“... With a hey ho the wind and the rain ...
For the rain it raineth every day”
(Feste – Twelfth Night) are we in Illyria or what (you will)
The weather here in Holland is again atrocious: wind, rain and set-in grey skies. We gather that it is pretty much the same in England – no change there then.
However, we noticed, after we had first moored here on Sunday, that the floating platform which we had so narrowly avoided on our way in, had spray-painted writing on it which Louise translated as ‘20m for rent’.
Never one to hang about, Alex spoke to the young man in the houseboat behind us (though chic, picture windowed, floating two-storey house would be a better description) and was told that ‘our’ mooring belonged to the house opposite and that the old people living there were rather difficult.
So with some trepidation Alex went the next day to talk to them with a view to our mooring for a few weeks.
‘Aari’ (Harry?) turned out to be as nice as you could want, and the upshot of the long conversation covering boats, batteries, generators and moorings was that:
yes we can moor on his moorings
no the friend to whom it had been promised would not need it after all
until the end of September
yes we could have it for 8 weeks and
no he couldn’t possibly take any payment from us of any kind!
Result or what?! (though we do feel bad about not paying anything after such kindness).
Added to that, the water and electricity available only yards away is provided by the local council for free (well apparently they can’t be bothered to mend the coin slot operation).
So, we have a place to moor for the next 8 weeks where we can come and go (with or without boat) as we please, and where we can guarantee to be able to take on water and fully recharge the batteries which are beginning to show signs of weakness. Most importantly though, we can leave the boat for 2 weeks in comparative safety while we return to GB. This means that we don’t have to plan in a dash to Dordrecht for those two weeks and can look around more in this area.
By the way, the comment made by the houseboat dweller re Ari being difficult, may have had something to do with the fact that the houseboat’s little dinghy is moored illegally and slightly overlapping Ari’s own mooring and perhaps words have been said on that subject between them!
If we could just access the wi-fi which is in the vicinity, but firmly locked, we would have it all! As it is, it is still a bit of a business trying to get onto the internet and our last effort at the library was only partially successful, as we were able to upload our written blog but not the photographs. We’ll be trying again to post the latest pictures from our trek north from Amsterdam to Krommenie when we can.
Thursday, 14 August 2008
Monday, 11 August 2008
10.08.08 Krommenie
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.
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.
08.08.08 From Amsterdam onto the Noords Hollandsche Kanal
08.08.08 From Amsterdam onto the Noords Hollandsche Kanal
We left North Amsterdam for a leisurely trip northwards on the Noords Hollandsche Kanal – big enough to take us easily but rural and hopefully a pleasant change from the hectic city.
Ready to set off with the engine warmed up, into the lock before us went a commercial barge. We thought as it entered that there would be no room for us as well, so we decided to wait and take the next lock. As it turned out, by the time he had moored to the side we realised we could easily have gone in alongside: these locks are so huge here!
We caught up the commercial 100 metres beyond the lock where he was waiting for a series of bridges to open. We dived ahead, because Riccall could just fit under them, but then they all started to open for the big boy anyway, so we felt a bit guilty for stealing a march on him. Not only that, but there was another commercial just out of sight waiting to come through from the other side, but by that time we were committed, so he had to wait for us! A bit embarrassing, but neither of the captains shook his fist at us – just gave the usual cheery wave we seem to elicit from the commercial craft.
A couple of hours later the commercial caught us up again and we let him past into the next lock - in what looked like a lovely town - Purmerend - then nestled in alongside. We complimented each other on our boats (as you do!) then he told us to go on ahead as he was mooring up just outside the lock. We carried on for about 2k and found a small length of clearly unused loading quay to which we could moor.
Purmerend was a nice town with internet available at the library, a railway station and a good shopping centre and we resolved to investigate further and ride to Edam, 1½ hours away, the next day.
However the next day it rained and rained with barely a long enough break at midday for a quick trip to town to buy essential mosquito netting. We spent the rest of the miserable afternoon constructing nets to fit perfectly into the portholes so that they could be open for fresh air but could be closed with the nets in place, when necessary. We still ended up with two of the little beggars biting us to bits in the middle of the night. (You know they have done their worst when you swat them and they leave all your own blood on the wall!) We think they must have got in in the short time while we were fitting the new window coverings.
A passing motorist stopped his car later that afternoon to tell us there were good moorings about 10k further on complete with all mod cons – electricity and water, showers etc. So in the morning we moved on as it was still raining and we had abandoned the Edam trip as just impossible.
Although it was kind of the motorist to try to help us out, of course the moorings did not have electricity (although they were quite inexpensive), but interestingly had the very first pump-out facility we have seen so far – in over two months of boating in Holland. This is indeed interesting, as another boater told us that all Dutch boats must stop putting black water into the canals (as they do at present) and use holding tanks and pump out facilities, by 2009! That means there are going to have to be an awful lot of pump-out units installed in the next 4 months, but at least to encourage people to use them, they only cost 50 cents (45p) as against £10 in GB!
At about lunchtime we turned off the main canal and through the binos Louise spotted a commercial quay with a space at the end, with bollards and without a “No Mooring” sign, so we stopped for lunch. Further enquiries revealed that no-one had any objection to our staying overnight. Yippee!
From here we also get a great view of tall ships and enormous hotel boats and restaurant boats passing on the main canal line.
It’s Friday night so with any luck the place will be deserted throughout the weekend. We may even spend two nights!
We left North Amsterdam for a leisurely trip northwards on the Noords Hollandsche Kanal – big enough to take us easily but rural and hopefully a pleasant change from the hectic city.
Ready to set off with the engine warmed up, into the lock before us went a commercial barge. We thought as it entered that there would be no room for us as well, so we decided to wait and take the next lock. As it turned out, by the time he had moored to the side we realised we could easily have gone in alongside: these locks are so huge here!
We caught up the commercial 100 metres beyond the lock where he was waiting for a series of bridges to open. We dived ahead, because Riccall could just fit under them, but then they all started to open for the big boy anyway, so we felt a bit guilty for stealing a march on him. Not only that, but there was another commercial just out of sight waiting to come through from the other side, but by that time we were committed, so he had to wait for us! A bit embarrassing, but neither of the captains shook his fist at us – just gave the usual cheery wave we seem to elicit from the commercial craft.
A couple of hours later the commercial caught us up again and we let him past into the next lock - in what looked like a lovely town - Purmerend - then nestled in alongside. We complimented each other on our boats (as you do!) then he told us to go on ahead as he was mooring up just outside the lock. We carried on for about 2k and found a small length of clearly unused loading quay to which we could moor.
Purmerend was a nice town with internet available at the library, a railway station and a good shopping centre and we resolved to investigate further and ride to Edam, 1½ hours away, the next day.
However the next day it rained and rained with barely a long enough break at midday for a quick trip to town to buy essential mosquito netting. We spent the rest of the miserable afternoon constructing nets to fit perfectly into the portholes so that they could be open for fresh air but could be closed with the nets in place, when necessary. We still ended up with two of the little beggars biting us to bits in the middle of the night. (You know they have done their worst when you swat them and they leave all your own blood on the wall!) We think they must have got in in the short time while we were fitting the new window coverings.
A passing motorist stopped his car later that afternoon to tell us there were good moorings about 10k further on complete with all mod cons – electricity and water, showers etc. So in the morning we moved on as it was still raining and we had abandoned the Edam trip as just impossible.
Although it was kind of the motorist to try to help us out, of course the moorings did not have electricity (although they were quite inexpensive), but interestingly had the very first pump-out facility we have seen so far – in over two months of boating in Holland. This is indeed interesting, as another boater told us that all Dutch boats must stop putting black water into the canals (as they do at present) and use holding tanks and pump out facilities, by 2009! That means there are going to have to be an awful lot of pump-out units installed in the next 4 months, but at least to encourage people to use them, they only cost 50 cents (45p) as against £10 in GB!
At about lunchtime we turned off the main canal and through the binos Louise spotted a commercial quay with a space at the end, with bollards and without a “No Mooring” sign, so we stopped for lunch. Further enquiries revealed that no-one had any objection to our staying overnight. Yippee!
From here we also get a great view of tall ships and enormous hotel boats and restaurant boats passing on the main canal line.
It’s Friday night so with any luck the place will be deserted throughout the weekend. We may even spend two nights!
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
02.08.08 Amsterdam
Amsterdam is a city which you have to give time to, to let it get under your skin. It is a different city now from the one Alex remembers 37 years ago – but only in that it has modernised and moved with the times. It is still an open city, forward thinking, with friendly people, a sense of fun and any excuse for a party. You have to lock your bike and keep your wallet hidden of course but generally it doesn’t feel like a threatening place.
The first time Alex and Louise came to Amsterdam was by Jet2 for the day in 1997. It turned out to be the Queen of Holland’s birthday – a national holiday. Everyone wore orange, and we mean everyone! All the trams were off and the whole of Amsterdam was having a street party and a canal party. And, it kept raining.
The second time, in 2004, it was March and freezing cold (5oC) so the whole time was spent hopping from café to café to museum to keep warm and back to the airport for our evening meal!
This time, instead of orange for the Queen’s birthday, it is pink for the Gay Pride weekend. Natural justice for Alex I suppose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Louise) Same sort of thing – street party, canal party, no trams, pink just everywhere, and as it turns out, rain! But what a scene! Hopefully the pics will give some idea.
The all-important library is about 1km from the boat. Apparently it moved a year ago from the far side of town – which was where we looked for it, having found it on our map (a kind present from Sylvia and Michael for Alex’s birthday 4 years ago!) to close to our mooring near the Central Station! Not exactly a wasted journey, as you see so much as you go, on a bike.
This iconic building is eight storeys high with a café on the 7th floor with a fabulous selection of food to choose from and an outside veranda with wonderful views of the harbours. On the other floors are, of course, books and videos, but also computer terminals by the hundred. There are sections for your wi-fi laptop, sections with Mac computers, sections with Microsoft computers, sections with USB ports, sections with dedicated library computers etc etc. All free for anyone, resident or visitor alike – just amazing. What a facility!
But – guess what? After hours of trying we could not get our laptop to connect to the wi-fi (blocked by Windows firewall apparently) so we had to use a USB portal computer on the 5th floor to post our blog. So the blog is finally happily posted, but Jamie will have to wait (for security reasons) to have his birthday present transferred into his bank until we can use our own machine!!
Meanwhile the search for a mooring with water and electricity goes on. If we are not on the move we need electricity and we always need water about once a week. Both of these commodities are as few and far between as the moorings themselves here in Holland! But it does give us a goal.
We took the free ferry to Amsterdam North to a yacht harbour – the Six Haven – to see if it might suit. No! As we watched the plastic yachts backing out of the dog-leg entrance, and saw that inside they were moored three deep, we knew it was not for us. So, back over the Het Ij to the Westderdok, but all here was residential. ‘Home’ for lunch via the Historic Museum Harbourmaster’s office for advice.
The afternoon was spent, in the rain, touring round the exteriors of the various landmarks we had ticked off as essential to visit - No 7 Singel, the narrowest house in Amsterdam, just the width of a front door, Herengracht for the ‘swankiest’ houses, coffee in a café while it poured a couple of churches and The Beginhof – a hidden enclave of wonderful houses, some dating from the 1300s (see pics) reserved for single ladies of the city (no, the other single ladies!). Historically, they were for women who wanted to serve the community but did not want to live as nuns. Nowadays, they are reserved for single women on low incomes. Just unbelievable – an oasis of calm in a city of frenetic activity.
Then for a complete contrast we went through the Red Light District – not much ‘doing’ as a Sunday! Then we still had time to go back via the free ferry to North Amsterdam to sus out the further suggestions of the Harbourmaster. Both turned out to be no good but we did happen upon a most delightful village - -at one of the possible mooring places within North Amsterdam. Photos hardly do justice to a truly lovely area, but here they are. Back to base for 6.30pm. (We don’t half pack it in when we are on song!)
