Thursday 27th - Saturday 29th May 2004 Sellingen to Veelerveen.

Thursday 27th May 2004 Sellingen to Veelerveen.

6.5 ° C overnight. Sunny spells and grey clouds, chilly north wind. We set off first at 9.10 a.m, Rosy following. Arrived at Jipsinghuizersluis at 9.45 a.m. turned the key and the bottom gates closed, the paddle lifted and the lock filled. Mike and I worked the liftbridge (a wind up and down one) Bill brought Rosy into the lock and Mike followed him. I shut the bridge and the lock worked like clockwork - except I left the key in the switch on the side of the bridge. Luckily, the man at the house opposite the bridge spotted that the red traffic light was still on and came to tell us. He asked if we’d been to Poland already! Mike told him the situation and that Poland was on hold until next year. Only one of the bottom end gates opened, but we could get out of the lock so we didn’t have to call the staff out. Down the short pound to Wollinghuizensluis. The lock worked the same as the previous one, except the liftbridge was automatic  - press the button and it did it all by itself. Left the bottom at 11 a.m. and headed down to Bourtange. Made a cup of soup as it was decidedly chilly. Bill was first at the lock. Our two bridge painters were busy painting the liftbridge’s counterbalance from a scaffolding. They were very cheerful and moved it for us to go into the lock. Bourtange’s liftbridge was automatic too but linked in with the lock working, and, as it was only a shallow lock, the bridge stayed up until we’d left the chamber. That was quick! 11.35 a.m and we were away again. The next pound was a longer one and we ran down to the modern concrete lock at Vlagtweddersluis. Turned the key and set the lock, went in and Bill brought “Rosy” in alongside. Masts off to get under the fixed road bridge (3m high) below the lock. I made a sandwich as we dropped down in the lock and we ate lunch as we ran down to Veelerveen. Bill was in front so he worked the automatic bridge, Veelerveensebrug, and we went on to moor at the wooden landing at 1.00 p.m. Immediately after tying up we refilled our water tank, set the Markon running and did two loads of washing. Mike went off to collect the car. I did the chores, vacuumed the carpet and did the ironing while I’d got the Markon running and 240v electricity available, I turned the engine off after the washing finished. Bill carried on fitting his new engine room floor. Another Friesland hireboat went past. Mike took Bill to get his gas bottle refilled. Cooked some red roast pork for dinner with Thai broccoli in oyster sauce and noodles.

A packed mooring at Veelerveen (on the way back in 2005)

Friday 28th May 2004 Veelerveen. More waiting

6° C overnight, grey morning, brighte-ning up later. We all went shopping (by car) to the Albert Heijn in Stadskanaal, got our groceries then we went in a VVV office and asked where the local cybercafé was - in the library. Found the library next to the theatre, it was closed, only open afternoons. Called in the library at Vlagtwedde on the way back to the boat. They had four computer terminals, so Mike said he’d go back after lunch and have a session on the ‘net. I packed the groceries away and made lunch. Mike got some Comastic hull blacking paint out and touched up the damaged patches where we’d got scratches down the port side from backing out of the mooring at Almere and where the starboard gunwale had caught under one of the wooden landings for bridge working. A large cruiser went past heading uphill. Mike took Bill with him and they went back to the library in Vlagtwedde. Mike tried to register for e-mail on Yahoo (the Aussie guy we met at Condé, Leigh, suggested he did that ages ago - winter before last). Everything seemed very slow, maybe because there’s a holiday looming, and he wasn’t sure if he succeeded. Bill tried sending him an e-mail but he didn’t get it. When they returned Mike lit the BBQ and we had steak and slavinken (Dutch sausages wrapped with bacon), plus I made potato salad (got the right type of spuds - Hooray!) and egg salad with spicy saté sauce. Fanny fetched sticks to make more charcoal. It started getting chilly, so I went in at 9.30 p.m. to do the washing up, leaving the men sitting out drinking beer. They packed up at 11 p.m.

Saturday 29th May 2004 Veelerveen.  Waiting....

4.9° C Clear blue skies, sunny and warm - weatherwise the best day for ages. Beginning of Whit week! I stripped the covers off the cushions, while Mike and Bill went off to the library to have another try at e-mailing on the Internet. They were back shortly after. The library was closed on Saturdays! Put the pins in and ran the Markon and I did two more loads of washing - thick winter door curtains to be put away and the cushion covers. Mike had a sort out in the engine room to try and lighten the contents and lift the stern end up in the water a bit. He transferred some lengths of steel (for repairs, etc) to the storage under the seat on the front deck and put the spare chimney pipe on the staging (to be disposed of later). In the afternoon Bill was carrying on with his woodwork and so we went out in the car to look at mooring places along the B.L.Tijdenskanaal and Westerwoldse Aa. We went as far as the Dollard at Nieuwe Statenzijl, where there were lots of people out on their bikes for a ride on the dijk path. Back at 5.30 p.m.