Guardian Angels

Well, we made it home safely.  And at the end of this first trip, I need to acknowledge a few guardian angels who have helped make this all possible.

• First and foremost, Tam and Di Murrell in France. Two years ago, they spent time teaching us the basics and helping us get the licenses we needed to do this properly. We would never have gotten anywhere near off the ground without them, and their DVD helps keep it fresh.
• Next, Tom Schneider in Leimuiden and John Martino in Annapolis. They’ve taken us out on boats to gain experience, answered questions with knowledge and good humor, and made us safer in the process.
• To Roger Van Dyken for his book Barging in Europe. It’s been our boating bible. It has a permanent place on our bookshelves in the States and in Europe, and has helped us avoid potentially expensive and dangerous mistakes.
• To the folks at Kempers Marina near Leimuiden on the Westeinderplassen, especially Wilma and Donald. They've taken care of so many things for us this first year, and done it cheerfully, well, and they've taught us a lot in the process.
• Thanks to a host of canal bloggers, and to the contributors and administrators of various internet forums, especially EuroCanals and the DBA, for nurturing the dream.

And to all we’ve met this first year who have helped with friendship, knowledge, and advice. We hope some day to be able to continue the service.

And Almost Time to Leave

Leimuiden     9-20-2011     16:45

We've been sitting in the marina now for over two weeks, organizing, cleaning, and trying to get work done to be ready for next year. The weather has generally been miserable, but this afternoon and evening are beautiful for a change. Too bad we spent it tearing apart the "bedroom."

We got an estimate the end of the week for work we were considering having done, and we're still dizzy from the total. Most of it, anything discretionary, will remain undone or will be done by us later. The big job, conservation on the forward hull, has to be done and we don't have the resources yet to do it ourselves. However, when looking at the total we decided we could save a nice piece of change by emptying the area over the problem before we leave instead of paying the current per hour cost to someone else. Besides, we do not like the sleeping arrangements, so why pay someone to tear it out and then put it back? We've spent the better part of the day with limited tools taking out a VERY solidly built-in bed structure. There's a huge sense of accomplishment that comes along with that, as well as an unexpected side benefit -- we can now close the toilet door!! We had thought that time and moisture had warped the door and we would need a power sander to reshape the door at some point. Turns out, it was just pressure from the bed frame pushing on the wall, not the door itself, and now it's a perfect fit. I think the best feeling, though, is that we are really starting to take possession of this boat and make it ours. I've reconfigured the kitchen cabinets in anticipation of a refrigerator next year. We've taken out the big built-in table in the saloon and will probably replace it with something a bit smaller and more versatile next year, but for right now we have lots more room and a much less congested walkway. And now we actually have the possibility of a bed that's big enough. (And I won't have to sleep pressed up against the cold hull!)

In addition, we've made friends with some of our more intrepid neighbors. There are very few humans around, but the wildlife, particularly the birds, are coming out. There are a few of these funny little black waterbirds with white bits on their faces that are terrified of humans, but they come nagging for bread in the morning now.

 And there is a pheasant family that wanders by in the evening.

The lighting is just too dim to get photos of them, but Dad comes out at other times of the day and suns himself on the local park bench.

We went to see Jeannet yeaterday for what she called a "till next year" party.

Mostly, we just had lunch with her at her summer house,

then hurried to get back to Leimuiden before it turned dark. Now a couple more days of house cleaning and home on Thursday. We do miss the kids, and it's cool and damp enough here in September that we're ready for home.

Anyway, that's life here: slow and winding down for the year.

Almost Over

Leimuiden     9/11/2011     18:10

I guess we have to say that things are slowing to a close here.  Mostly, we’re cleaning, relaxing, and making arrangements to leave the boat here over the winter and have some work done while we’re gone.  Every day seems to involve a long walk, mostly into town to see what we can find for dinner.  It will be nice to get back to a real kitchen!  I was going to try to meet a friend from the States, Karen Thompson, in Amsterdam on Thursday, but it has been very cold and rainy and we decided that staying warm and dry was the better choice.  Saturday was beautiful, today somewhat the same only chillier.  We did get into town today to see the Shantyfest.

