Jos' Boat Trip Sepember 30 2025

 Jos' Boat Trip 2025

Bommenede Harbor

September30, 2025

We overnighted in this little harbour which is absolutely stunning.  Unlike a lot of the harbours we have seen which have hundreds if not thousands of boats this harbour has only four boats in it.  This harbour is a national park so you are only allowed to stay a few days and there are no services save for a garbage bin and a porta potty.  

This morning we had planned an 84 kms ride so we were up early and got underway about 9:00 am.  This was going to be the longest ride I had done since back in early May when we on Rockies IV down in Cranbrook.   I was a little apprehensive as the forecast was calling for rain and 20 kms wind.  In fact we had decided to reverse the course direct so as to better manage the increasing afternoon wind. The sky was pretty dark and foreboding but Jos said it would only be a little sprinkling.  OK.  

At about the 16 kms mark we were riding along the top of this dyke and there were quite a few puddles so it had rained quite hard not long ago.  However the sky was clearing and things were really looking better.  Wind was not blowing and was totally still.  Jos posed by a sign warning of Wildrooster. Not sure that motorists need to be warned of wildroosters but there it was.  

The sun peaking through the clouds and there were a lot of really nice views across the polder lands and from the tops of the dykes.  

We had hoped to see some pink flamingos in this one nesting site but no luck.   A few ducks and a bunch of Canadian geese seem to have moved in.  

For lunch we stopped and had fish and chips which were excellent.  The fish was cut into small bite sized pieces and lightly battered.  It was great.

After lunch we had only 20 kms to go but the wind had come up and so we had a headwind for the last 20 kms.  I was glad that it was only 20 kms as I was feeling pretty tired.   When we got in the harbour was filled with jelly fish.  

So we made our 84 kms and never got rained on and had only a minimal amount of wind.  What a great day.  

Terry 

Jos's Boat Trip September 29 2025

 Jos' Boat Trio

Bommenede Harbor

September 29, 2025

This morning we headed out to a little harbor just up the coast from where we were.  It was about an hour and a half cruise which was really a lot of fun see how the ship cruised along.  It was a beautiful sunny day with no wind so it made the cruise very pleasant indeed.  Jos did most of the steering but I did get to hold the wheel a few times (which was just as well as there are a lot of navigation rules to follow).

The ride to day was going to be over to a large museum on the other side of the island.  It was only about 18 kms to the museum. The Watersnoode is a museum dedicated to the 1953 storm which broke through the dykes and flooded a huge area.  In this flood the 1854 died.  It was in early January and the temperature was only a couple of degrees above freezing so the conditions were very harsh.   To repair the holes in the dykes large concrete caissons called Phoenix Caissons were purchased from England and were towed into place. The museum is now housed in three of these caissons.  It was am amazing piece of work.  There are a lot of exhibit which go beyond the 1953 flood and deal with on going water control.

After we got out of the museum we had an 18 kms ride home but by now the wind had come up so it was all into the wind.  It wasn't that far so eve though the wind was pretty strong we were hoe quickly.

While I wrote this blog Jos prepare a gourmet dinner.  

What a great day. Lots of bike paths and roads with almost o traffic and best of all no hills.

Terry 

Jos' Boat Trip September 28 2025

 Jos's Boat Trip 

Port Zelande

September 28 2025

I arrived yesterday in Netherlands from Kelowna.  It was a totally full flight and with all the labour unrest and flight cancellations I was really happy to have made it to Amsterdam  with out a single hitch.  There was a slight 16 minute delay getting off the ground in Kelowna due to wildfire smoke but the piolet rerouted us around it and we arrived in Toronto early and departed early.  Making things even better was Jos had borrowed the van from the harbour and had driven in to Amsterdam to pick me up. This was really deluxe as it saved me from a three hour multi leg train and bus ride. We stopped at a bike shop Jos had scouted out and I picked up my rental bike.  It turned out to be a really nice aluminum frame road bike with disc brakes and just the right size. Perfect!  

We were up late as there were a lot of stories which needed telling.  I was afraid that jet lag was going to get me and when I woke up at 3:30 am this morning I thought I was in trouble.  However I rolled over and the next thing I know Jos is calling me to get up as it is 10:00 am.   Jos had coffee on and had laid out a 50 kms ride on Garmin.  

I pulled on my riding kit and we were off.  The route was a circumnavigation of the island where the boat is tied up.  Sailing along on the almost totally flat bike paths was really easy and lots of fun.  It was a bright sunny day with very little wind.  The route was mostly along the water front and so there were great views of the water.  We rode through a few smaller towns and stopped at a small restaurant where Jos knew the owner.  She had a luncheon special of, a small salad, small soup and a tuna sandwich for us.  Just perfect.   Back on the bikes with about 20 km to go back home.  

We passed a bunch of harbours which are just packed with hundreds of sail boats.  I have never seen so many boats.  Having a wonderful day made everything look so beautiful

We arrived home with a total of 53.8 kms ride and with a climb of 100 meters on my Garmin.  Jos had only 70 meters, so I must have done some extra climb somewhere.  

What a perfect day.  

Terry