When
planning the work on the barge – moored at the quay at Willem’s – we planned a
weeks time, leaving again on Saturday.
Off course
we knew it would take longer, which it did; as it turned out we left on
Thursday, but by that time a lot of work was done (most of it and in any case
the expensive bits now invisible).
back on well known territory |
It was very familiar to be back, we had been there for almost two years when being
converted and we actually lived aboard for the last year.
Although it
was fun meeting up again and the work was useful we were glad to be happily cruising
again after a short period!
Via the
Noord-Willemskanaal and the Drentsche Hoofdvaart we headed South, it is a nice
route but it takes time.
I do love
it every time the bridge keeper opens the smaller pivot bridges by walking the
half moon shaped pontoon.
the hand operated bridge in the Drentsche Hoofdvaart |
Again we
spent the weekend in Dieverbrug and this time we did make the bicycle tour to
the Hunebedden.
Although a
Hunebed looks like nothing but a pile of rocks (2 – 20 thousand kilo’s each) it is
an impressive sight when realising they’ve been there for a long time (5000
years), what they were for (burying mounds) and how they got here (rolled over
and pulled by hand).
Compared to
the Egypt
pyramids a mere trifle, but still impressive.
het Hunebed bij Diever |
this construction lies on both sides of the water |
On our way
up we had already spotted a kind of metal armadillo laying on its side on both
sides of the Ramsdiep; in Dutch called a "balgstuw", a kind of dam.
It is an
inflatable dam made of rubber which fills automatically with air and water when
the water level rises with 50
cm or more within an hour.
The 10 meter high dam offers
protection against the rising waters of the Ketelmeer.
behind the rubber lies the inflatable dam |
It is the biggest balgstuw in the world and
the only one meant as a dam against rising floods.
The idea
was that the stuw (dam)
would be used at least once a year, but the 2012 occasion was the first since
2007.
This leg we
didn’t do the polder again but went via the Randmeren and the river Eem to Amersfoort.
Luckily the
weather got better so we could paint a bit; we have to look our best for the
party aboard.
At long
last the hatches are painted after a 3 year stretch in primer and all scratches
and damaged spots have been painted.
We enjoyed
the wind breaker we had made in Groningen;
just a few hooks and we have it hanging on the windy side offering protection.
behind the wind breaker painting is much more comfortable |
Now we are
moored till May 14th in the harbour of Amersfoort
with a nice view of the Koppelpoort (an ancient walled gate).
These days
are all to be spent on the marriage of our daughter and our son in law that
will take place next week on board: cleaning, scrubbing, baking cakes, brushing
up our clothes, dressing up the boat and so on, and so on...
In my next
blog I will be violating my own rule and so it will contain text and pictures
of our social life and not of us barging.
It will be about the festivities.
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