29 September (Saturday morning) was consumed by meeting all our arriving Members at the Frankfurt Airport. PHIL BROWN (2229-2000) was a great help by meeting planes at one end of the concourse while HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983) was at the other. This is a very large airport. Our friend GERD DIETRICH (5923-LIFE-1999) was there with the deluxe motorcoach that had wide seats, great legroom, full service galley (stocked with beer and soft drinks), toilet and even a small office area in the rear.

We went to the little town of Kiedrich near the Rhine, and checked into our hotel. It looked like a photo off a postcard! The entire town looked like Hänsel and Gretel would come walking along at any minute. There our SHARKHUNTERS gathered for dinner this night, and it was the usual rousing time, with old friends seeing each other again, and new travelers making new friends. Actually, about 75% of those on this tour had been with us on other tours in the past. That speaks well for the quality of our SHARKHUNTERS tours. Our entertainment was a German guy in a tall black topper hat, playing a hurdy-gurdy. If you are too young to know what that is, ask your parents.

30 September (Sunday) found our group at the sumptuous breakfast (photo) that included many kinds of bread, rolls, cereals, jams and toppings, cold cuts of meat, sausages, fruit and juices and of course, eggs. There was more great fellowship as the conversation began to flow between friends, and the hotel owners put American dance band music of the 1940’s over the music system in the breakfast room, just for us.

(Russ Wittenberg photos)

After breakfast, we walked 200 meters or so for church services; in a church that was built in the 15th century. The congregation was somewhat amazed the see three full rows of Americans at the 9 O’clock services. They made us feel welcome, as if we had lived there our whole lives. The priest gave a sad and impassioned commentary on the 11th of September attack on America and said that the whole world wept.

After church, we boarded our bus and went to a winery that was even older than the church, by a few hundred years! We toured the monastery and the winery, then had a great lunch in a hall that was about six hundred years old! Great lunch, too.

Our motorcoach took us to the beautiful Rhine River and the Niederwalddenkmal; the Monument to German unity more than 100 years ago. This is a magnificent monument, about 100 feet tall and sitting atop a mountain along the Rhine. On the way there, WW II German military marches played on the overhead sound system of the bus while GERD DIETRICH (5923-LIFE-1999) and HORST BERGMANN (6325-2001) sang them aloud.

Then came the highlight of a day filled with highlights - we boarded our boat for the cruise on the Rhine River (photos), with castles around every bend. The tour was given in both German and English over the loudspeaker, so we knew exactly what we were seeing. Every place we looked was a picture postcard view of this famous river. Members shot photo after photo, and tremendous amounts of videotape as well. Watch for a SHARKHUNTERS videotape on the Rhine River cruising, coming soon.

When the cruise boat dropped us off, there was time for souvenir shopping and all soon retired to a nice café for wine and beer. The band was playing 1950’s American rock and roll, and several German girls were dancing on the stage. GERD DIETRICH (5923-LIFE-1999) spoke quietly to one, about 22 years old, and she immediately grabbed HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983) from his chair and they began to dance. They were pretty good, it seemed, as all the other dancers left the floor and cheered. HARRY looked pretty well worn out, as he hasn’t been 22 for about 40 years! GERD had to check his pulse…..

Top: The dancers;
Center: Still alive? (Renee von Wörde photo); and
bottom: the castle at Heidelberg

Fortunately for HARRY, the group left soon and went back to the hotel for a quick shower, change of clothes and the beginning of the Welcome Dinner with speeches, toasts with great wine, and more friends meeting over outstanding food.

Patrol 2001 in Southern Germany and Austria

September 29 and 30
October 1, 2, and 3
October 4 and 5
October 6 and 7
October 8, 9, and 10