Behind the Münster, we found a small park, looking over the Rhine and caught a glimpse below of a cable ferry. Developed by the Romans, it’s attached to a cable that traverses the river. The current of the river provides the force that pushes the boat across, using the hull of the boat like a sail to tack across. if you are interested in how it works, you can watch this short video
As we looked down from the Münster, we could see that there were super steep steps down to the launch point and then another set of metal steps that looked challenging. Marg and I opted out, but the adventure team: Mel, Diana, Linda, and Chris decided to take on the challenge. They ended up crossing over bridge a little further downriver and then were able to double back and access the ferry on the other side. On their way, fearless Mel scampered down the steps to put her feet in the Rhine.
They found a ferry on the other side that wasn’t so daunting and rode back across The boatman told them he had been on the job for 30 years and had recently semi-retired, leaving his son to do the work except for the Mondays when the dad still ran the ferry.
They also learned that the authorities have now cleaned up the Rhine sufficiently that it’s safe to swim in again (unlike the Potomac) - and Linda got a shot of one swimmer. Evidently the current is so strong that many people bring a dry bag for their clothes so they can swim only in the direction of the current and then come back on foot or by public transportation