Department of Public Works - "At your service!"

Krabbegatsluis, Houtribdijk-Enkhuizen

Lately the Dutch Department of Public Works (Rijkswaterstaat) runs a big advertisement campaign in the papers. Rijkswaterstaat is looking for new staff: stewards who will support the lock-keepers of the most frequented locks during the crowded periods in the spring- and summer- season.
The Steward is the "visting-card" of Rijkswaterstaat in the locks and responsible for, among other things:

* Giving instructions to the skippers at the entrances and exits of locks, taking account of the space that larger ships need;
* Informing skippers (especially recreational boating) where they must take place in the lock and monitor the speed and safety of the lock;
* Transmitting messages from the lock-keeper to skippers;
* Supporting skippers (especially recreational boating) in the mooring of boats;
* Informing waterway-users about activities in the region, security on the water and closed waterways;
* Distribution of information to skippers and answering questions.

Though I am very confident with the customer-friendliness of the lock-keepers of Rijkswaterstaat - this new service is very welcome of course! Rijkswaterstaat exploits the National waterways of the Netherlands and the big locks/sluices. To my experience the bigger the lock, the less problems the lock-keepers makes with opening the doors for a little kayak... While the big sealocks take kayaks for granted, no problem - with small locks in the regional waterways it's often a tiring discussion with the lock-keeper before he's willing to open the door for a kayak...
The other water-authorities should take an exemplar of this good initiative of Rijkswaterstaat!

Btw: the German Department of Public Works too: read Jörgen's recent adventures with German Lock-keepers...

Locks on the small pictures: top-down:

1. Zeesluis Muiden, Vecht - IJmeer
2. Oudhuizersluis, Heinoomsvaart
3. Schutsluis Woerdense Verlaat, Vecht

Haantje de voorste?

"Every organism is looking for other organisms to survive, the same applies to man and chicken" - Koen Vanmechelen.

Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen makes iconoclastic sculpture, paintings, glasswork and installations. His daring expeditions into contemporary science, philosophy and ethics have resulted into several internationally acclaimed projects. Most known is The Cosmopolitan Chicken Project (TCCP), a vast attempt to create and manipulate scores of chicken breeds from whole over the world into a new species, a universal chicken or Superbastard. Four subprojects constitute the TCCP: Virtual crossing, Experimental crossing, The Walking Egg and The Accident, Chronicles of The Cosmopolitan Chicken.

Every relationship needs maintenance. Living with a sporty, but non-kayaking partner (Janine is a long distance runner) a non sporting retreat once in a while is obliged. This weekend Janine and I booked a culinary arrangement in a hotel in Berg en Dal, near Nijmegen. Saturday we visited the Museum for archaeology and contemporary art "Het Valkhof" - with the exposition of Koen Vanmechelen's chicken project. Sunday we did a leisurely walk, first through the woods near Berg en Dal, than along the river de Waal.
A little secret: the sight of the mighty river - flowing fast with a lot of traffic, did remind me of: kayaking... Sorry Janine!

Early season paddling - very cool!

Water temperature along Dutch coast is around 8 degrees Celsius at this time of the year. Pretty cold for a swim, but no excuse for a good training session. I invited a group of seakayakers for a paddle in the Voordelta and explained that dealing with the cold-water would be the central theme. Wet sessions included.
As I told the participants about the programme - not only a wet session in the last five minutes of the paddle, but direct from the start - as they phoned me a week before the the training session, I noticed some hesitation. Not everybody was enthusiast about the idea of a swim, two kayakers resigned. Most people however found it a challenging idea. Only a few had experimented before with rolling and rescues and swimming in cold water.
The conditions were perfect: wind SW 3-4 Bft, air temp. 10 degrees Celsius, a bit clouded, but mainly dry. After a warming up at the beach, we paddled 2o minutes against the wind before we did a rolling session and eskimo-rescues (bow rescue and paddle rescue) for those who couldn't roll. After this intermezzo we paddled with a following wind 1,5 hour out at sea before we set course to the beach of Goeree. The next part was an incident management-session - the group had to deal (2 km out of the coast) with 3 seasick and potentially hypothermic kayakers that needed support and had to be brought back to land and treated against hypothermia - 2o minutes of towing, landing at the beach and building a shelter followed. After the lunch on the way back to the starting point we looked for some vivid water above the sand, did a competition with x-rescues (stopwatch- which team does the fastest recovery ?) and finished with rolling and bracing the harbour.
Respect for the commitment of this group: everybody participated in all the wet sessions - most of them dressed in neoprene - which offers adequate protection but isn't by near as comfortable as a drysuit. It is all very well for me to talk - dressed in the high tech Kokatat drysuit!

