Groningen - Amersfoort

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.

 balgstuw instruction movie

 balgstuw in operation

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 14^th 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.