Let’s start with a follow-up to US&V 3 in this series, two shots of Bounty. Credit for these go to John Callaghan.

The image below shows Bounty about to enter lock 19 eastbound. Surely this was an unusual vessel that many must have noticed transiting the canal that season back in 2004. Does anyone have more photo to share?

Back in mid-May 2018, I happened to be in Waterford for opening day of the system and caught some differently unusual vessels westbound. Troll showed homeport of Elburg, and that flag is a clue of its location. Any guesses?

Here’s a view from the bow, and

here she exits lock 2.

Following Troll was this beauty, and the flag is a hint of provenance again.

That’s 58′ of aluminum boat also

heading west and captured here at the top of lock 2.

Broadsword carries the German flag here, and a homeport of Mölternort, a village near Kiel and adjacent to the entrance to the Kiel Canal.

Some information about these vessels that once transited the canal follows:

Bounty was built for a movie in 1960, and sank in October 2012 100+ miles off Cape Hatteras, a victim of Hurricane Sandy. Read the report of the NTSB investigation of its sinking here. She appeared in my other blog multiple times.

Troll is still sailing, currently in Spain, presumably still registered in Elburg, an ancient town in central Netherlands.

Broadsword, second of her class, did the loop, but actually began her journey in North Island, New Zealand, where she was built two . Click here for a 13+ minute video tour of the boat by her current owners in Canada. I love the detail here about the boat designer and what he did to fund the prototype: he sold his house.

See an unusual vessel in the canal? Take some photos and get in touch.