On the Noords Hollandsche Kanal
Our bicycle trip into the village of Krommenie on Saturday started with some excitement, as we had to use a self-propelled ferry to cross the canal! At first these things look rather complicated but as usual when you get to know them, they turn out to be very simple.
(Alex explains!) There are two chains each slightly longer than the width of the canal. One end of each chain is attached through a winding box to one end of the floating platform (4 feet by 8 feet and the other end through a winding box to each shore. All four winding boxes allow the chain to run free until it reaches the end unless you stand on a footplate which locks the chain to the winding wheel. Thus if the ferry is at the far side of the canal you stand on the footplate of the winding box on the bank and wind it across to you. You then get onto the platform – and all the other passengers, if any – you stand on the footplate of the winding box for the far side and wind yourself across. Meanwhile, the chain behind you is being pulled back out of the shore winding box. Geddit?! Simple really. If somebody is waiting at the far side, they can speed your crossing by winding with their shore box as well (so the chain is being pulled from both ends).
On our first crossing, being novices, we were encouraged by a guy on the far bank who told us not to try and rush it ‘when you are on holiday’ you have to take it ‘slow and steady’.
On our third crossing a whole group of jovial middle-aged cyclists on the far side were telling us to speed up and then began singing what was obviously some sort of Dutch winding chant! (or perhaps a wind up chant!). Their singing was so infectious that we joined in ourselves. La, la, la!
However, on the way to the village we noticed a leccy point with a water point beside it, and about enough room to moor Riccall. So on Sunday when we felt we really should not overstay our welcome on the commercial quay any longer, we set off in a howling wind with bleaching rain to see if the mooring was still free. It was, and Louise managed (somehow) to lasso one of the mushroom pins on the first attempt and we squeezed into the gap with only a metre at each end. At the back was just a floating wooden platform but at the front was somebody’s pride and joy, a very crushable jelly mould of a boat! We were just so very glad the owner wasn't around, although our mooring was pretty impeccable to any observer, if we say so ourselves! (More by luck than design on this occasion however.)
So for one night at least we have power and water. Both seem to be dispensed by coin normally but it all seems to work without! So we have done three clothes’ washes, one dishwash and filled the water tank to overflowing. Goodness knows how much the Havenmeester will charge us when he comes round on his boat in the morning!
By the way, great though all this travelling is, it’s still lovely to hear from anyone at home who happens to dip into this blog, so keep those comments coming! It does encourage the scribblings.
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