Finally we ventured out on to the Het Ij ourselves in search of the elusive water and electricity. Hours later and having trooped up and down the Het Ij, we eventually we found that we could get both diesel and (free) water at a bunker station. So we did that, and then moored up for a hopefully quiet and free night outside the lock onto the North Hollandsche Canal where we travel next, and the travelling will help to top up the batteries.
The first time Alex and Louise came to Amsterdam was by Jet2 for the day in 1997. It turned out to be the Queen of Holland’s birthday – a national holiday. Everyone wore orange, and we mean everyone! All the trams were off and the whole of Amsterdam was having a street party and a canal party. And, it kept raining.
The second time, in 2004, it was March and freezing cold (5oC) so the whole time was spent hopping from café to café to museum to keep warm and back to the airport for our evening meal!
This time, instead of orange for the Queen’s birthday, it is pink for the Gay Pride weekend. Natural justice for Alex I suppose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Louise) Same sort of thing – street party, canal party, no trams, pink just everywhere, and as it turns out, rain! But what a scene! Hopefully the pics will give some idea.
The all-important library is about 1km from the boat. Apparently it moved a year ago from the far side of town – which was where we looked for it, having found it on our map (a kind present from Sylvia and Michael for Alex’s birthday 4 years ago!) to close to our mooring near the Central Station! Not exactly a wasted journey, as you see so much as you go, on a bike.
This iconic building is eight storeys high with a café on the 7th floor with a fabulous selection of food to choose from and an outside veranda with wonderful views of the harbours. On the other floors are, of course, books and videos, but also computer terminals by the hundred. There are sections for your wi-fi laptop, sections with Mac computers, sections with Microsoft computers, sections with USB ports, sections with dedicated library computers etc etc. All free for anyone, resident or visitor alike – just amazing. What a facility!
But – guess what? After hours of trying we could not get our laptop to connect to the wi-fi (blocked by Windows firewall apparently) so we had to use a USB portal computer on the 5th floor to post our blog. So the blog is finally happily posted, but Jamie will have to wait (for security reasons) to have his birthday present transferred into his bank until we can use our own machine!!
Meanwhile the search for a mooring with water and electricity goes on. If we are not on the move we need electricity and we always need water about once a week. Both of these commodities are as few and far between as the moorings themselves here in Holland! But it does give us a goal.
We took the free ferry to Amsterdam North to a yacht harbour – the Six Haven – to see if it might suit. No! As we watched the plastic yachts backing out of the dog-leg entrance, and saw that inside they were moored three deep, we knew it was not for us. So, back over the Het Ij to the Westderdok, but all here was residential. ‘Home’ for lunch via the Historic Museum Harbourmaster’s office for advice.
The afternoon was spent, in the rain, touring round the exteriors of the various landmarks we had ticked off as essential to visit - No 7 Singel, the narrowest house in Amsterdam, just the width of a front door, Herengracht for the ‘swankiest’ houses, coffee in a café while it poured a couple of churches and The Beginhof – a hidden enclave of wonderful houses, some dating from the 1300s (see pics) reserved for single ladies of the city (no, the other single ladies!). Historically, they were for women who wanted to serve the community but did not want to live as nuns. Nowadays, they are reserved for single women on low incomes. Just unbelievable – an oasis of calm in a city of frenetic activity.
Then for a complete contrast we went through the Red Light District – not much ‘doing’ as a Sunday! Then we still had time to go back via the free ferry to North Amsterdam to sus out the further suggestions of the Harbourmaster. Both turned out to be no good but we did happen upon a most delightful village - -at one of the possible mooring places within North Amsterdam. Photos hardly do justice to a truly lovely area, but here they are. Back to base for 6.30pm. (We don’t half pack it in when we are on song!)
Finally we ventured out on to the Het Ij ourselves in search of the elusive water and electricity. Hours later and having trooped up and down the Het Ij, we eventually we found that we could get both diesel and (free) water at a bunker station. So we did that, and then moored up for a hopefully quiet and free night outside the lock onto the North Hollandsche Canal where we travel next, and the travelling will help to top up the batteries.
02.08.08 Gravel Wharf, de Hoef, to Amsterdam
We gradually realised that perhaps one way to make sure we could find a mooring for the night was to find one when everybody else was just leaving! So we regretfully left de Hoef (the gravel wharf) at about 9.30 am and started looking out for something at 11 o’clock. Sure enough, at 11.30 we did spot a vacant place at the side of the canal. We managed to moor up OK but it was obvious by the size of the tiny mooring rings that it was not designed for a boat of our size. Added to that, there was no route off to any civilisation whatever – only a small patch to exercise (toilet) your dog, next to cow-infested fields! At this stage we were also looking for the all-important internet access to keep all our billions of readers informed, otherwise we might well have risked staying put and pulling all the rings out if a commercial went past!
So we had lunch (we always have lunch at times of crisis) and regretfully plodded on, knowing that every minute we were getting closer and closer to the unknown horrors (delights?) of Amsterdam. The first bridge we came to on the outskirts, which needed to be raised to let us through appeared to be unmanned. A call on the VHF elicited no response. Then we spotted through the binos the top of a head in the window of the control room. Another hail on the VHF – no response. “Hello brug, are you receiving, over?” A response came, “Oh, sorry, caller, I did not recognise by your English accent that you were calling my bridge, I will open it now”!!!!!!!!!!! “Thank you, out.”
One down; who knows how many more to go? Amsterdam is just full of bridges.
The next bridge was 50 cms higher than us - easy! The next 10 cms higher – very tense! The next 30mm higher than our solar panels, so very, very tight and potentially very expensive – too much for Louise, “No more bridges like that, please: we must have them opened” she said.
It was now 4 o’clock and we discovered that there is a break in bridge opening for rush hour between 4pm and 6pm and 8am and 9am in the morning. So we looked for somewhere to stop and eventually parked on a ‘double yellow line’ before the next un-openable bridge – they paint them on the water, you know!
Alex went off on his bike to see if he could find a better place to moor, asking permanent live-aboards etc and even the lockkeeper. No luck. He even went for a half hour ride to the Museum Harbour but failed to find the Harbourmaster. So hot, exhausted and fed up he got back to Riccall and the decision was made to stay put regardless of regulations and to expect a knock on the door any time from the Politie!
Next day, (after yet another slightly tense night, during which every boat, small or large, in Amsterdam paraded up and down the Amstel until two in the morning) we set off to go through the next 7 bridges and a lock to get to the Museum Harbour.
We knew the first bridge was OK but our Noodersoft computer programme failed to give the dimensions of the 2nd bridge so we were not going to attempt that unless it was opened for us. A VHF call to the bridge operator whose reply in agitated Dutch told us that there was a problem with something and further instructions again in Dutch. Not able to understand, we drifted around for a bit until we noticed a large hotel boat looming up from behind followed by a 45 foot privately owned tugboat. At the same time two of the lockkeeper staff came up in their launch to explain to these idiot English that Yes! we could follow the two bigger boats. Thank goodness. So we followed them round the bends and through the bridges to the Museum Harbour where the hotel boat disappeared and the tugboat and Riccall moored up.
Hans and Leo from the tugboat turned out to be a couple of old friends in their late 60s who were travelling for a couple of weeks without their wives! They explained to us how the system worked, complemented us on our mooring (that must be a first, but it was very windy, so perhaps somewhat deserved) and later Hans kindly took Alex all the way to the Harbourmaster’s office to sort out our mooring fees (three days E16.20 – very reasonable). So we have three days of legitimate mooring in the middle of Amsterdam for only E16.20!!
The first time Alex and Louise came to Amsterdam was by Jet2 for the day. It turned out to be the Queen of Holland’s birthday – a national holiday. Everyone wears orange, and we mean everyone! All the trams were off and the whole of Amsterdam was having a street party and a canal party. And, it kept raining.
The second time it was freezing cold (7o F) so the whole time was spent hopping from café to café to museum to keep warm!
This time, instead of orange for the Queen’s birthday, it is pink for the Gay Pride weekend. Natural justice for Alex I suppose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Louise) Same sort of thing – street party, canal party, no trams, pink just everywhere, and as it turns out, rain! But what a scene! Hopefully the pics will give some idea.
The library is about 1km from the boat. Apparently it moved a year ago from the far side of town – which was where we looked for it, having found it on our map (a kind present from Sylvia and Michael for Alex’s birthday all those years ago!) to close to our mooring near the Central Station!
This iconic building is eight storeys high with a café on the 7th floor with a fabulous selection of food to choose from and an outside veranda with wonderful views of the harbours. On the other floors are, of course, books and videos, but also computer terminals by the hundred. There are sections for your wi-fi laptop, sections with Mac computers, sections with Microsoft computers, sections with USB ports, sections with dedicated library computers etc etc. All free for anyone– just amazing. What a facility!
But – guess what? After hours of trying we could not get our laptop to connect to the wi-fi (blocked by Windows firewall apparently) so we had to use a USB portal computer on the 5th floor to post our blog. So the blog is finally happily posted, but Jamie will have to wait (for security reasons) to have his birthday present transferred into his bank until we can use our own machine!!
So we had lunch (we always have lunch at times of crisis) and regretfully plodded on, knowing that every minute we were getting closer and closer to the unknown horrors (delights?) of Amsterdam. The first bridge we came to on the outskirts, which needed to be raised to let us through appeared to be unmanned. A call on the VHF elicited no response. Then we spotted through the binos the top of a head in the window of the control room. Another hail on the VHF – no response. “Hello brug, are you receiving, over?” A response came, “Oh, sorry, caller, I did not recognise by your English accent that you were calling my bridge, I will open it now”!!!!!!!!!!! “Thank you, out.”
One down; who knows how many more to go? Amsterdam is just full of bridges.
The next bridge was 50 cms higher than us - easy! The next 10 cms higher – very tense! The next 30mm higher than our solar panels, so very, very tight and potentially very expensive – too much for Louise, “No more bridges like that, please: we must have them opened” she said.
It was now 4 o’clock and we discovered that there is a break in bridge opening for rush hour between 4pm and 6pm and 8am and 9am in the morning. So we looked for somewhere to stop and eventually parked on a ‘double yellow line’ before the next un-openable bridge – they paint them on the water, you know!
Alex went off on his bike to see if he could find a better place to moor, asking permanent live-aboards etc and even the lockkeeper. No luck. He even went for a half hour ride to the Museum Harbour but failed to find the Harbourmaster. So hot, exhausted and fed up he got back to Riccall and the decision was made to stay put regardless of regulations and to expect a knock on the door any time from the Politie!
Next day, (after yet another slightly tense night, during which every boat, small or large, in Amsterdam paraded up and down the Amstel until two in the morning) we set off to go through the next 7 bridges and a lock to get to the Museum Harbour.
We knew the first bridge was OK but our Noodersoft computer programme failed to give the dimensions of the 2nd bridge so we were not going to attempt that unless it was opened for us. A VHF call to the bridge operator whose reply in agitated Dutch told us that there was a problem with something and further instructions again in Dutch. Not able to understand, we drifted around for a bit until we noticed a large hotel boat looming up from behind followed by a 45 foot privately owned tugboat. At the same time two of the lockkeeper staff came up in their launch to explain to these idiot English that Yes! we could follow the two bigger boats. Thank goodness. So we followed them round the bends and through the bridges to the Museum Harbour where the hotel boat disappeared and the tugboat and Riccall moored up.
Hans and Leo from the tugboat turned out to be a couple of old friends in their late 60s who were travelling for a couple of weeks without their wives! They explained to us how the system worked, complemented us on our mooring (that must be a first, but it was very windy, so perhaps somewhat deserved) and later Hans kindly took Alex all the way to the Harbourmaster’s office to sort out our mooring fees (three days E16.20 – very reasonable). So we have three days of legitimate mooring in the middle of Amsterdam for only E16.20!!
The first time Alex and Louise came to Amsterdam was by Jet2 for the day. It turned out to be the Queen of Holland’s birthday – a national holiday. Everyone wears orange, and we mean everyone! All the trams were off and the whole of Amsterdam was having a street party and a canal party. And, it kept raining.
