There are times when I cannot help the feeling that I am a tiny little bit crazy. This doesn't actually scare me in the least. On the contrary I find myself somehow more likable in these moments.

Like last Friday when planning my Saturday trip. While I was still at work I was thinking about doing a tour to somewhere not to far away. Maybe the Lüneburger Heide (heather), maybe some nice forrest or bog nearby. I had a book on hiking and cycling in Northern Germany in my backpack, which I studied on my way home. There were a couple of places I would have liked to go. All of them within reach. But when I opened the door something was buzzing in my ear. "You have never been to East Frisia". Well as this was certainly not around the corner, I dropped the thought.

But only till I went on www.bahn.de (the train schedule) one our later. Somehow I found my fingers hacking in the names of the East Frisian Island as goal. - Pling - There was a connection to and from Langeoog, which would alow me 7 hours on the island.

I could get to the heart of German jokes on a days trip. You have to understand, East Frisians are in Germany what Newfis are for Canada. It would only mean getting up at 3 o'clock in the morning and laughable 12 hours train, bus and ferry ride on that day. Return: 23:30 pm. And sure enough I started to pack my backpack with all necessities before going to bed on early Friday evening.

The clock was heartlessly ringing in the middle of the night. But in expection of a pleasurable day at the sea I felt quite energetic, taking a shower, preparing sandwiches, slurping a big mug of coffee, getting into my trecking boots and shutting the door to catch the local bus.

55 minutes later I Iooked through a train window onto the nightly Hamburg port. My thoughts were drifting incoherrently. When reaching Bremen an hour later, my only desire was another cup of coffee. God bless the stations. 6:30 am and at least 4 or 5 shops were selling the dark brew. With a hot paper cup in my hand I entered the train to Oldenburg, which I left only 30 minutes later to switch to a train to Sande (must be a small town shortly before Wilhelmshaven) and from there to Esens (even smaller. Opposite to the arriving train the bus to the ferry station was already waiting.

Walking over to the dock, I was surprised that there was still a bit of queue in front of the ferry terminal. You have to understand, autumn school vacation were just over, it was foggy though dry, but the sun was not in sight. The season was over - or should have been. However there were still quite a lot of people, who wanted to cross the waters.

I thought the Dutch border was another three islands away, but it seems I have been mistaken.

Low tide. People were digging in the mudflats. For what? Lugworms? Well, maybe they are harvesting blue mussels and oysters.

Curlews were searching the mudflats for food as well as some other birds. Aside from bunches of gulls I spotted oyster fishers, sandpipers and eider ducks on the endless mud and ....

... a lovely seal on the sand quite close to the channel.

Out of the haze appeared the boat coming from Langeoog. This photo makes me longing for mulled whine. Such a look I bought a bottle this afternoon. I will warm up a mug now.

When we finally reached Langeoog the bright coloured island train was already expecting us and took us to the only village on the island.

It's always useful not to look at the map and take a wrong turn, otherwise I would have missed this:

East Frisian Thanks Giving decoration!

But soon I found my path into the dunes. A misty softness touched the landscape, which was covered over and over with autumn coloured dog roses and brambles.

From here I turned into the Pirolatalweg (Pirola Valley Path) to enjoy the dune landscape and decided to walk the beach on my way back.

The dune landscape often shifted in colour due to shifting ground growth. The symetric grass on the dunes below looks quite planted, probably to keep the dunes from wandering. For on the one hand they are a safeguard agains stormtides and they other hand they could burry the village of Langeoog, when they start to move in that direction.

One thing that left me wonderous on Langeoog was the air. The softness. The gentleness with which it touched my skinn. Nearly as tender as on Amrum, a North Frisian island way out in the North Sea. Totally unspoiled. Clean. Like velvet. And the temperature. Though it was misty, the air was mild and by some degrees warmer than on the mainland.

The filigran remains of some holly leaves.

You can also go by horse carriage around the island, but I preferred walking, even if it meant not seeing everything. The two birds in front are magpies.

Views from the "Aussichtsdüne" (vista dune).

In the background you can sense "Schlopp lake".

I took a hiking and bridle path along Melkhörn and Kleine Schlopp and suddenly was on my own. Sporadically I heard shots from someone hunting.

Sallow thorn is a common coastal berry bush, which is brightening autumn time with its blazing berries. The berries are eatable and rich of vitamin C. They are generally used for jam, juice and liqueur.

