Netherlands Inland Waterway Cruise – Zwartsluis to Hardewijk

Berthed in Hardewijk

Thursday 19th June.

First proper day of the trip.

Said cheerio to Wim at Kranerweerd and told him we would be back on 14th July.

Left our berth at 0905.

Weather not looking too bad at this point. Chilly but not actually raining – yet!

Hardewijk

We had hardly left the marina when I was glad that I had just brushed up the CEVNI rules (European Inland Waterway Regulations).

A working barge/dredger was coming towards us, hogging the side of the channel where I was supposed to be.
Once we were closer I could see his blue board with white flashing light on his starboard side – telling me to pass starboard to starboard and not port to port as is normal.

Our route took us under Meppelaarsluis brug, along the Zwartewater and the Ramsdiep, under the Ramspol Brug.
There is another shortcut route called Ramsgeul (gully), but this was closed due to construction work.
Ramsdiep ends at Schokkerhaven, where we turned into the Ketelmeer. Across to SE corner of the Ketelmeer, into the Vaargeul and on to Roggebotsluis.

Church in Hardewijk

I had expected to have to wait here, as we arrived about 1230, (the lockies usually knock off for lunch from 12 to 1) but there was a commercial
barge coming through, after which we got the green light to enter the lock.

Very quick as it was only a few cm drop.

It had started raining earlier, and it now got worse.

Pretty miserable in fact. Our new windscreen wiper worked overtime.

Karen dressed for her summer holiday in Hardewijk!!

Supposed to be middle of summer!

Anyway we pressed on making quite good time in the rubbish conditions.

Under the Elburgbrug, across the aquaduct just outside Hardewijk, and arrived there (Hardewijk) at about 15.30 hrs.

There was no free space at the public or gemeente haven, but we managed to find a place in the JH Hardewijk.

Beach at Hardewijk

A very small harbour, and quite tricky to get into the mooring.

And of course the rain was at its worst while we were tying up.

The harbour master seemed a bit grumpy when explaining where to berth, but was quite amenable actually.
Euro 14 for the night. Free showers. Electricity by Euro 0.50 cent coins.

Hardewijk public moorings

We took a walk around the town. All these Dutch towns seem to have very large churches.

Many years ago Hardewijk was on the edge of the Zuiderzee, and would have been a busy fishing town.

It’s now cut off from the see by the reclaimed
Flevoland area, but is still on the inland waterway.

Not a lot happens here now, and it relies on tourism and boaters for it’s living.

There is a beach which will be wonderful in the warm weather. Not much of that now, as can be seen from the picture of Karen dressed in her wet weather gear.

Some statistics:
Distance for the day – 63 kms. One of our longer days, with an average speed of 10 ks/hr.
Only 1 lock and 3 fixed bridges.

Till next time.