Again Amersfoort-Utrecht and on to Ghent

Although we intended to spend a few days in Diemen (close to Amsterdam) before we could go to the mooring in Utrecht, things turned out differently.

Just before we were to enter the Vecht we were informed that there would be a fancy fair in Diemen, on the quay. Not really what we fancied!

So, we cut back, called the Amsterdam harbour office and received permission to moor on the Veemkade in Amsterdam.

This used to be a not too safe area where we would – when we still lived in Amsterdam – not have moored. But nowadays the area has been renovated, has really become nice and we liked it very much.

We did have a problem with our garbage, we had saved up on it, knowing there were containers available in Diemen, not so on the Veemkade. A quick chat with the garbage collectors from the cruise ships resulted in them coming alongside, just for us.

We visited the Werf Kromhout museum (the museum on the historical Kromhout wharf) were we had never been, being Amsterdammers!

They gave us a great tour and the one engine after the other was cranked up, huffing and puffing and groaning.

The enthusiasm and dedication shown by all volunteers was as impressive as the engines.

One of the engines impressed us especially as it had been mounted in a barge of the same dimensions of ‘t Majeur. It was that high that it would not have fitted and the required surface was just less than our engine room; long live modern appliances!

not a very good photo but in his case it's only the size that matters

Mid May we were welcome in the Veilinghaven in Utrecht, a few hours cruising on the Amsterdam-Rhine canal. For us it was very special entering Utrecht this way, taking the route that would take us to the mooring where now the Gerritje is still moored (see previous blog) only now we turned left instead of right.

What we already knew was made clear again, not only a nice spot seen from the land but also from the water and a great starting point for cruising.

We were very satisfied.

The Veilinghaven turned out to be an nice spot, in Utrecht’s centre, close to the station so ideal for staying in touch with friends and family and especially our grandson, who even visited us there.

We even had the pleasure of him staying with us overnight, something all three of us enjoyed greatly. And it was very cosy being in bed together in the morning.

The Veilinghaven offers a winter mooring to the statenjacht ‘de Utrecht’. It is a replica of an historic sailing barge from mid-18^th century. During the 80-year war statenjachten were used for transporting high ranking commanders.

It is an imposing ship, but looking at the size and the helmsman’s position more suited for open waters than canals. In the summer period they sail the IJsselmeer but in order to get there mast and flagpoles had to be removed and that takes a crane. We sat front row watching it all.

 

 

When staying in Utrecht Michel helped a befriended skipper to sail his Luxemotor, bigger than ‘t Majeur, no bow thruster, from Antwerp to Meerkerk. Michel boarded as a deckhand to handle the ropes (a new experience for him) but very soon he switched places with the captain. 

The price he had to pay unfortunately was an injury to his hand – already almost healed – but being at the helm – like here in Antwerp harbour – it was great fun.

 

When we left Utrecht I took pic’s of these two houseboats, there are a lot of them in Utrecht, but these I thought a bit bizarre. It is like they put the top floor of the house that the occupants really wanted on to a pontoon.

 

While I am writing this we cruise the Scheldt river direction Ghent where we will arrive this evening and stay a few days before moving on to Ostend.

On the banks of the Scheldt people busily maintain boats and the owners must be happy in the knowledge that eventually high tide will come their way.

But ….., as I also wrote in my previous blog, more about Ostend in my next blog.

Travelplans for 2014 and update website

We have updated our website and wrote all our plans for this year.
Lots of new maps and photo's, enough to read.
Should you want to follow us during the trip send us an email, see above.
At the right you will find the previous blogs with the stories of trips in recent years.

Paris – Amersfoort, the whole trip and our new mooring

the last leg of 2013

For all kinds of reasons we still had to post the blog on the last leg of our 2013 trip.

Like each year, as soon as we arrive on our winter mooring we are immediately swept up by “winter life” which quickly pushes barging and all that comes with it to the background.

This year it was not just meeting with friends and family that we had hardly seen this summer, but we also were immersed in (planned but hard hitting none the less) medical arrangements and in (unexpected and unplanned) the purchase of a permanent mooring.

We’re fine now again and the purchase – about which more below – is about to be concluded. Quiet has returned and with that the time to write the last blog-entry.

After two weeks stay in Paris (which we enjoyed so much that we will go there again next year) we left by the canal St. Denis, that joins the Seine in the North-West side of Paris.

