“Beijing” On Course For Hamburg

At the moment it's lunch break, by necessity. Since ten o'clock the "Peking" has been waiting in Twielenfleth, a bulge of the Elbe near Stade. There the windjammer waits for the next high tide to be able to enter Hamburg at around 3:30 p.m. At around 5.30 p.m. the ship will pass the Landungsbrücken, shortly afterwards the Elbphilharmonie.

The journey started early this morning shortly after six o'clock. The mooring lines were thrown off the pier of the Peters shipyard in Wewelsfleth near Glückstadt and the "Peking" was towed. The imposing four-masted yard was maneuvered through the narrow obstacle barriers with a maximum of cross-braced yards, leaving just three and a half meters of space on both sides.

Despite the early hour, the spectacle was followed by countless onlookers who had gathered at the barrage. Then the “Peking” went up the Elbe, accompanied by a small ship parade and the loud honking from numerous ship horns.

Photo gallery: First impressions from the transfer trip of the "Peking":

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Torsten Heller, who was there this morning, reports: “5.30 am. Usually Glückstadt is still sleeping. But this morning everything was different. On the way to the Stör barrage at Wewelsfleth it is like a rally: bicycle lamps shine from everywhere through the setting dusk.

The closer I get to the sturgeon, the more there will be. Human silhouettes stand out on the top of the dike. At the sturgeon lower fire I turn my gaze to the right. And finally, after three years in which you could only guess at the construction progress, then follow it from afar, you can see how the illuminated masts of the, Peking ‘are moving. How the ship turns in the river. Getting closer and closer to the barrage. How people stand close together in front of the now open bridge of the barrage. How the tug, Wulf 5 ‘appears, towering over the bowsprit of the, Peking‘.

A goosebumps moment, only interrupted by the clicking of the camera shutter all around. And finally, slowly, very slowly, this huge ship pushes itself towards the Elbe, beautifully like on the first day. Secured in front and behind and pulled by tugs flagged over the tops. Received on the river by the loud hoot of the escort ships. Around 30 leisure boats, 20 sailors, 10 motor boats are counted when the Beijing ‘has its bow directed towards Hamburg. And under the jack, who blows pride on the forecastle, calls at the original and future home port."

NDR broadcast live from aboard the “Peking” all morning. It continues at 3 p.m.

Worth hearing: the podcast about "Peking" from Delius Klasing Verlag.