Distance paddled: 18 km.

Webalbum with more (unsorted) pictures of this trip by me, Patrick and Willem:

tkbn Voordeltatocht

Click here for the pictures of Jan R.

Jörgen's departure for Moldova

Jörgen started his sponsor-tour for the Clinic in Moldova this morning. Jörgen and his support- team have had a hectic time during the last weeks. The "Smiles for Moldova"-action got a lot of attention by local and national press, yesterday evening Jörgen was on Dutch Television. It must be a big relief for the team that the tour now finally started. It was a good start: a great farewell party in Restaurant "de 2 Provinciën", a lot of visitors, good press attention, good commitment from the sponsors, the sun shining and a perfect time management: Jörgen left the party as planned at 12.00 PM.
Before we said Jörgen goodbye, his support-crew gave a presentation about the goals of the kayak-trek, Dr. van Oort told about the work of the clinic in Moldova, and the main Sponsors and the mayor said a word. The restaurant was very crowded and outside arrived some dozens of paddlers to accompany Jörgen on the first miles of his long tour.

The mayor gave the official start sign. Jörgen paddled out at the "Paterswolde meer", heading over the lake and the channels in Gronningen to the Wadden Sea. It's only a short salt-waterbreak, the trek mainly follows rivers: from the Dollard, the Ems, the Rhine, the Danube. Finally come some salt-water-miles again: the black sea for the last stretch to Moldava - but that's only a small part on a total distance of 4000 km.
I was in the comfortable position to wave Jörgen goodbye from the tourist-boat in which the support-team with press, sponsors and officials escorted the paddlers on their first miles. It was also a nice occasion to meet a lot of kayak-friends. And it was good fun to see the press at work.


Good-Luck Jörgen!


For a video/interview with Jörgen and Dr. van Oort about the kayak-trek and "Smiles for Moldova" click here.

Countdown for Jörgen!

Jörgen at the NKB Vlieland kayak week, 2005

It's better counting the hours than the days before Jörgen starts his 4000 kilometre-kayak-adventure across the heart of Europe, from the Netherlands to Moldova. Jörgen isn't only putting himself to the test, he also wants to attract attention and to raise funds for the work of Dr. Rob van Oort. Dr. Rob van Oort is an expert in the field of Maxillofacial Prosthetics who is setting up a clinic in Chisinau to help the people of Moldava with congenital or acquired oral and facial defects. Read more about Jörgen's goals in the dedicated Smiles for Moldova website.

The first time I met Jörgen was when he participated in the ZV-group (=BCU-4* level) I coached at the Vlieland-week in 2005. Since then I enjoyed his company on several seakayak-activities in the Netherlands and Germany. I remember Jörgen telling us, already in that first week back in 2005, about his dream to make a world-tour by kayak. In two days this dream comes through! That's Jörgen: not a dreamer, a tough worker! Succes Jörgen!

Jörgen starts his expedition next Saturday with a farewell party near the "Paterswoldse Meer" in Groningen. The sponsortrek gets good press attention and is also covered by Volkskrantreizen.nl.

AKV Speed rolling competition

It's a good tradition of Kayak club de Kromme Aar to make open house of the last pool session of the season. Everybody is invited to have a look at the kayak activities and to go for a swim in one of the pools. Part of the festivities is an open rolling contest. And despite the fact that I am not a very competition-driven person I can't resist to compete and feel obliged to protect the reputation of the Kayakclub Wyrda from Woerden! a heavy burden is resting on my shoulders!

The competition is about who manages to do most rolls in 60 seconds: no hand rolls, but rolls with a paddle. The record was set in 2005: 21 rolls. A lot of rollers have come close to this record, but until this year no-one equalled it since. Crucial in this competition is not to collide with the sides of the swimming-pool - in speed rolling it's hard to stay in place and the pool isn't very big. Repositioning makes the difference between winning and loosing.