We were a little late getting started and were reminded by blaring brass in the distance as a band introduced the day. 

Right now we’re back at the boat, but the shanty choirs have moved to the Leimuiden lift bridge and are giving a mass performance there which we can hear back at the marine.  Even with the doors and windows closed!  We did get a CD, so Adam can listen.

The other fun item that greets us on our nearly daily walks is the local auto repair shop on at the (only) major intersection.

Apparently, it specializes in vintage/antique cars.  There are quite a few that have been restored and are for sale.  Two old Volvos like Bill’s first car, though I suspect that the current asking price is several times what they sold for new.  We saw an Austin Healey coming in for repairs last week, and there are several vehicles that look like they are straight out of French World War II movies.  1950s sports cars, and even a couple of vintage Deux Chevaux delivery trucks!  Other than that, life is very slow.  We will probably take at least one day to visit Jeannet before we leave, and perhaps another to go into a town with more services.  We're just getting things organized for the winter.  So, we'll be seeing you-all soon . . . .

Wind, Rain, and a LOT more Wind

Leimuiden     09-06-2011     20:26

Well, Sunday surprised us, so I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised about today either.  Sunday was gorgeous, probably the best weather we’ve had the whole trip.  Hoards of boaters out enjoying the day, the lake was clogged with them.  Beautiful sun, balmy weather, dead calm water.  Couldn’t ask for better. 

 The photo of the lake doesn’t even begin to tell the story since you really can't see all the boats through the haze.  At times it resembled a rally on the Mall in DC.

Monday was OK.  We got work done, walked into town for a few things and for the exercise, but Sundays most places are closed, and Mondays, especially in the morning, it’s nearly as bad.  Besides, we were waiting for today to see what the village market would be like.

 Today we started off early as the market was advertised to begin at the unheard of hour of 7:30 and to be over by 12:30.  Good thing we went when we did.  The market wasn’t huge, but it managed to cover the necessities and we picked up what we’d need for dinner.  When you don’t have refrigeration, you tend to shop day-by-day as much as you can.  It was a bit windy, which we expected, when be got home and had started to rain, which we hadn’t.  By the time we got settled in, it was pouring, the rain coming in waves, and it hasn’t let up all day. 

The only change has been that the wind has gotten worse, and then worse again.  It is positively squealing through the riggings of the sailboats in the marina and through the whole day we’ve only seen one intrepid, and very foolish, boat on the lake.  The 6 foot or more high reeds that usually hide the pilons at the entrance to the marina are bent almost flat. 

We’re basically doing what we’d be doing in similar circumstances in the States:  hunkering down and staying inside.  If we went outside, we’d blow away.  It’s got to stop sometime, . . . . . doesn’t it??????

Back at Kempers

Leimuiden     09-01-2011     14:13

We’re back where we started the trip.  It is surprisingly nice to be back somewhere familiar. 

Today’s was a good trip.  Only a couple of hours, only two bridges to lift, water as calm and smooth as glass, no wind.  The only problem was the Leimuiderbrug where we arrived just in time for a 15 minute wait.  It was good practice for loitering/trying to wait and keep still in one place.  That can be a surprisingly difficult thing to do on water.  In a car, you just stop.  I’ve always thought about driving a boat as similar to driving a fully loaded semi trailer truck on a frozen lake bed in the driving rain and the wind pushing you every which way.  Not a lot of control at times. 

Kempers was ready for us and apparently happy to see us.  We headed into town for our first real exploration, and to our surprise discovered pretty much everything we need within a 15 minute walk.  Apparently, they’ll even be hosting a sea chanty festival in the next week or so.  The weather forecase has cleared for the market next Tuesday and all seems well here.  Guess it’s time to get down to the time consuming process of boat work, getting this boat ready for the winter, and deciding what we want to have done as far as improvements go.  Will report back when we know.  Till then, best to all . . . .