It is clearly not a tourist route and it takes you right through a less pretty and less prosperous part of Paris, but not less interesting.

From the Seine on the Oise Northwards with a stop-over in Auvers-sur-Oise, the village where Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theodore are buried.

the graves of the van Gogh brothers

I was a bit sad to find both graves looking very decrepit and neglected, in a village where everything revolves around Van Gogh, making quite a bit of money out of him.

still a bit to go to Holland and this is by road

The distance to the Netherlands is here already indicated because Zundert is Van Gogh’s birthplace.

Via the canal du Nord which we, contrary to others, don’t mind barging we went to Antoing in Belgium.

Just South of the border we ran into a spot of bother. Just as we were trying to get to a mooring in a shallow spot, our propeller got stuck. We never knew what had happened, but it was clear that something had hit the prop as it had stopped turning.

After pausing for deliberation, moving to and fro and in the end a bit of luck the prop worked again, but we couldn’t assess the damage, if any.

We crept towards the nearby lock where we were allowed to moor ‘cause of our mishap. We rang our insurance who advised us to carry on and to find a dock, should anything be wrong.

a very helpful VNF man

Opposite us there was a crew of VNF working on the embankment and they offered to help with their sloop, but even they couldn’t get at the prop.

Others later told us that they had gotten into the canal themselves, which never crossed our minds, probably because we’re not keen swimmers.

We then cruised on, problem-free, until in Amersfoort we heard something ticking, by the sound of it something sticking out from the prop.

Once we were moored in Amersfoort, our neighbours in the marina, the fire brigade, inspected our propeller, as part of their diving training. And, to our amazement, they brought up the remains of a steel cable, apparently gotten stuck on the drive shaft. They then inspected the prop, which they found undamaged.

a diver under 't Majeur

Michel shows 'the catch'

When we did the conversion a few years ago we invested in a “rope cutter”, a kind of knife mounted on the drive shaft that cuts ropes and lines.

At that time Michel always said it was the most expensive piece of metal on the ship, but we now think it was a sound investment as it has probably been cutting heaven knows what in those past years.

where the rope cutter is positioned and does its work

the rope cutter

In Antoing we topped up our diesel tanks for winter and waited for friends that joined us there on their own barge.

Together we cruised via Brussels, the river Rupel to Antwerp and the Biesboch homewards.

Summer had left us, the nights had become chilly and the mornings were misty.

Although our geraniums were still courageously blooming, spiders were busy building their webs, always a nice sight when they’re all dew covered.

And then we were back in Amersfoort, having done about 2400 kilometres, clocked 440 engine hours and having passed 450 serviced artefacts, 360 of them locks.

the whole 2013 trip

As said before, we bought a mooring.

Our long-time planning contained the idea of looking for a permanent mooring in a few years’ time, maybe even buying one, but we don’t need one right now as we cruise extensively and can always get a winter mooring someplace.

Why then now?

Once we cannot or won’t cruise anymore we can still live on-board ‘t Majeur, but preferably close to what we find important, as there are shops, cinemas, theatre and the library. In a town, obviously, but we also want a bit of greenery and quiet around us.

For a ship of our size a needle in a haystack, hard to find.

As you may understand by now, we did run into it by chance and we decided not to sniff at the opportunity.

Situated at the outer rim of Utrecht’s centre, only one bridge and a lock away from the Amsterdam-Rhine canal. A quiet neighbourhood, lots of green, 15 minutes to the train station by bike. A perfect spot to live in and to start barging from.

the location of our new mooring in Utrecht

seen from the water, the Vaartse Rijn

and from the other side of the canal

 With the mooring comes a ship, so we consider ourselves fleet owners now.

the boat that is now on the mooring, the Gerritje, now part of our fleet

The ship is a 1927 Katwijker, converted to houseboat, but still maintaining the old looks, it just lacks an engine.

The ship has to be sold, anyone interested ……?

For now we will let the ship as a houseboat, the way it is now, until we can sell it or when we decide to moor ‘t Majeur there.

All in all the last few months have been a stressy period, but we’re still healthy and very happy having secured this mooring for our future use.

We are now planning next year’s route for which we already have several options.

Before we start barging again we expect to become grandparents first, as our first grandchild is due by the end of March.

As soon as our 2014 planning is ready and the web site is brought up-to-date we will send out a mailing.

And next year, when we are barging again, we will keep you posted of our adventures here as well.

So long,

Rebecca and Michel