With 18 rolls I was second in the category of the veterans: aged 41+. I was a bit disappointed, I should have done better: now I was beaten by my friend Patrick from kayakclub Natsec - who managed 19 rolls. To my relief Patrick was competing in another category: the senior-class in which he became third ;-) We were both beaten by the juniors Tijmen, Nico ( Kayakclub de Ronde Venen) and Tom and Fred (Kayakclub de Kromme Aar) who did all a very impressive 21 rolls!
Congratulations! (But beware: next year I come back and then I will be prepared!!)

A dramatic accident on the Rhine

Dagblad Dag 25-03-2008 / www.dag.nl

There is a world of tragedy behind this small report in the sideline of today's newspaper:

Dutch skipper kills kayaker
Rhine - A Dutch skipper has probably killed a kayaker on the Rhine near Mainz in Germany. The remains of a kayak were found under the propeller of his ship and a Swiss kayaker is missing. DNA research must prove if the human tissue that is found in the equipment belongs to the missing Swiss. According to the police there is little chance that it isn't.

Update 26. March:
Rudi pointed out that in the German Faltbootforum a discussion is going on this accident. Thanks Rudi! In the forum is a link to the Police-report . Don't underestimate the risks of shipping traffic on the Rhine!

Crossing rivers - transforming into an ice cube

Desperately looking for any occasion to work on personal fitness ;-), I said yesterday to Janine and the kids that I would follow by bike - as they would visit (by car) friends of us in Tilburg (= 80 km's from Woerden). It's a nice route to bike through traditional Dutch scenery, crossing 3 rivers: the Lek, Merwede and Maas. I planned to cross the Lek by the bridge near Vianen, but as I passed "recreatieterrein Salmsteke"(btw: Salmsteke is an excellent starting point for kayaking on the Lek), I noticed the ferryboat to Ameide. This little ferry is only for pedestrians and bikers, with a limited service, and now because of Easter in duty. I never used this ferry before and enjoyed the river from a new perspective. A bargain: for 70 eurocents I had a private ferry - and probably I was the only user of the day.

When I left Woerden sun was shining, blue skies - after a start of the day with snow and showers of hail. I hoped for a good weather-window for 2,5 hours, checked "buienradar.nl" (live satellite images of showers) and took the chance. It started promising and sun was still shining on the ferry on the Lek, but at the horizon dramatic skies arose. Few moments later the world looked totally different - like a dark winter-day...

It soon got colder, windier and wetter. On the ferry on the Maas (Capelse Veer) it was snowing. Slowly the feeling disappeared out of the extremities: first fingers and toes, then hands and feet, arms and legs. I kept a steady speed, but noticed I became less aware of the surroundings - this was no "flow" anymore but symptoms of hypothermia. After 2 hours biking through snow and hailstorms with temperatures around zero, dressed in Lycra tights, a Gore jacket and neoprene overshoes I had turned into some kind of icecube -> ready for a defrosting program in Tilburg.

Conclusion: I enjoyed the ride, but admit this wasn't a very sensible action! Instead a lesson on windchill, the effects of humidity, the importance of an adequate outfit (and of overestimation of oneself? ;-)!

Happy Easter!

This is my interpretation of a great "Paasontbijt" (Easter breakfast de luxe) on location. I was a bit frustrated being so busy lately with work that kayaking (and kayak blogging ;-) got a bit neglected. I desperately needed to go out. So - in good agreement with the family - I got up early for an extensive paddle instead of the traditional luxury breakfast and egg-search-quest of the first Easter-day.

Guus is always in for actions like this. Easter comes very early this year (next time this early is said to be in sixty years - this must be the earliest of a lifetime..) - but snow? It's springtime!

The route we paddled: Woerden - Woerdense Verlaat - Slikkendam - Meesloot - Noorderplas - Nieuwkoop - Zuiderplas - Meije - Hollandsche Boerderij - Fort Wierickerschans - Oude Rijn - Nieuwerbrug- Woerden. 36 km through the fantastic scenery of the Groene Hart. 5 portages and some nasty low bridges to pass...

