piss wat day
The title says it all. What a day. We had a bit of an eventful night last night. I went a walk to have a better look at the windmill and came back to find the floor up in the boat.We think after bailing out , that one of our water bags sprung a leak.
We did have the boat to bits to make sure it was that and not a leak.
Then we went to bed. By day Haarlem is quite busy , but by night it is very busy. Boys cruising in large bored exhausts sped up and down and the trains going over the bridge kept me awake till about 5 am and then the rain started and boy what a downpour..
So a very bleary eyed Karin got out of bed this morning.Haarlem is lovely but busy and noisy , so if you come you may want to use one of the free berths before you enter the city. We had been told there was some on the way out but there didn't appear to be any to us as we left.
..There was a diesel boat , that is one providing diesel to other boats. We went this morning , moored up blissfully uneventfully and found it shut. Whilst wondering what to do a wolf whistle came from the flats on the opposite bank and we were hailed , told to wait and there on a bicycle five minutes later was our attendant. On wet days he sits by his window in his flat and comes over when there is a boat. Saves him getting cold.
The diesel was 1 euro 37 a litre..
So Haarlem wasn't great but still we needed to stop. We have been told there is plenty of free moorings but we can't find them All the banks are edged with boulders and rocks or have private mooring only signs up.
We had 5 bridges to go under to get out of Haarlem, 2 of them were turning bridges and the rest were lifting bridges. We were lucky we only had to moor twice as the rest of the bridges saw us and started the lifting procedure. It is brilliant that the Netherlands has a mast up route but if you are thinking of taking it with a large boat or yacht, keep in mind that you will spend alot of time watching little boats and river cruisers blissfully pass you and go under.
While you have your eyes firmly welded to the red lights waiting and today that was in torrential rain, for them to turn first red green and then green. and then it is all go and get through.
We did better today , i am getting better at mooring up to the various types of mooring posts and Mark is doing a fantastic job , judging speed and angle of approach.
we came across i think another 5 bridges but i sort of lost count and a motorway and railway bridge together. These ones have set opening times and it was only luck that we had met a yacht that knew it was 3pm it opened at.
We have a book of bridge times but even though the book is brand new , the times are not correct and try as we might today we could not get a hold of the harbour master at Haarlem on his vhf to ask.
We had hoped to stop of in Lisse to get warmed up but with that news we decided to follow our companions and moor up at the railway bridge . we were an hour and a half early .And really were pleased that we were. We both got a change of clothes and food and hot drinks..The bridge was late and again our eyes were welded to the lights.And again torrential rain. We had a huge queue of speed pleasure craft and with only a minute to get under the bridge we were being buffeted by large bow waves from them with them trying to push there way in front just before the bridge.
Mark held his ground we got through and thankfully there was a marina .
Kaagdorp in the town of Kaag . Got in grabbed the first space , moored up which was tight.and deflated instantly. I stayed with the boat while Mark found the harbour master to beg that we not move.. The spot we are in is by looking at the length of the pontoon for a smaller boat. But we didn't notice that when we moored up.
We get to stay. Had a really good 50 cent shower , the best yet , hot hot hot and plenty of time. The marina costs 1 euro 5o a metre of boat a night . 15 euros . There is washing machines showers and toilets . The water is free but the power is 50 cents for 1000 watt..
I say the best yet because at Haarlem the toilet shower were in the same room and there was only one for dames and one for heren . The one at Ijmoiden was timed to 6 minutes and the ones at sixhaven were abit cold and weak .
so now we sit planning tomorrow.We are heading to Braasemermeer a large lake across it to a canal at the bottom.Not to many bridges .
We have found out by speaking to a lovely local bar manager at the clubhouse that by mid september .Plastic boats [ ie ours] are coming out of the water. They do get ice here and winter comes quick.
So all steam a head for the Belgium border.
Even though it has been completely pissing down and stiil is and is still going to for the weekend , i am still enjoying the Netherlands. Everybody we have met has been lovely. The countyside is flat but very green and plenty of cows. Even seen some shorthorn . Plenty of birdlife and have seen 4 adult crested grebes and two crested grebe chicks. Many many ducks geese coots etc.
Sorry there was no photos . Would have killed the camera if i stuck it out there today. Never seen rain like it. night night
We did have the boat to bits to make sure it was that and not a leak.
