Week 25
I'm still not over the infamous "alternative facts" statement. Which made me think of "Alternative Father's Day". It's held on a different day over here, so it's nice that Ben remembers! And then when it is Father's Day in Oz, I get pleasantly surprised by the phone calls!
Anyway, this year we went out on the boat on a very warm Father's Day afternoon with Ben and a couple of his mates, Jicky and Petra. I've mentioned them before - Jicky is a World Champion Street Dancer - in a certain category. And Petra was last week named the Groningen "Person of the Week" because she intervened in a fight when a couple of ratbags were getting stuck into a young boy.
With our telescopic ladder in use - otherwise, we couldn't get out of the water - "best idea ever".
One of the consequences of it being unusually warm...
Janny assures me that I must have seen it before...they were pumping water onto one of the main bridges into Leeuwarden, in order to keep the steelwork cool. Otherwise, they expand with the heat and become unopenable. (Doesn't get that hot very often!).
Robin, Joy and Therese
Robin (ex- NT Fire Service), his wife Joy and friend Therese have come to "use" the boat for a few weeks, with me as crew for as long as possible. The idea is to make some assessment of the idea of joining the grey nomads of the boating variety when Joy retires from her teaching job in Japan.
I decided to take them through the Turf Route in order to get the experience of locks and more than just a few "self-bediening" (self-service) and other bridges.
Heerenveen to Gorredijk on Day 1. About 4 hours, taking it slowly.
A couple of "push-button" bridges along here. In trying to pass on my limited knowledge, it made me realise just how much there is to learn about "boating" here in the Netherlands. Just about everyone waves a "cheerio" as we pass by, be it from another boat or the ever present cycling paths. I found that I had to explain some of the signs, of course, but mostly they will find that they will get by with English. The Japanese language skills probably won't be much help!
Pumping station at Nij Beets (for lunch)
At Terwispel, Robin made the phone call to the bridgekeeper to let them know that we were waiting. The system just works... a few minutes later the bridgekeeper came cycling up from Gorredijk, opened the bridge and then cycled back to Gorredijk to open the next one for us! As I think about this, it just heightens my view that as a people, the Dutchies really do enjoy a "we're all in this together" society. Just the thought of stopping the cars and the cyclists to allow us to pass through... it's "normal" and required for a peaceful co-existence (between "boaties" and the "others").
Day 2 Gorredijk to Donkerbroek 20 bridges, 5 locks, about 4.5 hours
Robin took over steering after a while. Joy had to learn the bit about getting off the boat in order to go ahead and open the swing bridges, and then get back on board again!
In the locks. A rise of about 6 metres by the time we get to Donkerbroek.
Donkerbroek
We'll be holed up here for Sunday, as the bridges are closed on Sundays until the high season (July/August). So, we're planning a trip back to Heerenveen by car to catch up (and swap notes) with Andrew and Terry. They come here every year to use their boat for 3 months - including a trip to France and back, spread over two years.