The second time it was freezing cold (7o F) so the whole time was spent hopping from café to café to museum to keep warm!
This time, instead of orange for the Queen’s birthday, it is pink for the Gay Pride weekend. Natural justice for Alex I suppose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Louise) Same sort of thing – street party, canal party, no trams, pink just everywhere, and as it turns out, rain! But what a scene! Hopefully the pics will give some idea.
The library is about 1km from the boat. Apparently it moved a year ago from the far side of town – which was where we looked for it, having found it on our map (a kind present from Sylvia and Michael for Alex’s birthday all those years ago!) to close to our mooring near the Central Station!
This iconic building is eight storeys high with a café on the 7th floor with a fabulous selection of food to choose from and an outside veranda with wonderful views of the harbours. On the other floors are, of course, books and videos, but also computer terminals by the hundred. There are sections for your wi-fi laptop, sections with Mac computers, sections with Microsoft computers, sections with USB ports, sections with dedicated library computers etc etc. All free for anyone– just amazing. What a facility!
But – guess what? After hours of trying we could not get our laptop to connect to the wi-fi (blocked by Windows firewall apparently) so we had to use a USB portal computer on the 5th floor to post our blog. So the blog is finally happily posted, but Jamie will have to wait (for security reasons) to have his birthday present transferred into his bank until we can use our own machine!!
Saturday, 2 August 2008
30.07.08 Gouda to de Hoef
So we left Gouda and travelled north for a while in the main “fixed mast” route (i.e. for yachts of whatever size which want to keep their masts up throughout their cruise to their sailing ground), but at the first junction we turned off onto the Oude Rijn, on a detour which would take us as deep into Dutch countryside as you could get. Our first stop was outside a house on a stretch of quiet canal with little or no commercial traffic. We asked the lady householder if it would be OK to stop and she said she was sure it would be fine. It turned out that she was Dutch born, now living permanently in New Zealand with her young son, and was just visiting her mother.
The mooring turned out to be a little noisier than expected, due to the roaring traffic on the canalside roads – mopeds, motorbikes, cars, lorries, tractors etc, etc. but it was safe and otherwise undisturbed – or at least it was until 2a.m., when the drawers and wardrobe doors started to pop open one by one with a whoosh. We knew at once that it meant we had gone aground – again!! and the boat was now listing to port sufficiently to release the stops.
The river level had dropped, but Alex decided that 2am was not the time to start the engine and try to pull us off. So after an inadequate night’s ‘sleep’ and a rather tense early breakfast we reversed off with, as it turned out, no difficulty at all and we were free! (Yes, yes, we know – ‘never reverse’ – but in this instance we knew the water behind us was deep!)
Next we turned into the Grecht Canal which was the smallest we have been on so far; design size 5m x 30m (we are 4.8 x 19) so a tight fit in locks and through bridges.
It was a pretty shallow throughout but very quiet and rural, with dead straight, parallel drainage channels going off from the main canal every 10 or 20 metres. Water, water everywhere. On the map it looked like someone had been doing coarse buttonhole stitching (in blue) all up the canal. After some hours of this gentle plodding we longed to find somewhere to stop for the night, but every available spot, suitable or otherwise, had been taken. Eventually we stopped on a very flimsy café mooring and for the price of two cups of coffee (and an ice cream pancake!) and a long chat with the proprietor, we discovered that the local sand and gravel supplier, not 100 yards away, was closed for the annual two-week holiday and his normal barge traffic would also not be arriving. Our informant assured us that Herr de Rooij would probably not mind if we moored on his wharf. He did not, and we did!
It has taken us well over a week since our last posting from Dordrecht to find internet access – one of the disadvantages of the country route! In fact, while we were moored on the de Rooji’s wharf, we cycled five miles to the local village and asked there in the café for directions to the library. Having eventually found the library, we discovered it was due to close in 5 minutes and didn’t have internet access anyway, but they said they thought the café we had just left, did!!! By this time we had also found a shop, were loaded up with groceries and just couldn’t face dragging this heavy load back to the café.
Gouda 23/28.07.08
At the touch of the key, the customary cloud of blue smoke issued forth and the Gardner 6LX burst into life. The even thrum was music to their ears!! A quick request on Channel 74 and the bridge would be opened in the next 10 minutes – perfect timing for the engine to warm up and the ropes and fenders to be removed. Thus the continuation of the voyage of Riccall began after a stop of three weeks (!!!) at the beautiful and beguiling Dordrecht.
Our last sightseeing must was Dordrecht’s Grote Kerk (abbey?) with its 275 steps leading up to the top of the highest landmark for miles around – albeit it Pisa style, leaning by some 2½ metres at the top. You could really feel it too as you climbed the steps – easier in one direction, a really hard pull in the other! The view from the top was amazing, showing in graphic detail how Dordrecht had originally been an island, reclaimed from the rivers Oude Maas, Noord and Merwede to form the historic heart of the present day city. The temptation to spend even longer there was incredibly strong, but onwards and upwards we must go.
The journey to the outskirts of Gouda was uneventful, even if most of it was on a tidal stretch of river, but eventually it was nice to get into the tranquillity and security of a non-tidal canal. We moored for the night on moorings which we later realised were reserved for vessels using the lock – but we managed to overcome that concern! Did feel a bit guilty though as the “big boys” went slowly past looking for that last space, which we had snaffled.
The mooring seemed as rural and quiet as you could hope for. In the field next to us was an array of cockerels and hens, kids and goats, Shetland ponies and horses, turkeys, geese and sheep with lambs, in a kind of menagerie someone has set up at the very end of a lane.
//
At least it was a rural idyll until the following day when the local yobbos decided that the spot beside us was a good place to park to play their obnoxious rap music from their seriously HUGE car music systems – mostly in Dutch but with the unmistakeable “mother f….r” on every other line!
We decided to move on and managed our best yet in terms of lack of achievement – 1½ kilometres took us 3 hours!! – including difficulty turning round to set off because of a constant stream of boats, large and small, heading for the festival, and then later mooring up against very strong winds.
We had decided against trying to moor in Gouda itself this time, as there will be about 180 historic sailing barges taking up all the available space during this special weekend. We were assured that if we turned up as an historic English barge unannounced and unbooked we would very probably be allowed in, but we decided that we would feel such “outsiders” that we would give it a miss and try on the way back from the north, when the place would be empty and we would be hopefully be welcomed with open arms!
However, we are now on official free moorings, unlimited time and 20 mins by bike from Gouda central where we can go to see all these historic tjalks in their original setting.
//
The scene in Gouda is amazing – full blown sea shanty stuff, with demonstrations of how the old machinery used to work, how the people lived, and in one place three old guys in clogs frying battered fish on little wood burning stoves – 2E per stuk (piece) for our lunch – and several groups of guys in striped singlets and clogs barging up and down the canals singing sea shanties. For those who know the Hull Sea Shanty, Gouda is the mother of all sea shanties!
There were people in clogs talking about their old barges, and people (in clogs) in big barges and little tiny fishing barges and even toddlers in clogs. In fact, you could hardly move there were so many people in clogs – hence the expression “everything was clogged up” I suppose. (Alex) (Bet you saw that coming! - Louise)
Alex tried smoked eel but Louise couldn’t fancy it (slimy, slippery stuff). Alex thought it was OK but it is eaten from a sheet of paper with fingers – just impossible to get rid of the smell from your hands afterwards despite the water with lemon wedges provided for the purpose of washing.
And yes – we did buy some cheese!
In the evening and back at our mooring, as we watched the next batch of tall masts going through the opened railway bridge, we came across our first and so far only other English boat in Holland. Rob and his son Michael not only come from Yorkshire, but from Harrogate, and not only that, but from Cornwall Road - just 200 yards up the road from our own Cornwall Road house! So we shared a bottle of wine that night on their yacht and gave them some stores when they dropped by the next morning before setting off back to England.
We are ourselves now setting off from Gouda to move north towards Amsterdam but just when this blog will be posted is open to question as usual!
The mooring turned out to be a little noisier than expected, due to the roaring traffic on the canalside roads – mopeds, motorbikes, cars, lorries, tractors etc, etc. but it was safe and otherwise undisturbed – or at least it was until 2a.m., when the drawers and wardrobe doors started to pop open one by one with a whoosh. We knew at once that it meant we had gone aground – again!! and the boat was now listing to port sufficiently to release the stops.
The river level had dropped, but Alex decided that 2am was not the time to start the engine and try to pull us off. So after an inadequate night’s ‘sleep’ and a rather tense early breakfast we reversed off with, as it turned out, no difficulty at all and we were free! (Yes, yes, we know – ‘never reverse’ – but in this instance we knew the water behind us was deep!)
Next we turned into the Grecht Canal which was the smallest we have been on so far; design size 5m x 30m (we are 4.8 x 19) so a tight fit in locks and through bridges.
It was a pretty shallow throughout but very quiet and rural, with dead straight, parallel drainage channels going off from the main canal every 10 or 20 metres. Water, water everywhere. On the map it looked like someone had been doing coarse buttonhole stitching (in blue) all up the canal. After some hours of this gentle plodding we longed to find somewhere to stop for the night, but every available spot, suitable or otherwise, had been taken. Eventually we stopped on a very flimsy café mooring and for the price of two cups of coffee (and an ice cream pancake!) and a long chat with the proprietor, we discovered that the local sand and gravel supplier, not 100 yards away, was closed for the annual two-week holiday and his normal barge traffic would also not be arriving. Our informant assured us that Herr de Rooij would probably not mind if we moored on his wharf. He did not, and we did!
It has taken us well over a week since our last posting from Dordrecht to find internet access – one of the disadvantages of the country route! In fact, while we were moored on the de Rooji’s wharf, we cycled five miles to the local village and asked there in the café for directions to the library. Having eventually found the library, we discovered it was due to close in 5 minutes and didn’t have internet access anyway, but they said they thought the café we had just left, did!!! By this time we had also found a shop, were loaded up with groceries and just couldn’t face dragging this heavy load back to the café.
Gouda 23/28.07.08
At the touch of the key, the customary cloud of blue smoke issued forth and the Gardner 6LX burst into life. The even thrum was music to their ears!! A quick request on Channel 74 and the bridge would be opened in the next 10 minutes – perfect timing for the engine to warm up and the ropes and fenders to be removed. Thus the continuation of the voyage of Riccall began after a stop of three weeks (!!!) at the beautiful and beguiling Dordrecht.
Our last sightseeing must was Dordrecht’s Grote Kerk (abbey?) with its 275 steps leading up to the top of the highest landmark for miles around – albeit it Pisa style, leaning by some 2½ metres at the top. You could really feel it too as you climbed the steps – easier in one direction, a really hard pull in the other! The view from the top was amazing, showing in graphic detail how Dordrecht had originally been an island, reclaimed from the rivers Oude Maas, Noord and Merwede to form the historic heart of the present day city. The temptation to spend even longer there was incredibly strong, but onwards and upwards we must go.
The journey to the outskirts of Gouda was uneventful, even if most of it was on a tidal stretch of river, but eventually it was nice to get into the tranquillity and security of a non-tidal canal. We moored for the night on moorings which we later realised were reserved for vessels using the lock – but we managed to overcome that concern! Did feel a bit guilty though as the “big boys” went slowly past looking for that last space, which we had snaffled.
The mooring seemed as rural and quiet as you could hope for. In the field next to us was an array of cockerels and hens, kids and goats, Shetland ponies and horses, turkeys, geese and sheep with lambs, in a kind of menagerie someone has set up at the very end of a lane.
//
At least it was a rural idyll until the following day when the local yobbos decided that the spot beside us was a good place to park to play their obnoxious rap music from their seriously HUGE car music systems – mostly in Dutch but with the unmistakeable “mother f….r” on every other line!