Alphen a/d Rijn     08-29-2011

Alphen is turning out to be better than we expected.  We’ve moved on from our original stop, stopped here only for a day on the way to electricity and internet, and have just stayed.  We walked into town yesterday and weren’t too impressed, but today took a different route and had a completely different experience.  When we pulled in yesterday, we discovered there was only enough room for 3 boats, and we actually had to block the terrasse of a little café, Café Biljart “De Heul”. 

We spent some time, and money, in the café to hopefully generate good will and discovered a rather lovely, if low brow, local pub.  Great location for cold beer.  Bill used their applegeback and coffee as a reward to himself for checking the batteries.  In northern France, it would be called an estaminet.  There were a lot of the big cargo barges going by, and one truly gorgeous old boat. 

Stocked up on supplies as we don’t know how far we’ll have to go for them once we get back to Kempers. 

Alphen a/d Rijn      08-26-2011

We left Uithoorn this morning as we had been informed that there was a party scheduled for the square where we were docked.  Hope it went well, but it poured all day and most of the night.  We didn’t make our original goal in Alphen, stopping somewhat in desperation

at a free mooring on the NE outskirts of town just to have a place to get out of the driving rain and find a way to escape the cold. 

This was our first experience traveling in really poor weather, and Bill has “discovered” the meaning of “shakedown” cruise.  When you’ve finished cruising, you check how badly you’re shaking, and just how down and depressed you are by your performance that day.  We are on the edge of a small man made lake, and we’ll just have to see how the weather treats us before we decide to move on. 

Uithoorn     08-24-2011

We’ve got moorings today right on the market in the little town of Uithoorn on the Amstel.  All my information says that moorings are restricted to much smaller boats than ours and only then for a couple of days, but they seem happy enough to take our mooring fees and just let us stay.  It’s been a lot quieter since the kids went back to school, and the rules are a lot more relaxed.  We’re a short walk to the town center with facilities, and the showers here are free and just a few steps away.  

Amsterdam     08-22-2011

We’ve enjoyed Amsterdam, perhaps more this year than last.  Saturday we made it to the two markets near the Noorderkerk in the Jordaan district.  Great fun.  Bill didn’t get too stressed by the confusion, and we got some provisions.  Took one day to go to Doorn and visit Jeannet.  It’s been a disappointment that we haven’t seen more of her this year.  We’ll have to make more of an effort to remedy that before we leave.  Monday we went to the market along the Albert Kuipstraat.  That was really a revelation.  It is not the typical market, but rather a long, L-O-N-G street of very small shops that expand their space by moving out into the streets, and it’s done every day but Sunday.  I didn't expect to enjoy it much and was definitely surprised.  There is WONDERFUL spice and cooking odds-n-ends store, a nice yarn and sewing supplies place.  Nothing upscale, but very useable.  Good price on used bikes, where we might just go next year when we decide what we’re going to do about buying.  It’s very much the kind of place used mostly by the locals, and as such the prices are much more reasonable that what we’ve seen so far.  Jeannet has mentioned a Handbag Museum a couple of times, so on a rainy day we spent some time there.  Small, but very cute and unique.  They even had some purses in lace, though the bobbins they had on display were English.  We’ve also made several trips to “the Bookstore.”  It’s the “Schrierstoren“ or crying tower, built in 1480.  It's an old tower building near the waterfront/harbor where women used to stand and cry as their menfolk went to sea for who knew how long and who knew if they’d return.  It’s one of the monuments they always take you past on a tour.

  For us, it’s “the Bookstore.”  The level slightly up from ground has a café/bar that isn’t too bad and has a lot of atmosphere.  The top two levels house a nautical bookstore and map/chart emporium that claims to have been there since 1730.  It has the most complete selection of books, guides, and maps pertaining to our projected travels that we’ve seen anywhere.  It’s a bit awkward to find the first time, but after that it’s a joy.  We’ve purchased pretty much all the information we need to head south next year, and now that’s only a lot of work to deal with Belgian VHF regulations and the paperwork we’ll need for the border crossing.  That may be complicated enough to keep us in the Netherlands next year, but to date the plan is to head south and probably end the summer in France.  We’ll see.  Seems a bit early to be planning next year, but . . . .