Canals of Friesland
At approximately 10am we had been at sea about fifteen hours when we turn inland between two of the West Friesland Islands. The Wadden Sea, between the mainland and the islands, is a volatile area. Channels can change rapidly, and new shallows can form. Navigation information can quickly become outdated. The lack of sleep and the lingering stress of limited fuel and potential engine failure made reading the scores of channel markers a challenge. We were hyper-vigilant.
We wound our way to the 'Seegat' between the island Schiermonikoog and the neighboring islands, we had a bit of the swell which met with the outgoing current, but the passage remained quite comfortable. I was starting to relax and look forward to a long nap as we approached the lock that is the entrance to the Lauwersmeer.
Shortened another line!
We approached the lock behind three other recreational sailboats but as we throttled back to proceed slowly into the chamber, the port engine sputtered and died. Tom sidled Meraki over to the wall. I had prepared the lines and fenders and stood ready to catch a bollard. A fourth sailboat zipped in alongside us just as the sluice gates closed. I caught the bollard and then went forward to adjust one of the bow fenders in case we got bounced around and the next thing I knew Tom was shouting to me to loose the line. I had looped our lock line around the midships cleat when I went forward and the lock was already draining - and super fast! Glancing forward the sailboats already appeared well below us. I raced back to midships and tried to release the line but it had tightened around itself - the weight of Meraki pulling on it. Tom yanked the knife off my lifejacket and cut the line as we began to tilt out of the water. My heart was racing. Tom then grabbed ahold of a hawser strung along the lock wall while I quickly retied a bowline over the cleat in the remaining length of our lock line and again captured a bollard.
I looked sheepishly ahead to the men and women on the other boats who were all placidly observing. Every one of them gave us the thumbs up, one of them calling out “you did the right thing.” They never blinked an eye. Tom and I are convinced that Dutch babies are born with a tiller in their hands. Boating is part of their DNA, as are locks and canals.
“The past is a teacher, not a judge. Your next move matters more than your last mistake.”
But not me, and I know better. I could blame stress, or lack of sleep, or being out of practice at locking (the Kiel Locks don’t count as they are unlike all others). Regardless, I learned my lesson. You can be sure I’ll never again enter a lock without my lifejacket (not required everywhere) and I’ll not step away from our line without someone else monitoring it.
We chugged out of the lock and into the nearest marina, thankfully right around the corner. We had planned to buy fuel and continue a bit further, but now we thought better of it. We would fuel up and find a berth.
Fortunately the Dutch fuel pumps had no problem with our credit card, though the fueling process turned out to be quite arduous. There was a rather small limit for each transaction which meant we had to stop and start six times in order to get half the fuel we’d intended to purchase. After dealing with the fraud department of the credit card company we decided we were content with six transactions, we found a vacant berth and tied up. I downloaded the marina app and paid for our slip and we both lay down for a much needed rest.
The afternoon passed quickly, both of us feeling somewhat braindead. We slept deeply that night but the storm had arrived in the wee hours and we awoke to howling winds and white caps inside the marina. Best to lay low another day.
In the protected inland waters of Holland we had time and space to regroup and the following day we motored out of the marina into the Lauwersmeer, a freshwater man-made lake on the border between the provinces of Groningen and Friesland. After completion of the dyke and lock construction in 1969, the elevated seabeds dried out and the former salt marshes were eventually converted into agricultural land. Due to the constant inflow from lakes and other waterways, the Lauwersmeer eventually changed from salty to brackish and finally became fresh. The removal of saltwater led to new flora and fauna, and the area became a paradise for birds. This is a birdwatchers haven; the reed beds, mudflats, grasslands and forests are breeding grounds for over 100 bird species and tens of thousands of geese overwinter here every year.
The waterways of Friesland form a diagonal line from north-east to south-west through a vast countryside of wetlands and farmland. North of this diagonal line, the soil is mostly clay with wide expanses punctuated by small villages and towns. Many of these towns lie on terpen (mounds) which were built up long ago to keep back the surrounding water. The threat from rising water levels has since disappeared and most of these areas have become fertile polders (land reclaimed from a body of water).
Friesland is committed to agriculture that ensures healthy soil and good biodiversity. 10% of the working population in the province is active in the agricultural sector. Many farms specialize in the cultivation of seed potatoes which makes Friesland an indispensable link in the world food supply chain.
As we left Lauwersoog marina we were followed by a Dutch sailor we’d met while waiting on weather in Cuxhaven. He’d made the same passage we had and was heading home to a town on the Ijsselmeer, the same direction we were going. We decided to convoy and asked him to lead the way so that he could talk with the bridge operators (our Dutch language skills are non existent). We passed under swing bridges, lifting bridges and bascule bridges - where one or more leaves of roadway are lifted vertically by a counterweight and winch system.
In some places a fee is collected to pass beneath a bridge. The price varies from town to town and ranges between €3-€5. The procedure is to radio for an operator to open the bridge, then as you pass beneath the operator swings a wooden clog suspended from a fishing rod over to your boat. You drop your coins into the shoe and continue on through.
We arrived in the town of Dokkum in early afternoon and decided to stop and stretch our legs. It’s a charming little town - home to about 12,000 people. The streets and sidewalks are paved with brick. Flowers adorn the canal bridges and brick buildings boast colorful shops, cafes and bookstores.
Waiting for a bridge…
We cruised on towards Leewarden where we would spend the night, getting waylaid briefly as we arrived unknowingly at a bridge that was closed from 4pm-6pm. It was a beautiful afternoon and we enjoyed a cup of tea in the sun while sharing stories with our traveling companion.
Further on we passed several picturesque smock mills, these are the distinctive wooden 6-8 sided windmills with sloping tower walls. This type of windmill is named after the canvas and cotton smocks worn by farm laborers of the time. Most of the Dutch smock mills were used to pump water and keep marshy lands dry.
We travelled another couple of hours past sprawling farms and gorgeous homes. The people of Freisland are super friendly, greeting us smiling and waving as we passed. I was comforted by their kindness. We tied up for the night alongside a lovely wooded park, cooked dinner and relaxed, content with our exploits of the day. We would explore our new surroundings tomorrow.