Even if the photo quality is bad I cannot help but loving this collection of yellows, browns, reds and greens in just one place.

When I came out onto the main bicycle way across the island I looked out over flat marsh country and the mudflat sea.

Dog roses in autumn are a delight for the eye. And between the rose hips there were still some late pink flowers abloom.

I have never seen this kind of insect before. Has anybody got a clue? Some kind of fly or bee or wesp?

I arrived at the "Molkerei Ostende" (east end dairy) together with three carriages, one of them drawn by two lovely Frisians. Parked behind them were a bunch of bikes finely atuned in the same shade of colour as the carriage. However the horse seamed to find these means of transport a laugh.

The dairy was my turning point. From here I crossed over to the North Sea side to enjoy two hours of plain beach walking back to to the village of Langeoog

After another short walk through the dunes I reached the beach at low tide. The water was retreating and the sandy planes were growing slowly.

This is the overpopulated Federal Republic of Germany. We encourage the main body of our people to travel to the warmth of Spain to enjoy the vastness of our quiet beaches on our own.

Treading through bunches of shells causes a nice creaky sound under your feet.

The dot in the distance...

...proves to be through the tele zoom

another reveller of the quiet sounds of the waves

...of the space

... and sand

...and quietness...

...and of decisive walking!

Like many beach dwellers I often forget to look and at the sea, because my eyes are fixed on the ground looking for treasures like beautiful stones, mussles, snails and amber (I have never found any of the latter apart from in a shop window).

Looking aground was worth its while. Otherwise I might have tramped onto this strange wind sculpture.

Now, my dear friends, you have to get through two hours of sand hiking with your eyes to appreciate the sore muscles I had next day. I could hardly move on Sunday and refused to leave my chair though the weather was fine outside.

Here and there sandlings were rushing over the beach and into the water, downing their bills into the sand to check for some seaside delicacies.

Elsewhere gulls took a foot bath on washed over sandbanks.

This is part of the sea bed. The ripples in the sand you see here are miniature tideways where the water keeps coming and going during the tides. It also gives you an idea how far the tide has alread drawn back and how much smaller the beach wil be under high tide.

Moreover a sudden necessaty for cleanliness seamed to have occurred. Was there an event coming up today. I wonder, if these were males or females. In the world of birds it's generally the males, who are dressing up, aren't they?

Truly, what is a beach walk without a blackheaded gull in the waves. They are such common birds, but what would the air be like without their skreak and their graceful flight.

A sure sign of being back to civilization is when you encounter roofed wicker beach chairs on the beach at the end of October (which is definitely off season). I entered the town near the health resort (spa) at the north eastern end of the island. Dog roses were lining the path.

At least here is a bunch of multicoloured beach gladness prepared to go into hibernation.

The island church was built in 1890. It is probably the 5th church standing on this site. The former built in 1859 had been much smaller. Others were probably destroyed by stormtides. For German speakers the website of the island church is a far better source of information about the islands history than the official website of Langeoog. Have a try on http://www.inselkark.de/Inselkirche/Kirchenbau.htm

It's quite good.

The first thing welcoming me when entering the church was the warm light of the peace candle holder. I felt immediatly at home, for this is actually a typical object you find in Swedish churches. These sort of candle holders have their origin in the world church conference of 1968 in Swedish town of Upsala, where the center of the Swedish church is situated.

The altar picture was painted by Hermann Buß in 1988/1989, when the church was restaurated. It presents a northern German landscape with high sky. The ship in the background bears similarities to the island ferries. The floor in the forground looks like a ship deck. A table with brilliant white table cloth is left empty, chairs standing in disorder, some clothes have been left hanging over their backrest. The people have left to watch the sinking or run aground ship. Each person standing on their own, not talking, mostly turning their back to the contemplator. The sinking ship is dirty white and shows significant signs of decay.

At 5:30 pm the time was due to leave the island. I dare say despite the long travel time I deeply enjoyed my day and am glad that I took my time to get to Langeoog.

Langeoog, 24 October 2009

Last pictures from the boat:

Information on Langeoog in English and German: http://www.langeoog.de/de/english.htm

Maps: http://www.langeoog.de/files/Inselplan.pdf  and http://www.langeoog.de/files/Ortsplan.pdf