Elburg – pretty, but expensive! Monday the 23rd of September we eventually left at 12:53PM. Last week we mentioned the typical fishing boat-type ‘botter’ (5th picture). We did not mention their modest draft. That was due to the fact that the former Zuiderzee was very shallow at places – in front of Elburg too. This picture (shot at 1:21PM) proves the shallowness of the water, close to Elburg. The working men can do their job while walking in the water! The channel is around 3,5 meters deep. Therefore, stay inside the channel!

Deliberately looking for a free mooring we stopped at 2:10PM inside an artificial island inside the Veluwemeer, named ‘De Ral’ (the rail). It is a paradise for a dog, too, which is all the more a reason to choose a place like this. Here we are, well protected from the elements as the mooring space is, as it were, embraced by the island.

After two nights we left ‘De Ral’ 9:36AM on Wednesday the 25th. Wanting to enjoy a bit of comfort again –shore-power in particular, our battery bank might be due for replacement- we cruised into Harderwijk’s luxury marina again. We moored at 11:16AM in front of the Vischpoort (Fishgate) and -brug (-bridge), this time without having to tackle any obstacle, like passing a bridge. What more is there to say about a place where we have been several times before?

For the second (third?) time we ended up in de mouth of the river Eem at 3:45PM, an extensive cruise – at least for us. Since we’ve been here before, and because of the weather-conditions, we did not bother to make a picture from outside. Instead we waited for a spare moment of sunshine and photographed our surroundings the next day from the inside. Note the changed position of the upper flags, compared to the short video. We left the province of Gelderland and are now in the province of Utrecht, that’s why.

Initially we planned to remain in the Eemmouth for 3 nights. After two of them, however, we decided to travel towards/into Amersfoort on Sunday the 29th (today). We’d had enough of the high winds and rain, the damp feeling and low temperature inside. You know, the solid fuel stove is quickly too hot for the time of the year while the central heating cannot be used because of the lack of shore-power. We left at 10:25 AM from kilometre-sign 16,9/10,5 miles (the entire river is about 18/11,25 miles kilometres/ – see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eem) – as proven by this sign next to one of our windows.

Amersfoort, unmissably at kilometre-sign 0 though there’s no sign to be found, was reached after a rainy cruise. With the help of several co-overwintering friends a few boats were moved, thus creating our preferred space – see the picture. Thanks to all of them! The engine was switched off at 12:50PM. At the moment we hugely enjoy the effects of our central heating system. One only appreciate it when it’s not there. Therefore, a bit of suffering is a good method of realizing again the luxury we most of the time enjoy and take for granted. Yeh, us boating people, we know!