2-5mm colour, that is rain, anything less is insignificant drizzle.

 

Oh sorry, I am being negligent. I mean the bottom left for the Rhine, but also the bottom right of the map for the Danube would be good.

 

notamermaid

 

Great post.  Thanks!

[MitchellD]

Shall be enjoying the castlesindeed. Marksburg this afternoon and Reichsburg castle tomorrow. Continuing down the mosel river tomorrow. Tomorrows stop is Cochem

Edited November 5, 2018 by MitchellD

[notamermaid]

14 minutes ago, MitchellD said:

Shall be enjoying the castlesindeed. Marksburg this afternoon and Reichsburg castle tomorrow. Continuing down the mosel river tomorrow. Tomorrows stop is Cochem

Aah, I had forgotten the Moselle part of your journey. Was thinking of the Rhine castles. Reichsburg I have never seen but have been told it is fairy-tale-ish, albeit rebuilt. Reichsburg in fog is one of my favourite castle photos. Trier is fabulous. Have fun.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

9 hours ago, nstarrenburg said:

If this is accurate then the next two weeks are looking positive.

 

I have had a look at the figures that result from the colours. While the first photo gives an adequate amount of rain where we need it, the second photo gives very little to our region. Many areas could - an estimate by me - still be with less than average the rain they get in November if those colours prove to be true.

 

As regards interpreting: What Mr. Weatherman Picasso is indicating is giving us a pretty grim scenario for Southern Europe. Central European colours will give us a prospect of more petrol shortages and more horse-drawn carriages (if we still have enough horses that are up to the job) and for Italy gondolieri sailing out of Venice towards Milan in the recently-formed canals singing tales of woe about the swampy Italian countryside.

 

For Greece the motto is "run to the hills" and take cover while we shall use the dry river beds to grow tomatoes; in greenhouses in winter, we do still get the occasional snowflake.

 

For a photo of the first tomatoes in the riverbed see the link to the Sydney Morning Herald article.

 

notamermaid

 

P.S.: Any sarcasm and desperation aside, the warning signs are here more than ever, according to the climate experts.

 

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by notamermaid
grammar

[notamermaid]

Apart from bombs, cars and old stuff of doubtful value that nobody feels like touching or bringing home, the Rhine in its low level state is revealing more unusual things. Here is a little something for railway enthusiasts (in German, with many ads): http://www.general-anzeiger-bonn.de/bonn/stadt-bonn/Beueler-Eisenbahntrajekt-taucht-im-Rhein-wieder-auf-article3973025.html

 

Just to explain in brief. Just South of Bonn a part of an old railway line has resurfaced. It is the so-called Trajekt Bonn-Oberkassel, a traject, but the more common name is of course a train ferry! The stumps in the river are part of the construction to get the train from one side of the river to the other.

 

And somewhere in the world there must be a real enthusiast as the relatively unknown and defunct since 1918 train ferry has an English entry in wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonn–Oberkassel_train_ferry

 

The river levels: Maxau 341cm, Kaub 48cm, Koblenz 51cm. Kaub is forecast to fall to 44cm tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

[G.M.T.]

51 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Apart from bombs, cars and old stuff of doubtful value that nobody feels like touching or bringing home, the Rhine in its low level state is revealing more unusual things. Here is a little something for railway enthusiasts (in German, with many ads): http://www.general-anzeiger-bonn.de/bonn/stadt-bonn/Beueler-Eisenbahntrajekt-taucht-im-Rhein-wieder-auf-article3973025.html

 

Just to explain in brief. Just South of Bonn a part of an old railway line has resurfaced. It is the so-called Trajekt Bonn-Oberkassel, a traject, but the more common name is of course a train ferry! The stumps in the river are part of the construction to get the train from one side of the river to the other.

 

And somewhere in the world there must be a real enthusiast as the relatively unknown and defunct since 1918 train ferry has an English entry in wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonn–Oberkassel_train_ferry

 

The river levels: Maxau 341cm, Kaub 48cm, Koblenz 51cm. Kaub is forecast to fall to 44cm tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

On the River Thames in London, searching the shores at low tide even has it's own word"Mudlarking":

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-london-38986453/the-treasure-hunters-of-the-river-thames

Edited November 5, 2018 by G.M.T.

[notamermaid]

13 hours ago, G.M.T. said:

On the River Thames in London, searching the shores at low tide even has it's own word"Mudlarking":

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-london-38986453/the-treasure-hunters-of-the-river-thames

Mud, mud, glorious mud.

 

And they can search the mud twice a day while we have to wait till a few weeks in Autumn.

