Dear readers,

Kiel Week is coming up again soon, and as a resident of Kiel by choice, I’m feeling a bit nervous. Not because of the crowds of millions who take to Kiel’s streets to celebrate Europe’s biggest folk festival, nor because of the sea of sails that the Kiel Fjord turns into. I’m one of those who look forward to this change of pace – to the free concerts, live broadcasts of the regattas, the atmosphere and the Finnish beer at the international market.

My problem is of a different nature: my sailing boat is moored in Schilksee Olympic Harbour, the epicentre of the sailing scene. Thousands of boats, dinghies, keelboats and their accompanying RIBs flood the marina for days on end. That requires space, and I am one of the select few who have to vacate their permanent berth for the ten days.

You might think that’s a bit of a pain. After all, you’re paying the regular rent and then have to go to the trouble of moving the boat. Half a day there, half a day back. But to be honest, it doesn’t bother me.

To be fair, it has to be said that this rule was communicated well in advance. Not just at the start of the season, but when the contract was signed at the beginning of the year. You could say: you know what you’re getting yourself into.

That was in winter. Months have passed since then. And for weeks now, these signs have been standing out prominently on the forecourt of the Olympic Harbour. In red letters, they announce the preparations and specify from when the car parks will no longer be available. “Oh yes, it’s Kiel Week again soon,” I think – and just a few milliseconds later, the thought has vanished into the recesses of my mind.

But now things were getting serious. Looking forward to a lovely post-work cruise, I drove to my usual parking space. And, as was to be expected about a week and a half before the opening: it was closed off. “Bloody hell,” I blurted out, “it’s almost Kieler Woche again.” And suddenly it was back, that to-do I’d managed to ignore until now: I still have to clear my berth!

But where to? My contract has an answer to that, too. It’s my responsibility to sort it out. Back in winter, it was so easy to say: ‘No problem.’ Now I’m asking myself the same question again: where to?

But there is an established procedure in place here too. After all, this isn’t a new issue. Since May, you’ve been able to put your name on a list with the harbour master – noting your boat, name and telephone number. If a suitable berth becomes available within the Sporthafen GmbH catchment area during that time, they will get in touch.

A brilliant service that worked perfectly last year too. I got the call two weeks before the deadline, so off I went to Wellingdorf. The verdict: a lovely harbour, lovely people, and I got to know yet another part of Kiel.

But the final week before I have to move out is fast approaching, and the call I’ve been hoping for still hasn’t come. So I carry on waiting, casting anxious glances at the calendar, whilst the pressure builds inside me: will it work out this year? What if it doesn’t? Where will I go then? Kiel is full, Eckernförde is far away and Maasholm is difficult to reach by public transport.

But here too, the bottom line is: take it easy with the young horses. You can rely on the harbour authorities. The call came this morning. At last! We’re off to Stickenhörn. Great, I think, I’ve always wanted to moor there. And just as quickly as the worries arose, they’ve vanished again. What remains is the anticipation – after all, it’s finally Kiel Week again!

Fabian Boerger

YACHT editor

Editor's reading recommendations

• Click here to view all previous “YACHT Week” columns