Week 32 On the Boat Again

Week 32 (late)

Water research

The research is part of the FRESHEM-NL project, a collaboration between 7 provinces, 7 water boards, 5 drinking water companies, and the research institutes Deltares and TNO - Geological Service of the Netherlands. The goal is to gain insight into the location of clay layers and the distribution of fresh, brackish, and salt groundwater. This information is crucial for sustainable groundwater management, protection of drinking water sources, and limiting salinization.

What is happening?

A helicopter flies at about 80 meters high. About 35 meters below the helicopter hangs a large hoop-shaped sensor. This instrument emits weak electromagnetic signals, similar to those from a mobile phone. This creates a 3D model of the underground. That model shows where fresh or salt groundwater is located and where clay layers lie. The measurements are safe for humans, animals, and nature.

A few weeks ago, brother in law Gerard gave us a plant for on the boat - just an impromptu gesture when we were meeting at their campground...

She has been named Agnes and has acquired "family" status, just requiring water and relief from the heat.

We also let her out for a walk...

Boat trip with Cheryl (and for a few days Alexander)

After having to weigh a few options, we decided to go to Dokkum first...4.5 hours to a lunch stop and then another 2.5 hours into Dokkum. 

We were late in the day - always a problem at busy places as to whether or not we could find a spot - we found what was probably the last available site with access to electricity. I did see two other empty sites with electricity - which came in handy when we came back after our Sunday trip.

Also into boating...

(not always this tidy with 3 on board)

I'm doing some of this on Saturday as we wait for Janny to bring Grandson Alexander. We're going out for dinner and then on Sunday we'll do the short (new) route Dokkum to Oostmahorn.

...and head back to Dokkum along the grey line.

It's all in the planning

(Thinking out loud)

Then back to Dokkum for Sunday evening. Monday, early start to Eastermar. Janny has to pick up Alexander so he sleeps at De Twa Buken on Monday night. Then on Tuesday morning Janny will take Alexander to Heerenveen for the 0800 train to Amsterdam/Schiphol by 1000hrs for the 1330 fight to Corsica...mmm, a lot of organising...

And Cheryl and I will (probably) go to Drachten on Tuesday, overnight there - so that Janny can pick me up on Wednesday morning for a checkup at Groningen Hospital.

...and then...phew! Cheryl and I can head off to the Turf Route and/or Blokzijl and then back to Dokkum (maybe). We could just go to Heerenveen after the Turf Route and then have a couple of days at home before Cheryl has to leave. Janny and I would then take the boat to Dokkum again so we have a spot for the Admiralty Days Festival - which Frank and Pam and Ron and Annette are also planning for...

Janny has arranged to close the Care Farm down for quite a few days so that she also has a holiday!

She has been attending the local Music Festival in my absence...including one session working behind the bar...with sister Ankie.

Meanwhile, we had to battle away on the boat...

Going through the (small) lock at the start of the Sud Ie - heading to Oostmahorn. Janny and I have been planning this trip for quite a few years now, as it has only recently been opened up - basically by raising all the bridges to 2.5 metres. (we're 2.4).

It's not terribly exciting but good to do something new...at Oostmahorn there is a do-it-yourself lock - it had instructions but I still had to nut it out- and then it was easy - I had one end set up and was busy at the other end - and somebody came to open it again for themselves in paddle boats - so I had to yell at them to leave it alone until we had gone through - strange!

Agnes and I got some fresh air while Cheryl and Alexander went exploring - they even had a beer just so that they could use the toilets in a restaurant!

We made a circuit as we went back to Dokkum via the Lauwersmeer, a lock at Dokkumer Nieuw Zeilen and a few bridges that had to be opened - all good for Alexander to see how it works.

Haha, I waved to a Police boat hoping they wouldn't pull me over just to have a look - my (compulsory to have on board) Almanacs are hopelessly out of date - my fire exinguishers and gas regulator are OK. The Almanacs are in Dutch anyway - so I'm not sure what value they are to non-Dutch boaties...

So, it was another long day (0900 to 1700hrs) by the time we got back. We again moored on one of the last powered sites - there are only two on this stretch - almost hidden in the walkway - so maybe that's why they get missed - handy to know as I had spotted it the day before. 

Again, we had promised ourselves to eat "out" - Alexander is doing very well for himself in the Finance world - so it was his shout!

It was easily the best restaurant meal I have had in Dokkum! I did have to translate the menu, but Alexander knew to do the Google Translate thing with his phone.

Early Monday morning as I'm trying to finish this...Alexander and Cheryl slept in until after 0800hrs - I was in the shower at 0630hrs (opening time) and kept quiet while gathering all the photos together.

I've got a feeling that I'll just throw this out there and then do a more ordered version of Cheryl and Alexander's visit at a later date.

Still sticking with the plan of Eastermar this afternoon and Drachten tomorrow

Ben is in Kyrgyzstan - I think we have lost internet connection with him

Georgia in Malta

Piper in Northern Italy

Madeline "glamping" in Turkey somewhere

Alexander here about to leave for Corsica

Cheryl showed me Piper and Madeline's Fitchecks - yeah, I had no idea what a Fitcheck is - but it certanily is a different world out there these days. 

They are a creative lot! Again, I count my blessings...

Cheryl suggested that I do a fitcheck for the Grandkids - maybe the one beer was already too much...

Missing Janny & Boeke...