QRC Rows On The Rhine

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, the WSV Godesberg rowing club set off for Leverkusen with two five-man and one four-man rowing club, this time accompanied by six other members of the Quinsigamond Rowing Club from Massachusetts. A rower from the Cologne Rowing Club was also in attendance.

During a trial rowing session the previous afternoon, the American guests experienced rowing with a current and commercial vessels for the first time. The scenic backdrop of the WSVG waterway, including Petersberg, Drachenburg Castle, Drachenfels, and Nonnenwert Island, provided a special incentive.

The idea for the touring trip came about when I was discussing a guest rowing trip with Klaus Helbing in the boathouse during one of my last visits to Bonn. Andreas Bartsch heard the plans and spontaneously offered to give the guests the unique experience of a long Rhine tour, including use of the club bus and trailer.

In bright sunshine and quite warm temperatures of just under 30 degrees Celsius, we set out on the water around 8:30 a.m. The US guests were given a vivid insight into Bonn’s postwar history as we passed numerous historically significant buildings. These included the Dreesen, the embassies, Villa Hammerschmidt, the waterworks, Langer Eugen, etc. We also heard interesting stories, such as the one about a secret room under a bridge in Cologne where a band rehearses. As a former Godesberg resident and someone who has lived in the USA for a long time, crossing the Kennedy Bridge was a cool feeling for me.

While rowing, we used the length of the trip to get to know our fellow boaters better. We had pleasant conversations about personal and current topics, as well as our passion for rowing. We continued past the mouth of the Sieg River, across the Rhine tributary near Mondorf, and past the industrial complex in Wesseling. Despite several rowing breaks to take photos or eat and drink, we made good progress and reached the Porz Water Sports Club (Cologne-Porz) after about two and a half hours. Oh, how good it felt to stretch our legs on dry land and enjoy a hearty lunch in the club restaurant with friends! Despite the heat, the non-alcoholic beer tasted better than ever.

After a two-hour break, we headed back out on the water to tackle the rest of the route. Following the motto “save the best for last,” the trip through Cologne was soon upon us. We had just admired the crane buildings and Cologne Cathedral when dark clouds rolled in. The water became rough, we saw two flashes of lightning in the distance, and it began to rain. Without much discussion, it was clear to us: off to Leverkusen and off the water. At RTHC Bayer Leverkusen, we retrieved the boats from the water and prepared them for the return trip to Godesberg.

Back at the WSVG, the boats were washed, rigged, and stowed away. Dog-tired but totally thrilled by the experience, we fortified ourselves with drinks from the club fridge. We also had the opportunity to thank the WSVG for the incredible welcome. We also thanked the helmsmen Klaus, Tolle, and Anselm, as well as the other club members who made this trip possible. Our sincere thanks also go to Klaus and Anselm for the detailed planning, and to Klaus and Ralf Hermann for bringing the trailer to Leverkusen.

Overall, I have to say that we were deeply impressed by the overwhelming hospitality shown to us by the WSVG. A club like that is truly impressive!

We hope to welcome the first WSVG members to Massachusetts soon and hope that you will make use of these new contacts!

Ahoy,

Heribert Söntgerath 
Water Sports Club Godesberg/Quinsigamond Rowing Club

Participants of the trip

WSVG
Michael Tollmann, Anselm Martin Hoffmeister, Klaus Helbing, Eva Schoof, Stefanie Stueber, Iris Ollech, Ralf Hermann.

KRC71
Bernd Zuenkler

QRC
Patti Aiello, Kevin Casey, Judy Freedman, Kathy Provost, Rebecca Russo, Heri Sontgerath, Nick Tsantes