The Kokatat Goretex Expedition Drysuit and a seakayak might be a bit overkill for the placid canals and lakes of the Groene Hart - but they are very comfortable and nice warm in these freezing/chilly conditions ;-)
The wing paddle was today's experiment. I normally use this wing in combination with the K1 racer for short training sessions up to 10 km. I wanted to try out how it performs (or better say: if I can handle it) on a longer distance in a seakayak. The Brasca I is a large size wing - I won't recommend it for long distance touring, unless you are a very powerful and athletic paddler. I am not...

What I am so busy with at work? Coordinating an expert-group on water and soil strategies for the future of the "Groene hart". Local groups are very concerned! Farmers worry about strategies against settlement of the soil and fear that agricultural ground is transformed in wet-nature("moeras"= moor).

One of the portages along the route. The watersystem of the Groene Hart is very complex and regulated by numerous pumping stations. Living below sea level means pumping day and night, all year long... And due to this pumping (peat) soil is sinking up to 2 cm's a year. Put this in a perspective of climate change - it's quit a challenge to keep this complicated watersystem sustainable and affordable!

Wyrda's pool session in the local press

Woerdense Courant, 20 maart 2008

Kayakclub Wyrda started this year with activities for youngsters. In seakayak-practice I spent most of the coaching time working with adults. Pool sessions with kids are new for me - a great pleasure to do. Kids ask for a different approach for a stimulating, inspirational and fun event - I learned kids are no "mini-adults" and should be treated in a respectful way that matches their psychological and physical level. On the other hand: realize that adults are "maxi-kids"- much of the the playful, fun and a bit competition-orientated elements of the kids- approach works very good with adults too...

The day after (the storm)...

As far as I know: no stranded vessels on the Dutch beaches this time. The fishing boat on the boulevard of Scheveningen is put there years ago as a decoration referring to the rich fisherman's tradition of this part of The Hague.
Today I had a work related "heissessie" in the Carlton Beach hotel in Scheveningen. "Hei(de)" means "uncultivated land with sandy soil and scrubby vegetation", but a "hei-session" has nothing to do with rural sites and uncultivated land (alas!) - it's just the idea to work on a remote place with a couple of colleagues - in order not to be disturbed by daily questions - and in this way to work in a short session intense and effective.
When I arrived at the Beach Hotel early this morning it was high tide. Storm had gone, only a breeze was left. Due to yeserday's wind surf was fantastic: a clear zone with breakers up to 1-2 meters high rolling out on the beach - a kayaker's dream. This is the surf I wished we had in Wangerooge last weekend. But today no kayak but work instead: in a conference room with a view on the sea. Life can be so cruel.
(Life ain't to bad either - I enjoyed a extensive walk along the beach during lunchtime (but at that time (near Low tide) surf had no power any more).

Storm over Europe

Storm in Europe from Meteosat MSG (Source: Eumetsat)

For Wednesday-morning and this afternoon a severe weather warning is given out: Dutch coastal zone, West 9 Bft., gales, showers. Today's storm is expected to be more powerful than it was Monday. Ad reported he had a great ride in his kayak on the river the Lek this morning. It's a brave guy!

Spring Cleaning 2008 -Salzwasser Union

These pictures are from the "Spring Cleaning 2008" organised by the Salzwasserunion (SAU). The Spring Cleaning is an early season training weekend for Sea Kayak Coaches and Instructors of the SAU(and those going to be). I participated in in this weekend together with Nico Middelkoop. It was a great weekend -> thanks to Bernhard for the invitation and for the organisation! A lot of stories to tell, they will follow later, first come some busy days at work!

(double click on the pictures to pop up the originals)

Barcelona!

On their first meeting at the Ritz Hotel in Barcelona Montserrat Caballé asked Freddy Mercury to write a song about her home town. The result realised Freddie's dream of recording with the famous Spanish opera star who he considered to have the most beautiful female voice in the world. A hit single in 1987, it reached no. 8 in the UK, but had a second lease of life five years later when it reached no. 2, after being adopted for the 1992 Olympic Games. Montserrat Caballé performed the song again in the Barcelona Olympic Stadium immediately before Manchester United's 1999 triumph in the UEFA Champions League - a true European anthem - Queen Greatest Hits, EMI Records Ltd, 2000.