We decided to move on and managed our best yet in terms of lack of achievement – 1½ kilometres took us 3 hours!! – including difficulty turning round to set off because of a constant stream of boats, large and small, heading for the festival, and then later mooring up against very strong winds.
We had decided against trying to moor in Gouda itself this time, as there will be about 180 historic sailing barges taking up all the available space during this special weekend. We were assured that if we turned up as an historic English barge unannounced and unbooked we would very probably be allowed in, but we decided that we would feel such “outsiders” that we would give it a miss and try on the way back from the north, when the place would be empty and we would be hopefully be welcomed with open arms!
However, we are now on official free moorings, unlimited time and 20 mins by bike from Gouda central where we can go to see all these historic tjalks in their original setting.
//
The scene in Gouda is amazing – full blown sea shanty stuff, with demonstrations of how the old machinery used to work, how the people lived, and in one place three old guys in clogs frying battered fish on little wood burning stoves – 2E per stuk (piece) for our lunch – and several groups of guys in striped singlets and clogs barging up and down the canals singing sea shanties. For those who know the Hull Sea Shanty, Gouda is the mother of all sea shanties!
There were people in clogs talking about their old barges, and people (in clogs) in big barges and little tiny fishing barges and even toddlers in clogs. In fact, you could hardly move there were so many people in clogs – hence the expression “everything was clogged up” I suppose. (Alex) (Bet you saw that coming! - Louise)
Alex tried smoked eel but Louise couldn’t fancy it (slimy, slippery stuff). Alex thought it was OK but it is eaten from a sheet of paper with fingers – just impossible to get rid of the smell from your hands afterwards despite the water with lemon wedges provided for the purpose of washing.
And yes – we did buy some cheese!
In the evening and back at our mooring, as we watched the next batch of tall masts going through the opened railway bridge, we came across our first and so far only other English boat in Holland. Rob and his son Michael not only come from Yorkshire, but from Harrogate, and not only that, but from Cornwall Road - just 200 yards up the road from our own Cornwall Road house! So we shared a bottle of wine that night on their yacht and gave them some stores when they dropped by the next morning before setting off back to England.
We are ourselves now setting off from Gouda to move north towards Amsterdam but just when this blog will be posted is open to question as usual!
Sunday, 20 July 2008
18.07.08 Rotterdam
We decided on Friday to have a complete change from boats and boating, so we took our bicycles on the fast ferry to Rotterdam. The catamaran ferry zipped up the river stopping at a number of places on both banks, with shipbuilders, repair yards and wharves and harbours to look at on the way.
An hour later we were in Rotterdam and the first thing we noticed, on the other side of the river from the ferry stop, was a truly massive cruise ship, which turned out to be The Queen Elizabeth II!!
So, as it was by now pouring with rain, we dropped into a rather smart café for coffee and tea, till it had stopped. Then we headed off for the Tourist Info Bureau and got the usual map and list of things to see and places to eat. This of course took us to the Oude Haven (Old Harbour) where we had an alfresco (if chilly) lunch, looking out over lines of lovely old tjalks. Then it was off to the historic harbour section where there were more old ships and working museums of ship repair equipment and methods, quayside cranes, engines and suchlike.
Then over the spectacular single-end-supported suspension bridge to get a closer look at the Queen Elizabeth II and to get our afternoon tea and coffee at the old New York Hotel, so called because it started life providing overnight accommodation for passengers embarking for America - probably dates from the late 1800s but in common with many ‘iconic’ places of interest, was a touch shabby and trading almost purely on its historic connections.
Out again, and people were queuing up to board the cruise ship, and although we were absolutely sure they would not be running tours for tourists – we did just ask! It would have been such a fantastic opportunity if they had been doing so, but, you’ve guessed it – No. The queue turned out to be paying passengers returning from their day out in Rotterdam.
So, back over the bridge, and as we went we noticed that the bunker barge which had been supplying fuel to the Queen Elizabeth II was now much further out of the water than when we had arrived at 12pm indicating that bunkering was almost finished.
We asked a couple of old gentlemen sitting on a bench if they knew when the ship might be leaving. The reply – ‘Any time now’! So we spent the next couple of hours watching all the preparations for the ship to sail and at the same time we were able to watch everything being set up for the Red Bull Air Race qualifying heat which was due the next day on and over the river.
At last the three tugs had their ropes attached, the river police were stopping more barges from churning up and down the river and with three long, loud (VERY loud) blasts on her horn reverberating through the vicinity, the Queen Elizabeth II started to move majestically, if backwards, down the river. (Three blasts? - "I am going astern"?)
We guessed the tugs were going to turn her further down river where it was wider and we would have followed on the bikes, but the last ferry back was due to leave, so we had to forgo that pleasure. But what a treat to see her leaving on her very last voyage before she goes to Dubai to become a hotel! Several other boats sounded their horns and she replied with that deep note of hers that sends such a tingle up the spine.
After we got back to Dordrecht we literally heard that the Rivers Festival 2008 had started, so after supper we wandered up to listen to the live band at the end of the harbour, whose style was a little like ‘Men at Work’ and who sang all their songs in English. Despite this we knew none of them! But we did like the sax, trumpet and trombone set-up, together with lead and base guitars, keyboards and proper drum kit. Well – we stayed till they finished their set at 11.45 – so it must have been OK!
An hour later we were in Rotterdam and the first thing we noticed, on the other side of the river from the ferry stop, was a truly massive cruise ship, which turned out to be The Queen Elizabeth II!!
So, as it was by now pouring with rain, we dropped into a rather smart café for coffee and tea, till it had stopped. Then we headed off for the Tourist Info Bureau and got the usual map and list of things to see and places to eat. This of course took us to the Oude Haven (Old Harbour) where we had an alfresco (if chilly) lunch, looking out over lines of lovely old tjalks. Then it was off to the historic harbour section where there were more old ships and working museums of ship repair equipment and methods, quayside cranes, engines and suchlike.
Then over the spectacular single-end-supported suspension bridge to get a closer look at the Queen Elizabeth II and to get our afternoon tea and coffee at the old New York Hotel, so called because it started life providing overnight accommodation for passengers embarking for America - probably dates from the late 1800s but in common with many ‘iconic’ places of interest, was a touch shabby and trading almost purely on its historic connections.
Out again, and people were queuing up to board the cruise ship, and although we were absolutely sure they would not be running tours for tourists – we did just ask! It would have been such a fantastic opportunity if they had been doing so, but, you’ve guessed it – No. The queue turned out to be paying passengers returning from their day out in Rotterdam.
So, back over the bridge, and as we went we noticed that the bunker barge which had been supplying fuel to the Queen Elizabeth II was now much further out of the water than when we had arrived at 12pm indicating that bunkering was almost finished.
We asked a couple of old gentlemen sitting on a bench if they knew when the ship might be leaving. The reply – ‘Any time now’! So we spent the next couple of hours watching all the preparations for the ship to sail and at the same time we were able to watch everything being set up for the Red Bull Air Race qualifying heat which was due the next day on and over the river.
At last the three tugs had their ropes attached, the river police were stopping more barges from churning up and down the river and with three long, loud (VERY loud) blasts on her horn reverberating through the vicinity, the Queen Elizabeth II started to move majestically, if backwards, down the river. (Three blasts? - "I am going astern"?)
We guessed the tugs were going to turn her further down river where it was wider and we would have followed on the bikes, but the last ferry back was due to leave, so we had to forgo that pleasure. But what a treat to see her leaving on her very last voyage before she goes to Dubai to become a hotel! Several other boats sounded their horns and she replied with that deep note of hers that sends such a tingle up the spine.
After we got back to Dordrecht we literally heard that the Rivers Festival 2008 had started, so after supper we wandered up to listen to the live band at the end of the harbour, whose style was a little like ‘Men at Work’ and who sang all their songs in English. Despite this we knew none of them! But we did like the sax, trumpet and trombone set-up, together with lead and base guitars, keyboards and proper drum kit. Well – we stayed till they finished their set at 11.45 – so it must have been OK!
Thursday, 17 July 2008
17.07.08 Home from Home
Here we are, back ‘home’ in Dordrecht. After a hectic week back at ‘home’ in Methley Bridge and back at ‘home’ in Newton Aycliffe, we really feel more ‘at home’ on Riccall than anywhere else, if you get our meaning!!
Setting off for the UK, we cycled to the station, caught the train with 2 minutes to spare (always fatal to get up half an hour too early – it gives you a false sense of lack of rush) – got to the airport with plenty of time, got back to the UK on time and were picked up by Angela (thanks Angela) and dropped off at our narrowboat.
Thereafter, the following days were spent at dentists, accountants (Alex), opticians, hairdressers (Louise), old folks’ homes, Louise’s son’s home, our home in Newton Aycliffe, friends in Harrogate and Richmond, and finally the boat in Methley Bridge again. Then the lift, flight, train and bike in reverse! What a palava! Funny how at the airport they were more interested in swabbing the laptop for signs of explosive powder – than noticing the block of semtex disguised as seriously strong cheddar cheese (a present for friends)!
I mean, I ask you, without wishing to sound racist here, how many 59 year old, white Caucasian Englishmen, born and bred in Northumberland, become suicide bombers? We’ve better things to do with our lives.
Our next door neighbour had had no more problems with noisy tyres or ropes (what a relief) and George and Susanne welcomed us back and came for drinks and nibbles the evening before they departed for the south.
We have secured a new, old bicycle for Alex (E40) in the traditional Dutch style of sit up and beg, which is great, and we have arranged to have winter moorings in Gent. So we are all set to leave Dordrecht next week and meander our way to Amsterdam and then slowly south via Maastricht to Gent over the next three months.
Come April 2009 we intend to head off into the French canal system for 8 months or so. But plans are, as always, as fluid as the water we float upon, so we shall see.
More in a week or so, but in between, some pics of us arriving at our Dordrecht moorings and of Aeolus leaving.
Setting off for the UK, we cycled to the station, caught the train with 2 minutes to spare (always fatal to get up half an hour too early – it gives you a false sense of lack of rush) – got to the airport with plenty of time, got back to the UK on time and were picked up by Angela (thanks Angela) and dropped off at our narrowboat.
Thereafter, the following days were spent at dentists, accountants (Alex), opticians, hairdressers (Louise), old folks’ homes, Louise’s son’s home, our home in Newton Aycliffe, friends in Harrogate and Richmond, and finally the boat in Methley Bridge again. Then the lift, flight, train and bike in reverse! What a palava! Funny how at the airport they were more interested in swabbing the laptop for signs of explosive powder – than noticing the block of semtex disguised as seriously strong cheddar cheese (a present for friends)!
I mean, I ask you, without wishing to sound racist here, how many 59 year old, white Caucasian Englishmen, born and bred in Northumberland, become suicide bombers? We’ve better things to do with our lives.
Our next door neighbour had had no more problems with noisy tyres or ropes (what a relief) and George and Susanne welcomed us back and came for drinks and nibbles the evening before they departed for the south.
We have secured a new, old bicycle for Alex (E40) in the traditional Dutch style of sit up and beg, which is great, and we have arranged to have winter moorings in Gent. So we are all set to leave Dordrecht next week and meander our way to Amsterdam and then slowly south via Maastricht to Gent over the next three months.
Come April 2009 we intend to head off into the French canal system for 8 months or so. But plans are, as always, as fluid as the water we float upon, so we shall see.
More in a week or so, but in between, some pics of us arriving at our Dordrecht moorings and of Aeolus leaving.
Sunday, 6 July 2008
06.07.08 Dordrecht
As you know, we have agreed with the 'DW' (Dutch Waterways) that we can leave Riccall here in the historic harbour for the next 2 weeks while we return to GB by bike, train, plane and kind lift from Angela.
We have been to the local Aldi (!!!!!), the 2nd hand shop, the only working windmill and all around and about! The few days we have been here have gone in a flash.
On the second day one of the moored barges left and we were advised by 'DW' to moor where it had been, beside two other barges.
The owner was not there when we moored and it became apparent overnight that the sloshing about from the wake of the big ships outside the harbour was causing so much movement between us that all the ropes and tyres were groaning and sqeaking most of the night.
