Houseboat vacation on the Müritz - tested with teenagers

Start the day with a jump into the clear water, let yourself be pulled across the lake on the bathing island during the day and enjoy the evenings under the shining starry sky. A vacation on a houseboat is not only beautiful, but also so cool that even teenagers like to come along. Where is that possible? On the Mecklenburg Lake District, which with its 1000 lakes - many of which are interconnected - is the ideal tucker territory for houseboat captains. This special form of vacation was tested by the two teenagers Theo and Ferri. In early summer, the two friends were together with their families and two houseboats from Kuhnle-Tours on the Müritz and surrounding area. 

"GO, PAPA!". Ferri and Theo stand on the inflatable bathing island like two action heroes, excitedly holding on to the wide tethers. Ferri's dad grips the steering wheel tighter, takes one last reassuring look at the two boys and pushes the throttle of the boat forward. Slowly, the mighty Kormoran starts to move and pulls the bathing island behind it. The two quickly gain speed. The bathing island with the two teens gets quite a bounce from the stern waves and throws its riders into the lake after one, two, three jumps. Ferris' little sister Élodie is the lookout and excitedly yips "Men overboard!" Then she remembers her second important task and jots down the times on the notepad, which is scribbled full of adventures and best times. The 15 seconds are a new record.

You could sail from lake to lake for weeks - and still not have seen them all. That's how big the Mecklenburg Lake District is, with over 1,000 bodies of water. The centerpiece and largest lake in the region is the Müritz. On its southern shore, in the Müritz harbor village in Rechlin, is the charter station of the Kuhnle-Tours company. It is there that Ferri and Theo's families have rented the houseboats - a Kormoran and a Febomobil. Both, the boys agree, have their raison d'être. The faster Kormoran can pull the bathing island and the Febomobil has a large roof terrace where you can also have your peace and quiet. The week of vacation together flies by. The boys would love to add a few more days to it. The vacation on the water is pretty cool - despite the presence of parents and a little sister.

If you ask the two teens if they would go on vacation on the houseboat again, the answer is clear: of course! After all, it's almost too good to be true. Ferri shows Theo how to fish. In return, Theo teaches Ferri stand-up paddling and they both let Ferri's sister Élodie film them knee-boarding. Once or twice, the boys are even persuaded by their parents to go ashore. Well, they don't need too much convincing; a climbing session in the Müritz Climbing Forest is just too tempting. Every evening, photos and videos of the day are then always immediately provided with filters and favorite songs and - thanks to the mobile router on board - shared on social media. After all, you know what your followers on land expect!

Élodie also has a great time. At eleven, she doesn't think parents are bad yet, so she changes company regularly and calmly. Sometimes she joins in long jump competitions with her brother and his buddy, sometimes she enjoys sitting with her and Theo's mom and listening to their conversations. The two mothers have been close friends for many years - and are the real reason for the joint vacation, although Ferri and Theo wouldn't sign off on it that way, of course. 

To give themselves room for individual family activities, the families rented two boats. Although that might not have been necessary. Because in the end, the two boats then always travel in a double pack anyway. 

Since it is their first vacation on a boat, the families decide to let the thousand waters be a thousand waters and simply stay in the side arms around the Müritz. Their choice finally falls on the Müritz arm between Alt Gaarz and Vipperow. There, the water is nice and calm and the boat traffic is also low - and above all, the Café Loni and the snack bar Fischerhof are located there. 

Also on their last day of vacation, they chug first to the snack bar and then to the café to stock up on fine whitefish, pike and baked fish in a bun, as well as tart rhubarb meringue, strawberry cake and Russian pluck cake. With two large pieces of cake each - you're still growing, after all, and you need proper calories - Theo and Ferri sit with Theo's parents on the cozy wooden terrace of the Febomobile. Next door, on the bow of the Kormoran, Ferri's family has made themselves comfortable. The sun is warm, the water laps quietly against the boats, there is the smell of coffee and cocoa. Everyone is quiet, content and wonderfully relaxed. What a difference cake, sea air and the right company can make!

"Behind the island, we're heading to port. Over," it croaks from the cell phone Ferri is holding in his hand: "Starboard, sorry. Over." The two mates make their way back separately. They are both allowed to steer the houseboats as far as the Müritz - an offer no teenager can refuse. They chug leisurely side by side toward the Müritz. Above them, sea eagles glide through the blue-gray sky. The shores are densely overgrown. Beige-green reed banks are gently rocked back and forth by the outgoing bow waves. Dark forests occasionally give a view of bright yellow rape fields. To be a captain, that would be something!

At Pirate's Bar on the harbor, the adults celebrate their farewell to life on the lake. The cocktails are good, the sand under their feet warm and the electro music in the background relaxing. The teens find it harder to say goodbye. They feel at home on the boats and spend their last evening together on board. They look at how many likes their lovingly created posts have received in the meantime (over 200, not bad). They play captain on the high seas. And they cast their fishing rods one last time in the hope of catching the big one. 

You feel like after your houseboat adventureto explore the Mecklenburg Lake District on land? Then add a few vacation days and visit exciting places like the Müritz National Park, the nature experience center Müritzeum or the pretty spa town of Waren. The ideal starting point for this is the Müritz harbour village. There you can sleep in modern furnished apartments or stay with your camper on the camper site.

Copyright cover picture: So idyllic is a houseboat vacation on the Mecklenburg Lake District © TMV / Gänsicke