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Introduction to Urban Paddling
Experiencing a city through different modes of transportation has the potential to completely reshape the way you perceive the city. Typically, I travel around Berlin by foot or on my bike but lately I've been paddle boarding through the various waterways that Berlin has to offer. I often walk along the banks of the Landwehr Canal but hardly notice the numerous kayakers and tubers drifting alongside me. From the water, the perspective flips and you hardly notice the people walking along the canal, only the collective gaze and curiosity of the onlookers sitting on the bank.
Pushing off on the Landwehrkanal
Further down the canal, you find yourself in the middle of a three-way intersection with people floating all around you, enjoying their drinks and music. I chose to paddle the north route and attempt to cross over to the river Spree. To my surprise, I was turned around at the lock while other tubers could pass through. Unfortunately, SUP boards aren't allowed to use the quick and simple route through. I instead had to backtrack to a fork in the canal and after much confusion and deliberation, I decided to walk to the river across the street, board in hand. The mission to find a launch took a while and was likely a funny image. I ended up walking on a busy street in my boardshorts, carrying a paddle board that's about twice my size. I had to make my way around a covid testing center in order to make it to the water but I eventually managed. Luckily, I found a sub-optimal launch that required me to lower my board to the water's surface with a line that I had secured to tie-down rings, distributed around the board's top edge. I finally made it to the next leg of my journey!
Launching on the Spree
The Spree is much larger than the canal that I had just come from and therefore has a very different feel to it. Small waves are more prominent due to the increase in boat traffic and the scale is much larger. You still frequently see people floating along but sometimes in larger boats like the local, Moby Dick or unique floats that, for example, resemble a hut in the woods. Small groups rent boats for the day to cruise around while others join open-air boats that closely resemble a floating club, complete with lights, electronic music and wild, unique outfits. Larger, more tame tour boats offering guided tours are also more prevalent in this part of the river. This is a great option for tourists to view the city from a unique perspective, all while enjoying the drinks and food they offer aboard. I believe this is a great alternative to tour buses which are often crowded and don't typically give you the best view. Conversely, tour boats have unobstructed views, open-air decks and move a bit slower so you can really take in your surroundings.
Relaxing on the Bank of the Spree
After paddling for around an hour and a half, I decided to take a rest and refuel with some food that I had packed in my waterproof bag. I located an overhanging tree branch with plenty of shade, right next to the riverbank and tied my board off so I wouldn't drift away. The current felt very slow and I hardly noticed the pull of the river but remaining still on a body of water is always challenging; mooring gave me an opportunity to relax while I read my book. After recharging my batteries with a couple of sandwiches that I had packed, I decided to push on a little further to discover the atmosphere around the "Insel der Jugend" or the Island of Youth in English. The name felt quite appropriate with the vast amount of young people lounging, partying and paddling around on different vessels. It was fun to see, following such a long period of Covid-19 lockdowns, restrictions and general negativity surrounding the pandemic. People were finally enjoying a beautiful summer day with friends once again.
The Way Back to Landwehrkanal
I hoped that I would be able to find a more direct route back through another bridge but was again let down by the impenetrable, rusty gate beneath the original bridge that had previously stopped me. There was also quite a crowd surrounding the waterway, so the discomfort also may have inhibited me from attempting to get through or over the fence to the other side. Maybe it was best to go back the way I came to avoid the embarrassment of popping my board or catching my boardshorts on the fence!
I paddled back to the ladder, climbed up, walked back to the canal and hopped back into the water. The second time around, things went a lot smoother and I was able to get on my way quite quick. I was beginning to feel more exhaustion at this point so I decided to go straight to a relaxed but entertaining portion of the canal, kick back and drift toward home. Luckily, I had my backpack and SUP bag on the back of my board which formed a perfect backrest to lounge around. I cracked open my drink and took advantage of the shady side of the canal as I drifted by even more people than the first time. The launch where I put in was unfortunately being used by a another individual when I returned and had to improvise in order to get out of the canal. I decided that I could climb up the rubber barrier along the bank with my rope in hand, then haul the board up and over the bank. After deflating and packing up my board, the last thing remaining was a short 10 minute bike ride back to my apartment with a ridiculously large backpack in tow. The day was a great success! Now, it was time for a movie and good night's sleep.
Terminology
Modes of transportation - Different options of mobility
Perceive - To be aware or conscious of something
Perspective - The unique way of viewing or thinking of something
Deliberation - Considering something carefully
To push off - often used in maritime settings to mean launch or literally push away from the dock.
Suboptimal - Conditions or a situation that is less than ideal
Prominent - To describe something as being very clear, obvious or ubiquitous
Resemble - to look the same or feel similar to something else
Prevalent - Very common; predominant
Refuel - Often for filling a tank with a combustible liquid; metaphorically used for regaining energy.
Mooring - The act of securing a boat or aircraft with lines or anchors
Recharging my batters - Metaphorical usage that means to gain back your energy; usually through resting or eating.
Vessels - Either some form of a watercraft or something used to carry liquids such as a cup or bowl
Impenetrable - No ability to go through or go inside of something; cannot penetrate
Inhibited - When a process is slowed or stopped
To put in - In maritime terminology it means to launch and initially enter the water
Improvise - Quickly change a plan when things do not go as planned.