 

I fear the mud and gravel beds will stay accessible for a little while longer. The river levels: Maxau 337cm, Kaub 47cm, Koblenz 46cm. Kaub is forecast to fall to 42cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[hbr777]

The good news seems to be...rain is in the forecast at the end of the week, and it is a good amount. I'm almost afraid to mention it as it might jinx it 🙂

[Fourmiler]

Off topic a bit but there was a movie entitled “The Mudlark” about a little kid in Victorian England who goes mudlarking in the Thames and finds a cameo (brooch?) of Queen Victoria.  (It was a simpler time!)

[notamermaid]

32 minutes ago, Fourmiler said:

Off topic a bit but there was a movie entitled “The Mudlark” about a little kid in Victorian England who goes mudlarking in the Thames and finds a cameo (brooch?) of Queen Victoria.  (It was a simpler time!)

Wouldn't mind seeing that film. According to explanations available on the internet it was indeed often poor children who where mudlarks. In general it was an occupation for the uneducated. Understandably so.

 

Alas, in this time and age here in Germany few such treasures are still in the Rhine. If you have lots of time you can look for gold but the amounts you can find are hardly worth it in money. On television they yesterday adviced people again to be very careful about objects in the river bed, do not touch anything, be a good example to children, etc. They know how to spoil the fun... But in the wake of the safe defusal of the bomb at Neuwied on Sunday it makes sense.

 

It is odd but you have posted just a few hours after me thinking "must post an update on the steam engine for Fourmiler". So here goes: the lost steam engine in the Rhine remains elusive but the professor in charge has both said that the data from the geological surveys was correct, yet the kind of stone at the site sent imaging to resemble metal. The interpretation turned out to be wrong in the end. He has not given up yet as a retired gentleman from the water board is convinced that the engine is just one kilometre upstream from the place where they had been searching. The story continues.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited November 6, 2018 by notamermaid

[gadugger]

Yesterday I received our info. packet for our AMA cruise from A to B Nov. 17 thru 24. No mention of low water issues. Info. on excursions  like bus time, walk time, etc. was provided but not in time to use the info. to do- on line scheduling so have to wait till on ship to make any changes.  If anybody's itinerary is changed to include new countries you should notify your credit card companies and debit card financial institutions of these changes.  

[Jaydub99]

27 minutes ago, gadugger said:

Yesterday I received our info. packet for our AMA cruise from A to B Nov. 17 thru 24. No mention of low water issues. Info. on excursions  like bus time, walk time, etc. was provided but not in time to use the info. to do- on line scheduling so have to wait till on ship to make any changes.  If anybody's itinerary is changed to include new countries you should notify your credit card companies and debit card financial institutions of these changes.  

 

Good luck! We sail the following week on the same route and are hopeful water levels will rise.

I called Visa 2 years ago when I was in Europe to let them know where I was going and while I was away someone ordered $4000 worth of Dyson vacuum cleaners by mail order on my card! Fortunately it was sorted quickly but I may call them twice this year ;-)

[Coli]

1 hour ago, gadugger said:

Yesterday I received our info. packet for our AMA cruise from A to B Nov. 17 thru 24. No mention of low water issues. Info. on excursions  like bus time, walk time, etc. was provided but not in time to use the info. to do- on line scheduling so have to wait till on ship to make any changes.  If anybody's itinerary is changed to include new countries you should notify your credit card companies and debit card financial institutions of these changes.  

We got our docs here in Bermuda last week: A-B on AMAPrima Nov 17-24. We know it’s too early for the line to let us know if there will be changes. Just looking forward to a holiday after a crazy busy year with work. Traveling with my Mum who decided this was a 75th birthday present to herself this year. She’s packed pretty much already and has been walking everyday. As it’s a wine cruise - she’s got into training with that as well. 😂😂🍷

[Fourmiler]

Notamermaid- re steam engine.  Let’s hope it’s eventually found.  As the expression goes “hope springs eternal”.  Keep me posted...😁

[gadugger]

1 hour ago, Jaydub99 said:

 

Good luck! We sail the following week on the same route and are hopeful water levels will rise.

I called Visa 2 years ago when I was in Europe to let them know where I was going and while I was away someone ordered $4000 worth of Dyson vacuum cleaners by mail order on my card! Fortunately it was sorted quickly but I may call them twice this year 😉

That SUCKS  🙂

[CILCIANRQTS]

We board Viking Idi in Basel on Friday the 9th, bound for Amsterdam.

I’ll post details as we travel.

[gadugger]

16 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

We board Viking Idi in Basel on Friday the 9th, bound for Amsterdam.

I’ll post details as we travel.

Thanks. Anything that reduces my stress/anxiety will be appreciated. 

[CILCIANRQTS]

1 minute ago, gadugger said:

Thanks. Anything that reduces my stress/anxiety will be appreciated. 

 

Happy to pay it forward, as CC folks have always been very helpful.