The next day Lisette (fifty, feisty and single) from the next barge popped out the moment Alex appeared, to complain that she had had a terrible night with the noise et. etc.
Alex had to do a massive crawling job - full-on diplomacy and charm to mollify her: explaining that he had been up and outside at 4 am himself (true) trying to quieten things down, and agreed to do everything possible to resolve the situation: different types of rope, different mooring style, extra ropes to the shore etc (and in the end, unbeknown to Lisette, grease all over the tyres between us!).
The lovely bunch of freesias Louise bought and presented along with her heartfelt apologies, brought forth cheek-kissing, smiles and thanks, so perhaps all will be well.
We hope all this will have worked - Saturday night was fine - but there is much less ship movement over the weekend so Monday am will be crunch time.
Back to the UK on Tuesday, for an action-packed week. You should see the list of things we have to do, people we must see, and items we need to buy and bring back with us - decent tea bags being top of the list, closely folowed by Alex's favourite crisps 0nly UK Aldi can do!
We have been to the local Aldi (!!!!!), the 2nd hand shop, the only working windmill and all around and about! The few days we have been here have gone in a flash.
On the second day one of the moored barges left and we were advised by 'DW' to moor where it had been, beside two other barges.
The owner was not there when we moored and it became apparent overnight that the sloshing about from the wake of the big ships outside the harbour was causing so much movement between us that all the ropes and tyres were groaning and sqeaking most of the night.
The next day Lisette (fifty, feisty and single) from the next barge popped out the moment Alex appeared, to complain that she had had a terrible night with the noise et. etc.
Alex had to do a massive crawling job - full-on diplomacy and charm to mollify her: explaining that he had been up and outside at 4 am himself (true) trying to quieten things down, and agreed to do everything possible to resolve the situation: different types of rope, different mooring style, extra ropes to the shore etc (and in the end, unbeknown to Lisette, grease all over the tyres between us!).
The lovely bunch of freesias Louise bought and presented along with her heartfelt apologies, brought forth cheek-kissing, smiles and thanks, so perhaps all will be well.
We hope all this will have worked - Saturday night was fine - but there is much less ship movement over the weekend so Monday am will be crunch time.
Back to the UK on Tuesday, for an action-packed week. You should see the list of things we have to do, people we must see, and items we need to buy and bring back with us - decent tea bags being top of the list, closely folowed by Alex's favourite crisps 0nly UK Aldi can do!
Thursday, 3 July 2008
03.07.08 Dordrecht
We have reached Dordrecht, having fixed the steering in Spieringsluis. (For the technically minded, it turned out to be the pump whose pulley wheel was slipping on the spindle.) Our plan had been to reach Dordrecht for an overnight stay and then push on northwards towards Schipol. A suitable mooring in Dordrecht had been recommended by the skipper of ‘de Poolster’, a historic barge dedicated to taking special needs children and adults on trips, which moored alongside us briefly at Spieringsluis.
So we set off for the first lock – Ottersluis – to await the ebb tide which would carry us down to Dordrecht. We had been told by Dordrecht Control that this would be at 4.00 pm. By 4.45pm we were still waiting and at 5.00 pm we decided to go anyway though we still had 1.5 kph of flow going under us. An hour later we were on the outskirts of Dordrecht with a bridge ahead that was too low for us. Eventually, we worked out how to contact bridge control and asked to be allowed through. No answer came from the unseen bridge operator, but suddenly all the rush-hour traffic was stopped, just for little us, the bridge section was raised and we were given a green light.
A little further on and we had reached the recommended ‘haven’ which had one of those lovely little Dutch bridges across its entrance. Needless to say, it took some time to establish how to get this bridge opened, during which time we sat outside the entrance being buffeted against the mooring posts by the wash of the passing barge traffic on the main channels. This is a waterway junction so there is traffic going just everywhere, with conflicting washes to match. Eventually, Alex tracked down a boat resident who gave us a number to ring, and we managed to contact someone to open the bridge. The someone turned out to be a severe looking woman who beckoned Alex to the office to fill in the necessary paperwork. For those cinema-goers amongst you, you may remember Rosa Klebb from the film ‘From Russia with Love’. Well Alex reckons she was a pussycat compared to this woman! (We didn’t notice the spikes in the toes of her shoes but she almost certainly had them!!) (Louise says "All this is Dutch to me!!) She spoke almost no English and was outraged that Alex spoke no Dutch or even German which she could also speak. French was clearly just for wimps! Eventually she let us through the bridge with a fixed and immoveable scowl and we moored up for the day. Soon a couple from a beautiful ‘tjalk’ opposite came across to talk to us, as did several other people with an interest in barges during the evening.
Out of all this it seems possible that if we can convince ‘them’ that we are indeed a historic boat (and British Waterways have rubber stamped that for UK – oh, where is that document?!) it seems we may be allowed 4 days free and thereafter 30 Euros per week! This is wonderful news, if true, and means we will stay here until our flight home on the 8th and get to Schipol by train (1 hour) and leave the boat moored alongside other live-aboards. Problem solved.
Alex has just returned from the office where a different woman was on duty – hurrah! She was just the opposite of the one from yesterday and was most helpful. Apparently, we get three nights free, and if we were minded to go away for one night, we could then come back and get the next three nights free!! ad infinitum presumably. But we think we could easily use more fuel than this palaver is worth so we are going to stay put until we return from England.
Dordrecht remains to be explored and we now have enough time to do that in comfort. It looks just lovely from this mooring in the historic harbour area so we will see and report later.
Once again, however, internet access is not easy, so you may get several of these blogs posted at once and then a gap for some time!
Its great to receive your comments so do keep them coming.
So we set off for the first lock – Ottersluis – to await the ebb tide which would carry us down to Dordrecht. We had been told by Dordrecht Control that this would be at 4.00 pm. By 4.45pm we were still waiting and at 5.00 pm we decided to go anyway though we still had 1.5 kph of flow going under us. An hour later we were on the outskirts of Dordrecht with a bridge ahead that was too low for us. Eventually, we worked out how to contact bridge control and asked to be allowed through. No answer came from the unseen bridge operator, but suddenly all the rush-hour traffic was stopped, just for little us, the bridge section was raised and we were given a green light.
A little further on and we had reached the recommended ‘haven’ which had one of those lovely little Dutch bridges across its entrance. Needless to say, it took some time to establish how to get this bridge opened, during which time we sat outside the entrance being buffeted against the mooring posts by the wash of the passing barge traffic on the main channels. This is a waterway junction so there is traffic going just everywhere, with conflicting washes to match. Eventually, Alex tracked down a boat resident who gave us a number to ring, and we managed to contact someone to open the bridge. The someone turned out to be a severe looking woman who beckoned Alex to the office to fill in the necessary paperwork. For those cinema-goers amongst you, you may remember Rosa Klebb from the film ‘From Russia with Love’. Well Alex reckons she was a pussycat compared to this woman! (We didn’t notice the spikes in the toes of her shoes but she almost certainly had them!!) (Louise says "All this is Dutch to me!!) She spoke almost no English and was outraged that Alex spoke no Dutch or even German which she could also speak. French was clearly just for wimps! Eventually she let us through the bridge with a fixed and immoveable scowl and we moored up for the day. Soon a couple from a beautiful ‘tjalk’ opposite came across to talk to us, as did several other people with an interest in barges during the evening.
Out of all this it seems possible that if we can convince ‘them’ that we are indeed a historic boat (and British Waterways have rubber stamped that for UK – oh, where is that document?!) it seems we may be allowed 4 days free and thereafter 30 Euros per week! This is wonderful news, if true, and means we will stay here until our flight home on the 8th and get to Schipol by train (1 hour) and leave the boat moored alongside other live-aboards. Problem solved.
Alex has just returned from the office where a different woman was on duty – hurrah! She was just the opposite of the one from yesterday and was most helpful. Apparently, we get three nights free, and if we were minded to go away for one night, we could then come back and get the next three nights free!! ad infinitum presumably. But we think we could easily use more fuel than this palaver is worth so we are going to stay put until we return from England.
Dordrecht remains to be explored and we now have enough time to do that in comfort. It looks just lovely from this mooring in the historic harbour area so we will see and report later.
Once again, however, internet access is not easy, so you may get several of these blogs posted at once and then a gap for some time!
Its great to receive your comments so do keep them coming.
01.07.08 The Rescue
We left our idyllic moorings on the nature reserve and had an easy day to the Volkerak Sluice. This huge lock is in two parts – one ‘small’ lock of 200 feet long for yachts and pleasure craft and two really big locks for commercial. Obviously we chose commercial – no sorry, just joking – the yacht lock where we moored up for a quiet free night. The next day we set off at a leisurely 10.30 for our next destination which was to be via the ‘scenic route’ according to our programme Noodersoft. Unfortunately at the very moment where we were entering a labyrinth of small islands the area involved as shown on the screen became devoid of any detail whatsoever. More than that, an area of dense blue covered the layout of the islands closest to us so that we had no idea where we were supposed to be, although we suspected we were off course.
You have to go somewhere, but naturally the route we decided to take became shallower and shallower, with some small areas which were very very shallow, until we went aground. We tried to reverse, to pull ourselves off, but the rudder dug deep, swung round and rammed hard to starboard, bending the operating ram. We managed to move forward again, then went ever harder aground with the port side up some 6”. Oh hell!
We closed down and had lunch, then Alex replaced the ram. But there was now a problem with the power assistance. We were also still very much aground.
Then a little power boat appeared and after much frantic waving by Louise, headed in our direction (only slowing for a few moments while the lady of the couple put her bikini – both parts – back on!) They told us that the area had a small tide, which would lift us about 30cm later in the day and we might get off then. They also gave us the number of the Police Patrol who would be able to alert a local barge to tow us off (for a small fortune no doubt) if we couldn’t do it ourselves.
We thanked them profusely for their help, saw them on their way and sat back waiting for the tide. To our amazement, 1½ hours later the couple reappeared in their speedboat with a 50 ft police patrol power launch and a 350 hp RIB (rigid inflatable) in tow (not literally of course).
The police were pretty disappointed that their RIB wasn’t man enough to pull us out, but the 75-metre rope which we had strung across to the launch did the trick! They were all so pleasant and friendly, gave us a chart, recommended the onward route, shook hands and were off. Hopefully pics will appear although Louise had to be careful not to be seen photographing our rescuers in case it made us look really amateur!
We eventually limped to the next lock, moored up for the evening and treated ourselves to a meal at the local restaurant. When we told the waiter we had gone aground, he said ‘No shame in that, everyone goes aground here – even the trip boat captains who go out 4 times a day!’ And he also added that you should never reverse or you wreck your rudder – and this from a waiter!!!!!! Hey Ho!
So here we sit – safely moored – while Alex does his best to correct the steering problem before we can venture further.
You have to go somewhere, but naturally the route we decided to take became shallower and shallower, with some small areas which were very very shallow, until we went aground. We tried to reverse, to pull ourselves off, but the rudder dug deep, swung round and rammed hard to starboard, bending the operating ram. We managed to move forward again, then went ever harder aground with the port side up some 6”. Oh hell!
We closed down and had lunch, then Alex replaced the ram. But there was now a problem with the power assistance. We were also still very much aground.
Then a little power boat appeared and after much frantic waving by Louise, headed in our direction (only slowing for a few moments while the lady of the couple put her bikini – both parts – back on!) They told us that the area had a small tide, which would lift us about 30cm later in the day and we might get off then. They also gave us the number of the Police Patrol who would be able to alert a local barge to tow us off (for a small fortune no doubt) if we couldn’t do it ourselves.
We thanked them profusely for their help, saw them on their way and sat back waiting for the tide. To our amazement, 1½ hours later the couple reappeared in their speedboat with a 50 ft police patrol power launch and a 350 hp RIB (rigid inflatable) in tow (not literally of course).
