Brunsbuettel and the Kiel Canal

I had a bit of free time today, so I headed off to a nearby town called Brunsbuettel, which lies right at the mouth of the famous Kiel Canal. This Canal was built in the nineteenth century and links the North sea to the Baltic sea, cutting diagonally across Schleswig-Holstein, and importantly ensures that ships don't have to go all the way around Denmark, the lazy bastards. The Canal gets its name from the city of Kiel which lies on the Baltic Sea end of the Canal.

Set from the next 28 days later film

On the way there we first stopped off at a derelict harbour for a ferry that was supposed to cross the mouth of the river Eider to Cuxhaven, the city that lies on the other side. For one reason or another the whole enterprise failed and now the whole thing stands there unused in the river, slowly rusting.
So, after a few delightfully depressing snaps that would look really good in some post-apocalyptic literature we headed on our way again to Brunsbuettel.
So the interesting spot in Brunsbuettel as far as the Kiel Canal goes is of course the Lock. Supposedly this Canal is the busiest Canal in the world, and with the bustle that was happening at the time I was hardly surprised. Apparently even more ships pass through this canal than even the Panama canal. Of course if a crew passing through Brunsbuettel decides to moon the people working the locks and aren't let through they only have to go around Denmark, whereas at Panama they have to slog the whole way around South America.

This ship is trying to steal my identity

As you can see, I've just smoked my weight in Marijuana

When we arrived I saw that someone obviously called ahead and let them know I was coming, because they sent a ship named after me through the Lock.
So, then the lock doors closed and they painstakingly filled the lock with an eyedropper until the water level was equal with the canal. At least I assume they used an eyedropper based on the speed with which it filled. Then, as soon as the next set of gates were open, my namesake bolted through like a burning cat and down the canal, into the sunset (the sun sets in the north now, by the way) never to be seen again.