A non-kayaking intermezzo: a mental support front for Janine. My partner Janine is a passionated long-distance-runner (and fan of the music of Queen). Tomorrow she is one of the 9122 athletes running the epic distance of 42,195 km through the streets of Barcelona. Good luck Janine!

Is it "itching"?

Itch

Noun
1. A contagious skin infection caused by the itch mite; characterised by persistent itching and skin irritation; "he has a bad case of the itch".
2. A strong restless desire; "why this urge to travel?".
3. An irritating cutaneous sensation that produces a desire to scratch.

Verb
1. Scrape or rub as if to relieve itching; "Don't scratch your insect bites!".
2. Have or perceive an itch; "I'm itching--the air is so dry!".
3. Have a strong desire or urge to do something; "She is itching to start the project".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

Sometimes I wonder "why the trouble?". English isn't my native language. That's Dutch. And German in second place. But not English - Often I find it rather hard to find matching English expressions - Writing English takes me a lot of extra time and I sure make mistakes in spelling and grammar... Mostly I don't mind the extra effort - English is a perfect tool to communicate worldwide, and I like the contacts with foreign seakayakers - since the start of this blog over 60% of the visitors is none-Dutch. But sometimes...
I admire the impressive way kayak-bloggers like Derrick and Wenley (that's word-art!) play around with English language and feel a bit guilty with my messing.
I keep on practising - it can only get better ;-). It comes with little things. Today I discovered you can use "itching" in English in the same context as "kriebelen" in Dutch. Technically the translation will be correct, yet I am not sure if it comes along with same subtle nuances and feelings as in the Dutch language...

This weekend Nelleke and Philip sent a mail with a collage of pictures with short notes of the NKB/SAU-course on Spiekeroog last year. In the accompanying text they asked: "kriebelt het al?" -to announce that they are anxiously looking forward for their next seakayak-course and that they will join at Vlieland this year. I was amused by the way they put this, and smiled because of the pictures - some of them showing me in a bit compromising position.

Wat zoek je daar nu?

Lukt het?

Ja ik heb het!

Lotgenoten.

Text and pictures by N. Boot.

To answer the question: it's always itching! Fortunately the kayak season isn't limited to the summer months but goes the year round. (The breathable drysuit has seriously contributed to my winter pleasure in kayaking. Multiple day trips, wet exercises in winter are much more fun with this piece of kit). So it's itching, I continuously want to go out kayaking, but I don't only have the urge to go out, I actually do (next week to Wangerooge... ;-). Amongst the great seakayak activities the NKB-courses have a special place in my heart. I am looking forward to the next one! Alas the Spiekeroog course is postponed to 2009 (due to calender-issues in 2008), but I can't wait for Vlieland! Thanks for the pictures Nelleke and Philip: they supply "voorpret".

The complete 2008 NKB-seakayak calender: click here.

My first salt water of the year

Ad heading out!

Though I thought I have been paddling quit a lot lately, the last real salt water experience was the interrupted one in December last year on the German wad. So today's NKB trip to the Voordelta was in more aspects a premiere: it was also my first time with the Anas Acuta in tidal waters, and a test of a new Dutch carbon-composite paddle. I emphasize this wasn't the first NKB-trip on the sea - the honour of organising the first NKB-salt water event of the season belongs to Nico Middelkoop also this year! Last year I claimed this title dishonestly ;-) - Nico learnt me the better, blame on me, sorry!

Ten people subscribed for the trip to the Voordelta. Amongst the subscribers two other sea-kayak-coaches: the participants were in good hands! I had announced the trip as a harsh one (a serious distance, exposed to winterly conditions) and up to this morning I actually believed it would be: Friday and Saturday were quit windy with winds up to 6 Bft, and for this Sunday the forecasts predicted 4-5 Bft. I have done trips in this region without wind and yet serious surf due tot the swell coming in. But it turned out to be a relaxed paddle: the wind came today and the days before mainly from SW - so it hadn't enough striking length to built up a good swell. While in other parts of Holland it was almost spring (temperatures up to 17 degrees Celsius!), we enjoyed the sun but paddled with gloves and warm caps and I appreciated the comfort of the Drysuit. Some of us finished the day with rolling excersises - a refreshing experience, water temperature is 6 degrees Celsius (sounds warmer than it feels).