The police were pretty disappointed that their RIB wasn’t man enough to pull us out, but the 75-metre rope which we had strung across to the launch did the trick! They were all so pleasant and friendly, gave us a chart, recommended the onward route, shook hands and were off. Hopefully pics will appear although Louise had to be careful not to be seen photographing our rescuers in case it made us look really amateur!
We eventually limped to the next lock, moored up for the evening and treated ourselves to a meal at the local restaurant. When we told the waiter we had gone aground, he said ‘No shame in that, everyone goes aground here – even the trip boat captains who go out 4 times a day!’ And he also added that you should never reverse or you wreck your rudder – and this from a waiter!!!!!! Hey Ho!
So here we sit – safely moored – while Alex does his best to correct the steering problem before we can venture further.
30.06.08 Bergen to Middle of Nowhere!
So Bergen Op Zoom - the only place in Holland apart from Amsterdam that Alex knows anything about (and that’s not much).
This is because 37 years ago during the infamous postal strike in GB Alex acted as a postal courier for an international firm which had its main branch in Newcastle and a subsidiary in Bergen op Zoom. Three times a week he lugged caseloads of outgoing mail by air, train and taxi to Bergen and swapped it for caseloads of incoming mail which had been sent to Bergen for onward delivery to Newcastle.
In real terms it was the best-paid job he ever had! And duty-free three times a week when duty-free really meant something!
But to get back to Bergen – one thing we had to do was have chips and mayo sauce at the station. Ah, memories of long ago. Alex reckons they still tasted special, crisp chips and a very different kind of mayonnaise.
Bergen surpassed all that we might have expected of it. When Alex was there all that time ago, he only ever saw the station and the company site somewhere on an industrial estate outside the city with no idea what a nice place it really was. (Incidentally we had also had fairly disparaging remarks from some young Dutch boaters we talked to – ‘not nearly as nice as …’. We can only assume Bergen didn’t give them what they were looking for – which presumably wasn’t architecture and the historical feel of the place.)
When we had acquired our prized bike in Bergen we had to walk it back to the boat mooring, and found ourselves fighting our way through the town centre where a bizarre carnival of some kind was going on - men dressed as pregnant women, Mad Max bikes and characters, wonderful one man band on a TRICYCLE!
The following morning – Sunday - the total lack of people and deserted streets meant we could ride in peace and really appreciate the architecture and unspoilt look of the whole centre. We sat and had coffee in the central square while the whole of the rest of the population (or so it seemed) sat listening to a no doubt boring sermon in the huge church on one side of the square. The other three sides were full of sleepily opening cafes and restaurants. At church ‘chuck out’ time, they all emerged from prayer and made a dash for the hundreds of empty chairs. We made a hasty retreat.
We trundled about 30 miles north from Bergen and found our way through a flood lock onto a nature reserve canal where we moored to a pair of marker posts which indicated the shallow water beyond. Bit of a tricky manoeuvre as the wind was strong and unrelenting but eventually we made it. We are in the depths of the countryside with only the sounds of nature, the occasional boat and tractor – the last driven by a farmer stark naked! (we only noticed this small fact when he got out of his cab to deal with his sheep!)
This is because 37 years ago during the infamous postal strike in GB Alex acted as a postal courier for an international firm which had its main branch in Newcastle and a subsidiary in Bergen op Zoom. Three times a week he lugged caseloads of outgoing mail by air, train and taxi to Bergen and swapped it for caseloads of incoming mail which had been sent to Bergen for onward delivery to Newcastle.
In real terms it was the best-paid job he ever had! And duty-free three times a week when duty-free really meant something!
But to get back to Bergen – one thing we had to do was have chips and mayo sauce at the station. Ah, memories of long ago. Alex reckons they still tasted special, crisp chips and a very different kind of mayonnaise.
Bergen surpassed all that we might have expected of it. When Alex was there all that time ago, he only ever saw the station and the company site somewhere on an industrial estate outside the city with no idea what a nice place it really was. (Incidentally we had also had fairly disparaging remarks from some young Dutch boaters we talked to – ‘not nearly as nice as …’. We can only assume Bergen didn’t give them what they were looking for – which presumably wasn’t architecture and the historical feel of the place.)
When we had acquired our prized bike in Bergen we had to walk it back to the boat mooring, and found ourselves fighting our way through the town centre where a bizarre carnival of some kind was going on - men dressed as pregnant women, Mad Max bikes and characters, wonderful one man band on a TRICYCLE!
The following morning – Sunday - the total lack of people and deserted streets meant we could ride in peace and really appreciate the architecture and unspoilt look of the whole centre. We sat and had coffee in the central square while the whole of the rest of the population (or so it seemed) sat listening to a no doubt boring sermon in the huge church on one side of the square. The other three sides were full of sleepily opening cafes and restaurants. At church ‘chuck out’ time, they all emerged from prayer and made a dash for the hundreds of empty chairs. We made a hasty retreat.
We trundled about 30 miles north from Bergen and found our way through a flood lock onto a nature reserve canal where we moored to a pair of marker posts which indicated the shallow water beyond. Bit of a tricky manoeuvre as the wind was strong and unrelenting but eventually we made it. We are in the depths of the countryside with only the sounds of nature, the occasional boat and tractor – the last driven by a farmer stark naked! (we only noticed this small fact when he got out of his cab to deal with his sheep!)
Saturday, 28 June 2008
27.06.08 From Antwerp to Bergen op Zoom
We left Gent for Antwerp the other day, but there are a couple of things from our stay there that we haven’t mentioned:
First – Alex trying to play the agile goat (but only succeeding in playing the old goat!) managed to break a rib. This is how it happened: we were moored, as we have mentioned, in the middle of Gent on a low wooden walkway about 4 feet wide. Beyond this walkway was the original stone quay about the same height as the deck of Riccall. Alex thought he could jump between the two!
To be fair, having failed, he did land on his feet on the walkway some 4 feet below, but unfortunately, off balance. He staggered back into Riccall and the lower part of his back collided with the rubbing strake with an ominous crack. The winding lasted about 10 minutes but the cracked rib is still to resolve itself (though it gets a little better day by day).
Second – the theft of Alex’s bike. We had left both bikes on the said quayside for what we thought would be just a few minutes while we had a cup of tea intending to use them again almost immediately – so not locked. When we next looked at them about an hour later (a long cup of tea) one had been nicked under our very noses! The Bastards! Afterwards the harbour master (female) apologised for not having warned us that ANY bike left unlocked for two minutes would be stolen. (We had seen so many left around unlocked, we had become too complacent.)
So we are now on the look-out for a replacement. The repair shop in Gent offered us several second hand hand bikes, the cheapest of which was ∈85 for a heap of c - - p! The next cheapest at ∈95 had a bent pedal and only two gears operational. I mean really! The refuse tips of UK have better bikes for £5. We know because we bought a couple of folding bikes a few years ago from Harrogate tip for a fiver each and there is always such a heap of them. The only trouble is getting one back to Holland! We will check with Jet2.
Now listen! Jamie and others - we don't want any cracks about ribs or any ribbing about bikes in 'comments' please!
However, enough of all that. We barged out of Gent at 9 am on the 25th to catch the tide at the river lock onto the Schelde (Merelbeke) for passage to Antwerp. 5 hours later we were punching against the incoming tide for a further two hours as we approached the Royersluis (Royal Lock) into Antwerp’s dock area and our safe haven for the night.
We had to ‘stand by’ for a very uncomfortable half an hour outside the lock being buffeted by the wash of passing waterway pantechnicons, until eventually we were allowed through, then had to negotiate a couple of lift bridges into Willemdock where we spent a pleasant night recovering. But, as suspected the following morning, we discovered that quiet night had just cost us ∈27! The harbour master did, however, give us free electricity, which should have cost us ∈3 and free water and we spent a lovely relaxed morning looking round Antwerp and getting a general feel for the city - plus the obligatory coffee stop in the "Grote Markt". Then we walked to the most glorious building around, golden dome and fabulous architecture on the outside, marble and gold leaf on the inside, only to find it was the railway station!
Then it was off towards Bergen Op Zoom, but when we arrived at Kreekraksluize (we are now in Holland so 'sluize') we decided to call it a day. We were directed by the lock keeper to a lovely little mooring out of harm’s way beside the lock where we spent last night. The ‘big boys’ went on roaring past all night as they went into or out of the lock but it is such an amazing place. With luck, there should be some photos of the stuff we saw in Antwerp dockland and on our way here – just incredible.
It was so nice and intersting at Kreekrak Sluize we decided to spend a second night and so that is where you leave us on Friday evening.
BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS
At Bergen op zoom and
We got a bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Asked a nice lady in a florist of all places where we might be able to find a cheap bike. The usual suggestions - local rag small ads, etc. but then she mentioned the bike shop at the station where they buy and sell and recondition bikes. Off we went hot foot, but the young lad assistant said the cheapest was 125 Euros- too much for us. Fortunately the proprietor overheard and lo!! a 50 Euro trade in was proferred. We snapped it up, so I am now the proud owner (yes - it's mine because its a lady's bike - hurrah!!! all high handlebars, integral lock, gears and everything. We thought it was a bit cheeky to ask if he had a second one for Alex, but next big place and we think we could do the same again - "Alas, we have had our bike stolen and we dont have much money. Have you anything for 50 Euros? Well you have to be on your toes!!!
First – Alex trying to play the agile goat (but only succeeding in playing the old goat!) managed to break a rib. This is how it happened: we were moored, as we have mentioned, in the middle of Gent on a low wooden walkway about 4 feet wide. Beyond this walkway was the original stone quay about the same height as the deck of Riccall. Alex thought he could jump between the two!
To be fair, having failed, he did land on his feet on the walkway some 4 feet below, but unfortunately, off balance. He staggered back into Riccall and the lower part of his back collided with the rubbing strake with an ominous crack. The winding lasted about 10 minutes but the cracked rib is still to resolve itself (though it gets a little better day by day).
Second – the theft of Alex’s bike. We had left both bikes on the said quayside for what we thought would be just a few minutes while we had a cup of tea intending to use them again almost immediately – so not locked. When we next looked at them about an hour later (a long cup of tea) one had been nicked under our very noses! The Bastards! Afterwards the harbour master (female) apologised for not having warned us that ANY bike left unlocked for two minutes would be stolen. (We had seen so many left around unlocked, we had become too complacent.)
So we are now on the look-out for a replacement. The repair shop in Gent offered us several second hand hand bikes, the cheapest of which was ∈85 for a heap of c - - p! The next cheapest at ∈95 had a bent pedal and only two gears operational. I mean really! The refuse tips of UK have better bikes for £5. We know because we bought a couple of folding bikes a few years ago from Harrogate tip for a fiver each and there is always such a heap of them. The only trouble is getting one back to Holland! We will check with Jet2.
Now listen! Jamie and others - we don't want any cracks about ribs or any ribbing about bikes in 'comments' please!
However, enough of all that. We barged out of Gent at 9 am on the 25th to catch the tide at the river lock onto the Schelde (Merelbeke) for passage to Antwerp. 5 hours later we were punching against the incoming tide for a further two hours as we approached the Royersluis (Royal Lock) into Antwerp’s dock area and our safe haven for the night.
We had to ‘stand by’ for a very uncomfortable half an hour outside the lock being buffeted by the wash of passing waterway pantechnicons, until eventually we were allowed through, then had to negotiate a couple of lift bridges into Willemdock where we spent a pleasant night recovering. But, as suspected the following morning, we discovered that quiet night had just cost us ∈27! The harbour master did, however, give us free electricity, which should have cost us ∈3 and free water and we spent a lovely relaxed morning looking round Antwerp and getting a general feel for the city - plus the obligatory coffee stop in the "Grote Markt". Then we walked to the most glorious building around, golden dome and fabulous architecture on the outside, marble and gold leaf on the inside, only to find it was the railway station!
