Perhaps you remember the wrecked floor inside our wheelhouse, caused by a leaking central heating radiator. Yes, we still need the central heating system occasionally. We contacted a repairman who advertised himself in a display case in the harbour area. Therefore we decided to stay one more day in Jachthaven Marnemoende (IJsselstein). We called him. No answer. Afterwards he whatsapped us, promising he’d call that day. In spite of that we left IJsselstein on Tuesday on 10:30AM, our destination being Oudewater. Since the repairman lives in IJsselstein it would not be an insurmountable problem to travel to Oudewater. However, he never called us… This is where we were able to moor in the centre of Oudewater. The engine was switched off at 12:37PM. We were, by the way, lucky to find this spot. Over a distance of about 75 metres there’s a designated mooring space for passers by – electricity and water available too (AanUit system). The three small(er) boats in front of our ship are moored there permanently, despite the sign indicating a maximum of 72 hours (3 days/nights). They even are positioned in a way that only small boats are able to moor. Our space is a (lucky) exception. Municipality of Oudewater, do something about it!

Another example of shamelessness. When passing this bridge any boat has to pay € 2,00. There are several signs on either side of the bridge informing the approaching boats. However, we witnessed a boat -with an all-male crew of three- passing the bridge just looking in front of them and ignoring(!) the developing situation, being the bridge-keeper clearly offering them his little clog on a sort of fishing rod. Later on we spoke to the bridge-keeper. He told us that this was not even the worst as some boaters put a hand inside the clog, thus pretending to pay. When checked by the bridge-keeper the clog is… yes, empty! Fortunately 95% pays (we did!) said the bridge-keeper. He almost sounded relieved. There’s no way to make them pay afterwards, because the next bridge is too far away and/or automated. Only the name of the violating boat is written down. How measly one must be for a mere € 2,00!

The double beam drawbridge in the centre of Oudewater dates back to 1860 and was fabricated/constructed by the Cosijn company in nearby Gouda. Perhaps this was the proprietor: https://www.geni.com/people/Cornelis-Cosijn/6000000018844619177. (It’s always a real adventure to dig in the past!) Nowadays the bridge not only still is in working order, operation is even automated!

We left Oudewater on Friday the 28th (yes, we confess, one night overstay) at 11.45AM. The first bridge on our way, at Hekendorp, was out-of-order. Initially the traffic-lights indicated a well working bridge but all of a sudden the process stopped and the bridge remained closed. An oncoming boat turned out to be able to pass, after which the bridge remained opened. We did not dare to pass (and the road-traffic was stopped, too) because, if the bridge would lower while we pass, who’s to pay for the damage to our little ship and the bridge? So we phoned the given number in case of an emergency and waited patiently. For 1 hour and 8 minutes, to be exact, after which a turned up mechanic gestured us to go. Phew! This bridge, is called the Wilhelmina van Pruisenbrug (brug = bridge) after the consort of William V of Orange. She was stopped nearby on the 28th of Juni 1787. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelmina_of_Prussia,_Princess_of_Orange – and related pages, never to stop reading. History!

Our plan was to reach Gouda on that day, the Friday. Because of the delay in Hekendorp we decided to stay in Haastrecht (‘almost straight’) instead – especially when we noticed the mooring possibility. So here we are after switching off the engine at 14:19PM. In fact it in Stein, on the north bank of the canalized river. Stein became a part of Haastrecht in 1870; Haastrecht became a part of de municipality of Krimpenerwaard in 2014. For Haastrecht’s national monuments (a lot!), see https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lijst_van_rijksmonumenten_in_Haastrecht (Dutch).

It happens sometimes that a real large ship navigates the river. This one, from Gouda, is not only large – it’s a beauty too.

On the other bank, diagonally opposite from where we are, is the ‘Museum Paulina Bisdom van Vliet’ located. It’s inside a former (big) private residence. This is its rear with garden, especially pictured because of the (red leafed) beech. The tree -two years of age at the time- was planted in 1694 by Adriaan Bisdom (van Vliet) on the occasion of the completion of the building. It is almost certain the oldest (red leafed) beech of The Netherlands. Imagine: 329 years of age! The house of Adriaan and his wife Elisabeth Wijckerhelt was demolished in 1874. His descendant Marcellus Bisdom van Vliet had a new house built on this spot. After his death, the house was occupied by his daughter Paulina and her husband Johan Jacob le Fèvre de Montigny. The house has been a museum since 1923, as Paulina stipulated in her will. It is well worth a visit. (We are told that the entire will will be opened 100 years after the passing away of Paulina Bisdom van Vliet, on the 1st of June 2023. That seems to be very exciting for tenants of farms that are still in the possession of the heirs.) See www.bisdomvanvliet.nl and https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_Paulina_Bisdom_van_Vliet (both only in Dutch – use Google Translate if necessary).