Week 20 Heading for Home

 

Janny went home on the Friday and Frank and Pam arrived on the Sunday.

They did a cycling tour of Utrecht and learned a few things. They also climbed up the Dom Tower 

The full story of the current restoration is here....

https://www.domtoren.nl/en/the-story/restoration/

The space ship

This odd architectural feature was intended as part of an exhibition in 2000. “Panorama 2000” was designed to showcase art exhibits across the city that could only be seen from a distance. The giant disk is the last remaining installation still standing from the event, giving the building an eerie vibe. Unfortunately, the Inktpot is not open to visitors, but curious travelers can walk in the park surrounding the building to get a closer look. 

A couple of days in Utrecht

BBQ, we got to know David and Janice and their dog just a little...

And by Tuesday Jacoba had to leave for Heerenveen and the other two boats headed south.

Utrecht to Weesp 50kms (at least 10kms further due to the closed bridge)

Frank and Pam hadn't done the trip through the centre, so we went that way and were soon blocked by some working boats - fixing the sides of the canal...

I went to ask if we could get through and they said the Dutch equivalent of "yeah, no worries, mate" and through we went - after they moved the barges out of the way.

We pressed on to Noordersluis - the Northern lock where we met up with Houtrib and Sukey - also on their way out, but heading south

Rough passage for 2 hours but then into the beautiful Vecht river at Maarssen - with all it's windings. A much better place to be!

A long day to get to Weesp. Once being stopped whilst the bridgekeeper had lunch - and again at Weesp whilst there was another Peak Hour closure.

Ben came to visit - I cooked a green curry

Wednesday

Weesp to Harderwijk

aan/uit app on off so easy

Long day rough This was the first time for me to go "around" the polder, instead of through. Going through it wins hands down. Locking in and out doesn't take long, it is shorter and way more peaceful - and interesting, in fact.

We did see some other boats - which we wouldn't have encountered inside the polder...

We pulled in at Almere Haven, just after 1130hrs, thinking that we were nicely in time to be locked through before the lock keeper went for lunch. Haha! I rang him and he said that he wouldn't come back until after lunch because he needs 30 minutes to get the lock ready - and that would put him past his lunchtime start.  BS.!!

So we opted to go "around" simply to save the 90 minutes delay. Going around takes longer in any case, so we didn't reach Harderwijk until 1600hrs - having also to wait 30 minutes for a bridge - for no discernable reason. On a boating website, a critic  has accused them of this same delay, because "they are public servants making up their own rules, just because they can". 

Fortunately, I reckon there are more helpful bridgekeepers and lock keepers than unhelpful, but the odd few still manage to rankle.

Frank and Pam both worked pretty hard, given our demanding timetable.

Thursday

Harderwijk to Kampen

5.5 hours with a couple of slow points along the way. 

We had to moor in one of the "boxes" as there was a group in the other harbour. It was a bit hard for the old folk to be clambering over the stern!

Arch building in the background from 1609

Friday

Kampen to Giethoorn

Another long day. The haven at Giethoorn was fairly busy. The havenmeester said it was his busiest day so far - finally! with a bit of warmer weather in store.

Another long day. A rare home cooked meal and relatively early to bed! Actually getting 6 hours straight, also a rarity these days.

Electric boat trip Giethoorn

We were about 15 minutes before the advertised start but were allowed on and managed to get away just before the busloads of tourists started arriving - hundreds of them within a few minutes!

We left Giethoorn early in the afternoon, heading for Ossenzijl. A relatively short day, but windy! 

We had to wait at one bridge so that the bridgekeeper could have his lunch. In the wind, we struggled to get on to the waiting-place mooring - but did. Another boat couldn't manage it and had to do circles to fill in the time - a good 45 minutes.

All the while, the bridgekeeper just sat there watching us. He ate his lunch, came outside to scrape his plate, went back inside, washed his hands and on the stroke of 1300hrs, began the process...oh well

I was a bit worried about getting into the haven at Ossenzijl, but as luck would have it, there was a spare mooring where the wind just blew us in - none too gently, but with room to spare between other boats.

Lots of camper vans and tents here - all with canoes and/or kayaks for exploring the many channels of the Weerribben National Park.

Ossenzijl

This group even had their own catering van...

Sunday

to Heerenveen

Janny picked us up so we could sleep at De Twa Buken...and go out for dinner at de Stripe restaurant, just up the road. The local asparagus was a big hit...

Frank wanted to try out the Duofiets - a double electric bike garaged at our place - basically used for an able bodied person to drive a less able person around - just to be able to get out and about...

Might be just the go for Frank :-)

On Monday, we drove Frank and Pam to Heerenveen railway station - 6 trains and 8 hours later, they were home in St, Georges Motel in France!

I'll wait until next week to make a route of where we went for the whole trip. 

57 engine hours at 3 litres of diesel per hour. Approx. 190kms each way.