Then we went to bed. By day Haarlem is quite busy , but by night it is very busy. Boys cruising in large bored exhausts sped up and down and the trains going over the bridge kept me awake till about 5 am and then the rain started and boy what a downpour..
So a very bleary eyed Karin got out of bed this morning.Haarlem is lovely but busy and noisy , so if you come you may want to use one of the free berths before you enter the city. We had been told there was some on the way out but there didn't appear to be any to us as we left.
..There was a diesel boat , that is one providing diesel to other boats. We went this morning , moored up blissfully uneventfully and found it shut. Whilst wondering what to do a wolf whistle came from the flats on the opposite bank and we were hailed , told to wait and there on a bicycle five minutes later was our attendant. On wet days he sits by his window in his flat and comes over when there is a boat. Saves him getting cold.
The diesel was 1 euro 37 a litre..
So Haarlem wasn't great but still we needed to stop. We have been told there is plenty of free moorings but we can't find them All the banks are edged with boulders and rocks or have private mooring only signs up.
We had 5 bridges to go under to get out of Haarlem, 2 of them were turning bridges and the rest were lifting bridges. We were lucky we only had to moor twice as the rest of the bridges saw us and started the lifting procedure. It is brilliant that the Netherlands has a mast up route but if you are thinking of taking it with a large boat or yacht, keep in mind that you will spend alot of time watching little boats and river cruisers blissfully pass you and go under.
While you have your eyes firmly welded to the red lights waiting and today that was in torrential rain, for them to turn first red green and then green. and then it is all go and get through.
We did better today , i am getting better at mooring up to the various types of mooring posts and Mark is doing a fantastic job , judging speed and angle of approach.
we came across i think another 5 bridges but i sort of lost count and a motorway and railway bridge together. These ones have set opening times and it was only luck that we had met a yacht that knew it was 3pm it opened at.
We have a book of bridge times but even though the book is brand new , the times are not correct and try as we might today we could not get a hold of the harbour master at Haarlem on his vhf to ask.
We had hoped to stop of in Lisse to get warmed up but with that news we decided to follow our companions and moor up at the railway bridge . we were an hour and a half early .And really were pleased that we were. We both got a change of clothes and food and hot drinks..The bridge was late and again our eyes were welded to the lights.And again torrential rain. We had a huge queue of speed pleasure craft and with only a minute to get under the bridge we were being buffeted by large bow waves from them with them trying to push there way in front just before the bridge.
Mark held his ground we got through and thankfully there was a marina .
Kaagdorp in the town of Kaag . Got in grabbed the first space , moored up which was tight.and deflated instantly. I stayed with the boat while Mark found the harbour master to beg that we not move.. The spot we are in is by looking at the length of the pontoon for a smaller boat. But we didn't notice that when we moored up.
We get to stay. Had a really good 50 cent shower , the best yet , hot hot hot and plenty of time. The marina costs 1 euro 5o a metre of boat a night . 15 euros . There is washing machines showers and toilets . The water is free but the power is 50 cents for 1000 watt..
I say the best yet because at Haarlem the toilet shower were in the same room and there was only one for dames and one for heren . The one at Ijmoiden was timed to 6 minutes and the ones at sixhaven were abit cold and weak .
so now we sit planning tomorrow.We are heading to Braasemermeer a large lake across it to a canal at the bottom.Not to many bridges .
We have found out by speaking to a lovely local bar manager at the clubhouse that by mid september .Plastic boats [ ie ours] are coming out of the water. They do get ice here and winter comes quick.
So all steam a head for the Belgium border.
Even though it has been completely pissing down and stiil is and is still going to for the weekend , i am still enjoying the Netherlands. Everybody we have met has been lovely. The countyside is flat but very green and plenty of cows. Even seen some shorthorn . Plenty of birdlife and have seen 4 adult crested grebes and two crested grebe chicks. Many many ducks geese coots etc.
Sorry there was no photos . Would have killed the camera if i stuck it out there today. Never seen rain like it. night night
Well done. If it makes you feel any better we have had the same rain. Hopefully u find free mooring soon. Xx
ReplyDeleteWe are now back home from our WET camping holiday, thinking what it must be like in a boat, hope you get where you want to be before the real winter comes, best of luck. Waiting to hear more xxx
ReplyDelete