Thou Shalt Have a Fishy .....!

Thou shalt have a fishy, on a little dishy ....... so goes the old song, ''When the boat comes in!'', this sketchbook page was done after a day trip to Varel on 22 March. Varel is a wee town with a rich history starting in about 3000BC, was the scene of aristocratic infighting, bitter inheritance battles, French occupation under Napoleon and influences from both the Dutch and Danish royal families. Just outside the town is the harbour, sluice gates separating the harbour from Jade Bay, here you can stroll along the dikes, get a peek of the sea (if you are lucky and the tide isn’t out) and eat at the many eateries selling fresh fish harbourside. 

The history of the harbour is very interesting, it was built by the Danes as a safe, fortified harbour in 1681 at great cost and called ''Christiansburg'', you can see the star shaped plan on the bottom left of my sketch. The fortified harbour housed 300 men and was surrounded by a moat for protection (unfortunately nothing remains today) the harbour silted up so badly that the Danes were forced to abandon it in 1694. 

You can stroll down the central channel to the sluice gates and watch boats being repaired, or setting out to sea or the fishing boats returning from catching pollock or local shrimps. You might even catch sight of a Russian sub! 

Although we had taken provisions (more about that on Sunday!) our trips to Varel always include a freshly battered fish roll eaten while strolling back to the car. Fortunately, although social distancing had been introduced, take aways were still serving (they were then closed later that evening!) so we probably got one of the last fish rolls served that day. Yum! 

No sign here of the unfolding disaster that was to come, as a girl from the coast I always need to get my maritime ''fix'', even if the North Sea was just a very distant stripe on the horizon! Part 2 on Sunday!