After having enjoyed our stay at the Ocrieteiland, situated inside the river Eem, for four nights (yes, we know, one night overstay) we finally left on Tuesday the 2nd of June at 9:54 AM. Our planned itinerary was to cruise the remaining part of the river, then to cross the Eemmeer as well as the Nijkerkernauw (both partly) and to moor for free just in front of the Nijkerkersluis in the Arkervaart’s mouth. The Arkervaart is a canal, leading from the Nijkerkernauw into, yes!, Nijkerk. We arrived around noon at the aimed spot. However, the lock-keeper at the beginning of the Arkervaart told us that we were not allowed to moor there, due to the C.-pandemic. Since a discussion via VHF canal 10 does not make a lot of sense we behaved like well-bred civilians and made a 180° turn, although seen in the light of the rules for landlubbers as from the 1st of June this was utter nonsense. We chose to have an overnight stop at Spakenburg which, we can assure you, is quite far from for free! Time of arrival: 1:07 PM. Only later on, during sunset, we realized to make a picture of our mooring spot. We just have to get used again to making pictures for our weekly blog.

Opposite from Spakenburg’s marina a holiday resort, named ‘De Eemhof’, is visible. The land across the water, by the way, is part of the youngest province of Flevoland, almost entirely reclaimed from the IJsselmeer (former Zuiderzee), see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flevoland. Spakenburg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spakenburg, but read the far more interesting page in Dutch if you can) is part of the province of Utrecht. Why this picture? Because the light of sunset makes for a nice effect.

The next morning we left Spakenburg at 10:21 AM. Our intended destination was Wij-land, after cruising a small part of the Eemmeer, the entire Nijkerkernauw (the lock Nijkerkerkersluis included) and a part of the Nuldernauw. We had been there two years earlier and, although at the time very muddy after recent grass seed sowing, thought it would be ideal for our dog Jay. Wij-land is a pun. It literally means ‘Us-land’, but a weiland (ij = ei, same pronounciation) is a meadow. We stopped the engine running at 12:37PM. The weather: gorgeous. (This photo was taken the next day.)

Wij-land is a part of the ‘gastvrije randmeren’ (hospitable mooring spots inside the bordering lakes). Its almost entirely fenced off and accessible by using a code that is only visible on the inside. Don’t tell anybody!! Furthermore there are a set of rules applicable mainly informing the visitor about behaving like one should and wishing the same visitor a pleasant stay. Officially one has to pay some € 0,80(?) per metre (the ship, that is) per night. We have been there for two nights and not seen anybody looking like a money-collector.

Ideal for the dog. He, the dog, has got his own sub-page this week. He is, we think, just too adorable for not giving him occasionally the extra attention he deserves, at least in our opinion. Sentimental oldies, that’s what we are!

Observing wild life is always a pleasure. The birds sing loudly without ceasing but are not easy pictured. These tufted ducks (Aythya fuligula, kuifeenden in Dutch) are. Lovely little creatures. One male shows his tuft (Dutch: ‘kuif’, pretty unpronounceable for the English-speaking) well visible at the back of his tiny head.

On Friday the 5th of June the weather changed dramatically. We had almost summer-like temperatures for a period of, say, at least 10 days. The temperature dropped considerably and it started to rain and blow. We could almost hear the sighs of relief, uttered by farmers, vegetable growers and gardeners alike.

Nothing can stop us! We left the Wij-land after having been in this dog-paradise for two days on Friday the 5th at 1:42 PM (at 1:00 PM our dog had a meeting-(not mating)date with his young female neighbour dog, see the appropriate sub-page) and, while crossing the Wolderwijd, were hit by a storm-like wind combined with heavy rainfall. At some point it sounded like our wheelhouse would be blown away. That, however, did not happen.

One of our favourites along the randmeren is Harderwijk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harderwijk, the mentioned female sportstar Liesbeth Migchelsen sadly passed away last May – too young). It’s a former fishing community, when it was still situated on the tidal shore of the Zuiderzee. We arrived last Friday at 3:55 PM, after a 20 minutes stopover at Strand Horst, where one of our car-keys was handed over into absolutely trustworthy hands. We’re again ‘car-free’ for the summer season. The weather is changeable since last Friday: sometimes sunny, then again rainy and stormy. The picture, of course, was taken at a moment that is was looking sunny and friendly. As the expert -and now you’re one, too!- can see, we’re moored in front of the Vischbrug (fish bridge) and Vischpoort (fish gate), the main entrance into Harderwijk’s Vischmarkt (fish market). Yes, once it was all fish here!