{"id":13967,"date":"2023-07-20T13:41:40","date_gmt":"2023-07-20T17:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aleta.life\/?p=13967"},"modified":"2023-07-20T21:55:34","modified_gmt":"2023-07-21T01:55:34","slug":"halfway-to-haarlem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aleta.life\/index.php\/2023\/07\/20\/halfway-to-haarlem\/","title":{"rendered":"Halfway to Haarlem"},"content":{"rendered":"
Position: 52\u00b022’40.3″N 4\u00b038’18.1″E<\/a><\/h6>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If only this was the beginning of a recently discovered manuscript by Ralph Ellison<\/a> we would all be enriched! Sadly, it is not. It is our thoroughly engaging tale of getting halfway to (the OG) Haarlem.<\/p>\n

Leaving Holland\u2019s main rivers with their frenetic commercial shipping and entering the smaller canals relieves the captain of a great deal of stress. Some of the remaining stress is channelled into worrying about depths and bridge heights, but these pale in comparison to being run over by a Rhine Barge bearing down on you at 16 knots, knowing whatever the outcome you, the sportsbote<\/em> owner, are at fault \u2013 not the other guy.<\/p>\n

The vast majority of bridges along smaller canals are bascule bridges, also known as lifting or drawbridges. Often the clearance below them is only a couple of metres. These bridges, common in towns and villages, open on demand. Demands can be made by VHF radio, cell phone, or even automatically through your navigation app. We rarely did any of those things since a Dutchman would have beaten us to the bridge and made the call already. These days there\u2019s a 50-50 chance the bridge has an attendant on site. Automation is creeping in and now one operator watching a monitor in a central location may manage a half dozen bridges, or more.<\/p>\n

Savvy<\/h6>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Important bridges on arterial lines like railways or motorways operate on a strict schedule. Understanding that means the savvy captain does some forward planning to match the opening times, or risk waiting two to twelve hours for the next opening.<\/p>\n

Inevitably delays occur. On-demand bridges may take longer to open, or close sooner than anticipated. Large amounts of up or downstream traffic will slow progress, too. Crappy planning and misreading the timetable will also cause problems. It was some combination of those events that found us in Kaag<\/a>, halfway to Haarlem, with no bridge opening until morning.<\/p>\n

Pulling over at a rickety dock we tied off and tried to decide what to do next. It was about 17:30 and Kaag is surrounded by watersports facilities, so finding a tie-up for the night shouldn\u2019t have been hard. Except depths in the area are all about five feet and we draw six. As we sat in the cockpit searching for a place to stay, a young woman came out of the house opposite us and told us pointedly that we were on her dock and it was private. No problem! We\u2019re only here for a moment, we\u2019ll leave shortly. That answer seemed to satisfy her and she disappeared again.<\/p>\n

Navvy<\/h6>\n

A quick survey of the town\u2019s mooring facilities led us to the conclusion we\u2019d already nabbed the best spot. That despite having fallen through a rotten board and nearly gashing my leg when I jumped off to tie Aleta\u2019s lines. With a little light-footed care, we were at least secure until morning. Carol suggested I knock on the woman\u2019s door and ask if we could stay. \u201cGo on, you\u2019re a guy. You\u2019ll charm her into letting us stay,\u201d she suggested in a gender normative stereotyping way. I figured 20 Euro would more than cover it.<\/p>\n

I knocked on the door and a young-ish bearded chap cautiously stuck his head out. \u201cHi, I don\u2019t speak Dutch, is English okay?\u201d It was. \u201cIf I give you 20 Euros, can we stay on your dock overnight?\u201d, I ventured. His eyes visibly widened at the offer and his hand almost involuntarily reached out for the cash. \u201cSure, no problem,\u201d he replied. Deal done, I was halfway back to Aleta when I realised I had forgotten to ask for his Wifi password.<\/p>\n

In Haarlem Hurricanes Hardly Ever Happen\u2026<\/h6>\n

Rising bright and early we cast off the lines and waited for the Ringvaartspoorbrug<\/a> and Kaagbrug\u2019s prompt opening. From there it was a short trip into Haarlem. It was as well we arrived early in the day, since many of the moorings were occupied. The city\u2019s roving bridge referee was a tremendous help. Her job wasn\u2019t to operate the bridges. Rather, it seemed she was an ambassador for visiting boats; and she helped coordinate openings for the smaller bridges in the centre of town.<\/p>\n

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