Then it was off towards Bergen Op Zoom, but when we arrived at Kreekraksluize (we are now in Holland so 'sluize') we decided to call it a day. We were directed by the lock keeper to a lovely little mooring out of harm’s way beside the lock where we spent last night. The ‘big boys’ went on roaring past all night as they went into or out of the lock but it is such an amazing place. With luck, there should be some photos of the stuff we saw in Antwerp dockland and on our way here – just incredible.
It was so nice and intersting at Kreekrak Sluize we decided to spend a second night and so that is where you leave us on Friday evening.
BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS
At Bergen op zoom and
We got a bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Asked a nice lady in a florist of all places where we might be able to find a cheap bike. The usual suggestions - local rag small ads, etc. but then she mentioned the bike shop at the station where they buy and sell and recondition bikes. Off we went hot foot, but the young lad assistant said the cheapest was 125 Euros- too much for us. Fortunately the proprietor overheard and lo!! a 50 Euro trade in was proferred. We snapped it up, so I am now the proud owner (yes - it's mine because its a lady's bike - hurrah!!! all high handlebars, integral lock, gears and everything. We thought it was a bit cheeky to ask if he had a second one for Alex, but next big place and we think we could do the same again - "Alas, we have had our bike stolen and we dont have much money. Have you anything for 50 Euros? Well you have to be on your toes!!!
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
21.06.08 In Ghent
We are now slap bank in the middle of Ghent. We’re as near as you can get to the centre on what remains of the old canals. Believe it or not they are filling in some of the old cuts and building over them! In the UK we are renovating and refurbishing our old canal network: here they are still such a part of commercial life that when they have built a “Kanaal bypass” the old canal becomes redundant and no longer wanted! We didn’t book the mooring here, which we understand we perhaps should have done, and we were extremely lucky there was a space.
We are moored opposite the Courts of Justice, which is about ¼ mile from the city centre. We have no idea how much these moorings will cost, but as we have to collect our PC Navigo software disc from the Post Office to which it was sent, we have no choice. The Post Office, of course, was shut on Saturday and doesn’t open again until 10 am on Monday. So we are here for a minimum of 2 nights.
We met a Dutch guy (American father, so good English) on the street who has been to Hull and who loves England: he gave us a street map of Ghent: and the Dutch boat moored behind us has given us a rudimentary map of the Dutch waterways along with plentiful advice. A passing Englishman on a weekend rail package tour advised on the best railway internet site (reiseauskunft.bahn.de - a German site but apparently good for all countries. This was great for Belgium though we haven’t tried this out for anywhere else) and also told us about the IBIS hotel, just round the corner where there is Wi-fi. Aren’t people kind? In this mooring however, we also have ‘The English Commodore’ with his English acolytes, in two enormous navy blue and white gin palaces. They simply can’t bring themselves to look our way, let alone speak!
So all in all, today has been a pretty good one, and we did get on the internet via ‘Orange’ at the IBIS hotel just round the corner - Euros 15 for 10 hours over the next 30days - but not too bad – though Alex then managed to find free access on the boat, so even better.
On Monday we went to the post Office at 10 am – opening time - only to find that the incoming post does not arrive until 11 o’clock. Eventually, however, we got the new software.
We discover that mooring here is not so costly - Euros 14 per night, although this sounds like quite a lot in terms of cruising it is quite cheap as it only represents 1½ hours of motoring! So, it’s cheaper to moor than to cruise, for an average short day.
We have, I must admit, been rather taken aback by the expense of fuel. When we planned this current trip about a year ago, fuel in UK was 35p/litre and at that time white diesel cost 80p/litre in France. You could still buy red diesel in Belgium and Holland. Now, we can only buy white diesel and it is about Euro 1.40/litre and the exchange rate has gone from Euro 1.40 to the £ to Euro 1.20 to the £. In effect, we are paying 4 times what we were paying a year ago in UK and twice what we had envisaged, worst case scenario, here in Europe.
I am afraid that this means the blog is going to be less boat-cruising-related and more scenery-related than we had imagined, and most probably more money-saving-oriented than we had hoped. Sorry kids but we have to be realistic here – capital expenditure only goes as far at it goes - right now we are SKI-ing already!
Off to the Netherlands tomorrow – Bergen Op Zoom (we hope) to find a short term mooring where we can leave Riccall for a week while we come back to the UK to catch our breath.
It is a two-day trip with some very big locks. More when we get there.
The one thing we haven’t had time to do is have a good look round Gent – apart from dashing hither and thither. Better luck next time!
We are moored opposite the Courts of Justice, which is about ¼ mile from the city centre. We have no idea how much these moorings will cost, but as we have to collect our PC Navigo software disc from the Post Office to which it was sent, we have no choice. The Post Office, of course, was shut on Saturday and doesn’t open again until 10 am on Monday. So we are here for a minimum of 2 nights.
We met a Dutch guy (American father, so good English) on the street who has been to Hull and who loves England: he gave us a street map of Ghent: and the Dutch boat moored behind us has given us a rudimentary map of the Dutch waterways along with plentiful advice. A passing Englishman on a weekend rail package tour advised on the best railway internet site (reiseauskunft.bahn.de - a German site but apparently good for all countries. This was great for Belgium though we haven’t tried this out for anywhere else) and also told us about the IBIS hotel, just round the corner where there is Wi-fi. Aren’t people kind? In this mooring however, we also have ‘The English Commodore’ with his English acolytes, in two enormous navy blue and white gin palaces. They simply can’t bring themselves to look our way, let alone speak!
So all in all, today has been a pretty good one, and we did get on the internet via ‘Orange’ at the IBIS hotel just round the corner - Euros 15 for 10 hours over the next 30days - but not too bad – though Alex then managed to find free access on the boat, so even better.
On Monday we went to the post Office at 10 am – opening time - only to find that the incoming post does not arrive until 11 o’clock. Eventually, however, we got the new software.
We discover that mooring here is not so costly - Euros 14 per night, although this sounds like quite a lot in terms of cruising it is quite cheap as it only represents 1½ hours of motoring! So, it’s cheaper to moor than to cruise, for an average short day.
We have, I must admit, been rather taken aback by the expense of fuel. When we planned this current trip about a year ago, fuel in UK was 35p/litre and at that time white diesel cost 80p/litre in France. You could still buy red diesel in Belgium and Holland. Now, we can only buy white diesel and it is about Euro 1.40/litre and the exchange rate has gone from Euro 1.40 to the £ to Euro 1.20 to the £. In effect, we are paying 4 times what we were paying a year ago in UK and twice what we had envisaged, worst case scenario, here in Europe.
I am afraid that this means the blog is going to be less boat-cruising-related and more scenery-related than we had imagined, and most probably more money-saving-oriented than we had hoped. Sorry kids but we have to be realistic here – capital expenditure only goes as far at it goes - right now we are SKI-ing already!
Off to the Netherlands tomorrow – Bergen Op Zoom (we hope) to find a short term mooring where we can leave Riccall for a week while we come back to the UK to catch our breath.
It is a two-day trip with some very big locks. More when we get there.
The one thing we haven’t had time to do is have a good look round Gent – apart from dashing hither and thither. Better luck next time!
Saturday, 21 June 2008
19.06.08 On the Way to Ghent
We are now on our way to Ghent. We were allowed through the first two bridges OK but at the third, having waited for about 45 minutes, another boat caught up from behind. Being another Briton (small craft) I suggested that he should overtake us when the bridge opened. This he accepted, rather more quickly than was gentlemanly! and eventually the bridge opened. Two barges came through from the other direction and the English boat popped through ahead of us. By the time I had got Riccall off the bank in the strong wind, the lights turned red and the bridge was closed against us! Full reverse, emergency stop and back onto the bank! We could see why ‘Kittiwake’ had accepted our suggestion so rapidly.
(You have to be careful not to begin to believe that ‘they’ have got it in for you on these occasions – they being the disembodied voice on the VHF. They can see you of course, via the myriad of cameras at each bridge or lock, and so can play little games if they choose!)
So after another 20 mins or so, we were finally allowed through. The next four bridges and lock went without too much incident, apart for several lengthy waits while commercials either came the other way or overtook us, until one nondescript bridge where we were third in line to go through and just as we arrived they red-lighted us again – emergency reverse – while a little plastic boat was allowed through against us, then they allowed us through. Maybe they hadn’t seen us, but thereafter, we kept right on the tail of the boat in front.
At present we are moored in deep country at a flood lock on good staging with plenty of depth (one of the Dutch Barge Association's suggestions).
This morning, we discovered that we had been joined overnight (silently) by a huge barge. After breakfast the lady bargee started its engines and we assumed it would be setting off. To our surprise, it and another barge moored ahead, changed places with such consummate ease it took our breaths away! Such professionalism! On talking to the captain of one of the boats, he explained in broken English that the other barge had had to change places so that it would be in a better place on the quay, as it was having work done on its engine next week and needed to be close to the road.
We set off ourselves soon after and arrived in the outskirts of Ghent at about 4 o’clock. Our first mooring proved unsatisfactory, as the distance between bollards was for barges at least twice as long as we are. Barges passing by caused us considerable discomfort and we just had to move. After a recce on our bikes we found a better mooring 1km further on, so we moved and at 6pm were the only barge there. Within an hour another huge barge and a double workboat had joined us at front and back, but the mooring is infinitely better and we hope for a good night.
I look up from writing this and in front of us is a 1500+ton barge fully loaded waiting to go up the canal while a 2000+tonner double comes the other way. At that moment another one comes round from the side canal, then another, then another, then a Dutch jelk all jostling for position. Crikey!!! Meanwhile one of them is mooring ahead of us and the 1500ton barge had decided to double up on the workboat behind us. For these guys it’s all in a days work. For us, it still seems amazing! Keep it coming!
But it's now Saturday morning and having been woken at 5.30 by barges moving off and a steady stream going past, we were buffeted around for the next two hours. We just had to get up as we couldn't stand it any longer and since then we have only seen one barge - typical! So off into central Ghent.
The photos we have added have ended up at the very bottom of the blog and when we find out how to move them, we'll do it!!! Thanks Emily - for helping us get them on at all!
(You have to be careful not to begin to believe that ‘they’ have got it in for you on these occasions – they being the disembodied voice on the VHF. They can see you of course, via the myriad of cameras at each bridge or lock, and so can play little games if they choose!)
So after another 20 mins or so, we were finally allowed through. The next four bridges and lock went without too much incident, apart for several lengthy waits while commercials either came the other way or overtook us, until one nondescript bridge where we were third in line to go through and just as we arrived they red-lighted us again – emergency reverse – while a little plastic boat was allowed through against us, then they allowed us through. Maybe they hadn’t seen us, but thereafter, we kept right on the tail of the boat in front.
At present we are moored in deep country at a flood lock on good staging with plenty of depth (one of the Dutch Barge Association's suggestions).
This morning, we discovered that we had been joined overnight (silently) by a huge barge. After breakfast the lady bargee started its engines and we assumed it would be setting off. To our surprise, it and another barge moored ahead, changed places with such consummate ease it took our breaths away! Such professionalism! On talking to the captain of one of the boats, he explained in broken English that the other barge had had to change places so that it would be in a better place on the quay, as it was having work done on its engine next week and needed to be close to the road.
We set off ourselves soon after and arrived in the outskirts of Ghent at about 4 o’clock. Our first mooring proved unsatisfactory, as the distance between bollards was for barges at least twice as long as we are. Barges passing by caused us considerable discomfort and we just had to move. After a recce on our bikes we found a better mooring 1km further on, so we moved and at 6pm were the only barge there. Within an hour another huge barge and a double workboat had joined us at front and back, but the mooring is infinitely better and we hope for a good night.
I look up from writing this and in front of us is a 1500+ton barge fully loaded waiting to go up the canal while a 2000+tonner double comes the other way. At that moment another one comes round from the side canal, then another, then another, then a Dutch jelk all jostling for position. Crikey!!! Meanwhile one of them is mooring ahead of us and the 1500ton barge had decided to double up on the workboat behind us. For these guys it’s all in a days work. For us, it still seems amazing! Keep it coming!