According tot the GPS the paddled distance is 25,8 km. Start at 10.40 hr, finish 15.45 in Stellendam -outer harbour, we paused on the beach of the Maasvlakte (Slufterdam from 11,45-13.15) - I want to try to extract the tracklog from the GPS, but before I manage so: we paddled roughly the same route as in this trip (a bit more direct to the Slufterdam and a bit less far west - therefore 9 km shorter). The route was partly along the contour of the future "Rustgebied/closed area" of the Hinderplaat. There is some confusion about the perspective for seakayaking in this region: a trip like this will also be possible when the new regulations (expected in April 2008) occur. More details about the new rules for recreational activities in the Voordelta-area: here.

Snapshots of the trip in the Picasa Album:

NKB Hinderplaat feb 08

Update 28-02-2008: Tracklog of the paddled route on Google Earth (thanks to Nico P.!)Click on the picture for a detailed view.

Happy Smurfday!

The Smurfs celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2008, and UNICEF is involved. Hundreds of white plastic Smurfs, just 20cm high, will be scattered in selected European cities for children to decorate. The plastic Smurfs will be laid down overnight - waiting at the bus stop, playing around the fountain, at the schoolyard – and kids will be able to pick them up in the morning. For those who miss the secret Smurf drop, others will be for sale from UNICEF, where the proceeds will help the children's fund.
The 2008 Smurf invasion will be accompanied by a travelling ‘Smurf Anniversary Exhibition’, telling the story of the Smurfs, with more than 50 “Smurfy games” for the younger fans, a Smurf Zeppelin and bigger, 1.20m Smurf statues that will be decorated by celebrity artists. Last week the Smurfs invaded Scheveningen.

The Kayak-smurf is a pretty indispensable piece of kit for kayak coaches. A collection of Smurfs is a welcome help when instructing on land about items like group-positioning, traffic rules and so on. But why does the little friend always look so scared?

Some people shout "Smurf" at me when I am heading through the streets of Woerden on the way to the kayak-club, dressed in my sky blue Drysuit and with a soft conical winter-cap on the head. I suppose that's an expression of great respect?

More serious news about the 50th anniversary of Peyo's creature in the Volkskrant (with video).

Camping with the canoe-boys

"Creatief met kurk": Kayak boy shows canoe boys what can be done with firewood.

Finally the westerly circulation that dominated the weather situation (to) long is over. A high pressure zone delivered - for the first time since many weeks - a calm, quit and sunny weekend. Perfect weather for the outdoors. I had an appointment with Guus and Alex in the Biesbosch for winter-camping. They were touring in the Biesbosch with open canoes since Friday and I joined them Saturday, paddling the Anas Acuta kayak. Guus and Alex had taken along a giant amount of firewood, which was very welcome because - despite the moderate temperatures by day - night and morning were quit frosty.

Record attempt in pitching a tent

Guus' new toy is the pop up tent. Pitching it is incredible fast! Guus gives a non stop demonstration that makes me envious. It's a pity the Pop-Up-tents don't fit through the Valley-hatches of a seakayak!

Top-heavy

Picture in NRC-Next, 4 February 2008 by Walter Herfst.

It's old news, but as I was clearing away last weeks newspapers, I was once more struck by the fascinating image of the grounded Chines freighter "Zhen Hua 10". It's hard to believe that a vessel loaded like this can stay upright at all. It made all the way from China to it's destination in Rotterdam, and stranded in sight of the harbour last Saturday (location = near the beach where the Hinderplaat-paddle-trip in November started).

Several attempts to bring the vessel afloat failed. A third tug-boat came over from Hamburg to help. After three days the tug-boats finally succeeded to free the vessel at high tide. The story ended up with an old-style "proud Dutch seaman"-news-item on Television. In the interview the employee of the Dutch towing company declared this job to be a "business as usual, nothing special". The Chinese captain however, a humble person - visible impressed by what happened, declared that sailing a vessel loaded like this was no pleasure at all - it could hardly make speed against the wind, his story sounded more like "once, but never again".

I don't like big deck-loads on my kayak either...