TWENTE CANAL
The river Ijssel is running fast and at our normal cruising of 10kph we were going about 16 kph. We decided to take a small set of canals on the way back north which start just north of Zupthen on the Ijssel.
We spent the night in Zupthen and took the Twente Canal east which went to Almelo then north to Gramsbergen across to Covorden and back through Hoogeveen to Meppel. This canal will become the southern route for the new connection canal through to Ter Appel and into Germany.
As we entered the Twente Canal and the 8 metre lock, the keeper gave us an information bag with advertising for the new campaign to educate skippers to keep out of the way of the barges on the narrow canals.
The usual blue board rules apply but some smaller boats still want to rush past as we head for the other side.
The new education of skippers is for the smaller boats to change to the other side of the canal when a barge comes from behind so it doesn’t have to drive around them. The cartoons are rather cute.
We arrived in Almelo on Sunday and made a trip into town after we had moored to look around as we wanted to leave next morning. While in town we broke one of our rules and decided to get some money out of the ATM in the square. Usually we only use ATM’s when we are in a bank and it is a weekday in case anything goes wrong.
As usual Murphy’s law came into play we used a machine which had been scammed. Our card disappeared and wouldn’t come back out, fortunately Kevin always keeps his hand over the keys when he puts the code in and this apparently saved us. While waiting to see if our card came back out the passing parade of bicycles was interesting.
The young lady has high heels and we wished we had seen her run alongside to pop onto the carrier, they always look so elegant riding side saddle.
Anyway after a trip back to town early next morning, the bank went and checked the machine for the card, couldn’t find it, found out that their machine had been out of action for a couple of hours, checked the cameras and saw someone interfering with the ATM. Thankfully we cancelled the card and nothing was taken out.
We set off late afternoon for the rest of out trip through this small but pleasant set of canals. On the way we are passing through large glasshouses which stretch as far as the eye can see away from the canal.
And of course we pass the seniors out for a picnic, no wonder people look so healthy over here they are always out getting exercise. No cars used here for going on a picnic, but of course the bicycle paths are fantastic.
We stayed in Gramsbergen which in the past was a smuggling town as it is only about a kilometre from the German border. The next morning brought the rain which stayed with us for days.
Thankfully we have good wet weather clothes so locking wasn’t a problem as we now had a fairly tight schedule to get back to Kuikhorne. The bridges are opened by travelling keepers who worked rain or shine. We thought our lady on one section was very good at riding her bike with one hand on the handlebars and the other holding up an umbrella as the rain poured down.
Coming into the last lock we came across a group of seniors out for a ride.
and had quite a conversation as to why we were travelling through the back blocks of the Netherlands on a rainy day and not back in Australia where they were sure the sun would be shining.
Soon we left the small canals and headed north again.As we passed through the lock onto the Tjeukemeer it was very windy and the waves were slopping us around, it always reminds me why I like the canals better than the ocean. This couple flying the German flag in his and hers dinghies packed to the hilt with their camping gear were in front of us. All I can say is she must really be in love to follow him anywhere, I bet he said they were going on a cruise of a lifetime and would have an outside cabin!!
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