But it's now Saturday morning and having been woken at 5.30 by barges moving off and a steady stream going past, we were buffeted around for the next two hours. We just had to get up as we couldn't stand it any longer and since then we have only seen one barge - typical! So off into central Ghent.
The photos we have added have ended up at the very bottom of the blog and when we find out how to move them, we'll do it!!! Thanks Emily - for helping us get them on at all!
16.06.08 In Bruges
Here in Bruges we have at last found a reliable wi-fi internet access at a small friendly hotel which charges us 4Euros for 2 cups of coffee and 1 hour’s access. Thus we have been able to post some belated additions to our blog. You will have to bear with us on this one: the blogs will always be posted several days (if not more) after they are composed as it takes time to get to the next internet cafe.
Bruges is as lovely as we remembered it from a North Sea Ferry trip we took 5 years ago. We promised ourselves then that when we next returned we would be on Riccall and so it is. (Long term planning, wishful thinking or luck?)
We climbed (again) the ‘Beltower’ in the main square (the Markt) and managed to miss the 12 o’clock chimes by 1½ minutes – typical! We heard it all happen as we raced up the precarious spiral stairs! Still, the view from the top is superb and the day was lovely, but we just couldn’t quite see where we were moored.
And then the next day, Steve Earey turned up, out of the blue on his motorbike! “Well” he said, “I hadn’t had the bike out much this year and a trip to Bruges seemed like a good idea!” Mad fool!! Anyway, most welcome and he showed us how to use our Skype phone to access our emails – amazing. Nothing like dogged persistence.
So next stop Ghent where we hope to pick up our ordered “PC Navigo Western Europe” disc -Poste Restante at the Central Post Office. Will this work? Wait for the next thrilling instalment to find out. In the meantime we hope are attached here, if Emily has informed us correctly, some pics of things of interest so far.
Jamie says we need to turn this blog into more of a ‘book’ but frankly, I think the quality of the writing is such that we will be lucky to keep any readers at all beyond the first two or three weeks. Incidentally – it takes Alex 30 mins to write this stuff, and Louise another 20 to edit the drivel and type it up – is it worth it? We need some positive feedback to let us know, otherwise we’ll ditch the whole idea!
Mooring here in Bruges has been difficult. The lovely moorings all along the bank beside the windmills is “mooring verboten” – so we are nestling on some rocks just before the first bridge into Bruges. It’s a good position but we have to keep the stern 2m off the bank with a pole or go aground.
There is a mooring arm at the other end of the city apparently but it costs 20Euros per night and we would rather “perch” here and use the money saved on fuel!
Bruges is as lovely as we remembered it from a North Sea Ferry trip we took 5 years ago. We promised ourselves then that when we next returned we would be on Riccall and so it is. (Long term planning, wishful thinking or luck?)
We climbed (again) the ‘Beltower’ in the main square (the Markt) and managed to miss the 12 o’clock chimes by 1½ minutes – typical! We heard it all happen as we raced up the precarious spiral stairs! Still, the view from the top is superb and the day was lovely, but we just couldn’t quite see where we were moored.
And then the next day, Steve Earey turned up, out of the blue on his motorbike! “Well” he said, “I hadn’t had the bike out much this year and a trip to Bruges seemed like a good idea!” Mad fool!! Anyway, most welcome and he showed us how to use our Skype phone to access our emails – amazing. Nothing like dogged persistence.
So next stop Ghent where we hope to pick up our ordered “PC Navigo Western Europe” disc -Poste Restante at the Central Post Office. Will this work? Wait for the next thrilling instalment to find out. In the meantime we hope are attached here, if Emily has informed us correctly, some pics of things of interest so far.
Jamie says we need to turn this blog into more of a ‘book’ but frankly, I think the quality of the writing is such that we will be lucky to keep any readers at all beyond the first two or three weeks. Incidentally – it takes Alex 30 mins to write this stuff, and Louise another 20 to edit the drivel and type it up – is it worth it? We need some positive feedback to let us know, otherwise we’ll ditch the whole idea!
Mooring here in Bruges has been difficult. The lovely moorings all along the bank beside the windmills is “mooring verboten” – so we are nestling on some rocks just before the first bridge into Bruges. It’s a good position but we have to keep the stern 2m off the bank with a pole or go aground.
There is a mooring arm at the other end of the city apparently but it costs 20Euros per night and we would rather “perch” here and use the money saved on fuel!
Monday, 16 June 2008
06.06.08 On The Way To Bruges
Having spent the last year putting our affairs in order in Great Britain, and the last month or so concentrating on the trip across the sea, we find ourselves sadly lacking in information about the Belgian waterways! (How could we have overlooked something so crucial?) We forgot to warn Nieuwpoort Lock Control that we were leaving for Plassendale and thus the first lift bridge (not boater operated) took one hour for the lock keeper to arrive and open. After that things were easier, until we reached Plassendale where Bridge Control, it became clear, changed hands. The guys behind the smoked glass in what turned out to be the control tower (BW weep) saw us, but we couldn’t see them. We flailed about for a bit while we tried to sus the scene and a phone call to Nieuwpoort put us straight: we were through immediately. Bit of a steep learning curve this foreign boating! Moorings in the basin were reserved for potted plants, but out on the BIG canal, we spent a couple of quiet nights.
A short bike trip of half an hour or so the following day to find supplies and canal maps, turned into a 5 hour round trip to Ostend - a surprisingly nice place, complete with Scottish bagpipes on the bandstand in one of many lovely squares. The park we rode through on the way back to Plassendale was just lovely - and catered equally for pedestrians and cyclists.
Next stop Bruges.
A short bike trip of half an hour or so the following day to find supplies and canal maps, turned into a 5 hour round trip to Ostend - a surprisingly nice place, complete with Scottish bagpipes on the bandstand in one of many lovely squares. The park we rode through on the way back to Plassendale was just lovely - and catered equally for pedestrians and cyclists.
Next stop Bruges.
11.06.08 Taking It Easy at Nieuwpoort
After the exhaustion of the journey we decided to spend a few quiet days here in Nieuwpoort to catch our breath and try to get our feet back on the ground.
Nieuwpoort has a modern seaside area and a pleasant old town in which there appears to be no graffiti, no yobs and no supermarkets!
The order of precedence here seems to be pedestrians first, bikes second and cars third. This rule is strictly adhered to and makes getting around so easy for us either on bike or foot – cars stop for bikes, which have their own paved areas coloured red! The streets are clean with lovely little pavement cafes in the main square and on every corner. Most of the residents speak a smattering of English (which is infinitely more than our Flemish) and are friendly and helpful.
However, the downside to all this old fashioned courtesy is that they have barely heard of Wi-Fi and there are only two places in the town where internet is available - the library and the Youth Centre. The latter was a real hit, as the guy running it connected our own lap-top to his system and re-jigged the parameters so ours worked! This meant we did not have to grapple with the peculiarities of the Flemish keyboard lay out and alphabet.
We will fuel up in the harbour as it is said to be a good price there and hope to get water further on in our travels. These are the annoying little things that we have to keep on considering and which we don’t need to take account of at home.
Nieuwpoort has a modern seaside area and a pleasant old town in which there appears to be no graffiti, no yobs and no supermarkets!
The order of precedence here seems to be pedestrians first, bikes second and cars third. This rule is strictly adhered to and makes getting around so easy for us either on bike or foot – cars stop for bikes, which have their own paved areas coloured red! The streets are clean with lovely little pavement cafes in the main square and on every corner. Most of the residents speak a smattering of English (which is infinitely more than our Flemish) and are friendly and helpful.
However, the downside to all this old fashioned courtesy is that they have barely heard of Wi-Fi and there are only two places in the town where internet is available - the library and the Youth Centre. The latter was a real hit, as the guy running it connected our own lap-top to his system and re-jigged the parameters so ours worked! This meant we did not have to grapple with the peculiarities of the Flemish keyboard lay out and alphabet.
We will fuel up in the harbour as it is said to be a good price there and hope to get water further on in our travels. These are the annoying little things that we have to keep on considering and which we don’t need to take account of at home.
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
11.06.08 The Crossing
Hi readers! You may be interested to know that we have now finally made it to Belgium. Sorry that we couldn’t let you all know we had set off - but this internet access business is a trial and tribulation!) We set off on Sunday at 8.30 am - into the lock onto the Ouse at Goole - and were at last on our way (extra ½ hr though while they tried to get the gates working!.)
The trip took 46 hours non-stop. We had a brief hiccup with the steering after about 2 hours which was a bit disconcerting, but it sorted itself out. Then at about 11 pm during Louise’s and Mike’s shift (shortly after Alex had gone to bed for his sleep) the gearbox started to heat. Alex fixed the problem by bleeding some excess air out of the oil cooling circuit but within an hour or so the temperature had started to rise again. So for the rest of the journey Alex or Ray bled the cooling system every hour or so. This severely restricted the amount of rest time they could take and at the end of it all they reckoned to have slept for about three hours each. Mind you, on the second day Mike was on from 5 pm to 5 am without a break which is pretty good going by anyone‘s standards..
Needless to say we are all pretty tired!
On the other hand the weather could not have been much better. There was a bit of slop in the water coming down from the north which gave Riccall a distinct roll but the winds were light, the sun shone and it was warm and pleasant. For the few hours that Alex did sleep the rolling motion felt like being rocked to sleep. Not so, says Louise!! who didn’t much enjoy the experience.
All the hard work on preparing Riccall for the trip paid off and even when we were tossed about quite dramatically by the wake of gigantic ships in the Channel, everything in the boat stayed put.
We need a few days in Nieuwpoort to restore the boat to home and for us to recover and then we will be off again, we think to Bruges, but watch this space …!!!
PS It has taken us two days to find internet access to post this blog!!
The trip took 46 hours non-stop. We had a brief hiccup with the steering after about 2 hours which was a bit disconcerting, but it sorted itself out. Then at about 11 pm during Louise’s and Mike’s shift (shortly after Alex had gone to bed for his sleep) the gearbox started to heat. Alex fixed the problem by bleeding some excess air out of the oil cooling circuit but within an hour or so the temperature had started to rise again. So for the rest of the journey Alex or Ray bled the cooling system every hour or so. This severely restricted the amount of rest time they could take and at the end of it all they reckoned to have slept for about three hours each. Mind you, on the second day Mike was on from 5 pm to 5 am without a break which is pretty good going by anyone‘s standards..
Needless to say we are all pretty tired!
On the other hand the weather could not have been much better. There was a bit of slop in the water coming down from the north which gave Riccall a distinct roll but the winds were light, the sun shone and it was warm and pleasant. For the few hours that Alex did sleep the rolling motion felt like being rocked to sleep. Not so, says Louise!! who didn’t much enjoy the experience.
All the hard work on preparing Riccall for the trip paid off and even when we were tossed about quite dramatically by the wake of gigantic ships in the Channel, everything in the boat stayed put.
We need a few days in Nieuwpoort to restore the boat to home and for us to recover and then we will be off again, we think to Bruges, but watch this space …!!!
PS It has taken us two days to find internet access to post this blog!!
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
03.06.08 Sitting at Goole
So we left Methley Bridge Boat club moorings on Sunday in pouring rain. By the time we had gathered all our ropes together, moved the narrow boat and generally got everything ready we were like drowned rats!
Judith and Simon, of DB Noordster, kindly penned us through Bulholme Lock and we were on our way. The rain eventually stopped and we got to Goole in pleasant sunshine.
The window of good weather which looked possible for the end of the week has all but evaporated and we can but sit and wait for the vagaries of the British weather to give us a break! A bit frustrating, but we knew that this was likely.
Judith and Simon, of DB Noordster, kindly penned us through Bulholme Lock and we were on our way. The rain eventually stopped and we got to Goole in pleasant sunshine.
The window of good weather which looked possible for the end of the week has all but evaporated and we can but sit and wait for the vagaries of the British weather to give us a break! A bit frustrating, but we knew that this was likely.
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