Tuesday 25th June Ref: 2019/9
The say started cool with Lady Martina in the shade but continued very warm and sunny again with no sign of the forecast thunder storms by the time we set off in early afternoon. We cruised back from Almaar via the Alkemaader Meer but had to bypass the non-working Kogerpolderbrug bridge and cruise via the Markervaart and Krollendammer Vaart to get to our target destination of Purmerend.
In a conversation earlier today, Chris and I had agreed that we should allow the ladies time looking around Alkmaar this morning and then move on this afternoon, as our current location would be too hot and noisy for what would amount to another hot and humid day.
Kathleen wanted to visit the large church/cathedral I would have liked me to have gone with her, but I’d work to do and wanted to stay on the boat to continue to update my websites and navigational work. The day started cooler than yesterday, and with Lady Martina in the shade of the adjacent Turfmarkt buildings, I made good progress firstly updating my Lady Martina website and then my own journal website as well and had cleared up my computer away by the time they had returned.
We set off at 2pm local time, when the bridge lifted from our mooring basin and we could continue our voyage. The cruise started well but then we found notices saying that the Kogerpolderbrug bridge was not lifting and this involved is taking a large detour via the Markervaart and Krollendammer Vaart to get to our target destination of Purmerend. All of the time the sun was beating down on the day was getting hotter and we had to be grateful that we were underway with a breeze on our faces even though we were still far too hot.
Upon arriving at Purmerend, had a lot of trouble with the automatic ticketing and water dispensing technology that had been adapted at the club moorings we had to wait a while until I could get the harbourmaster to appear in person to help us. In the end, he seemed to give me my 300 litres of water free and then charged me just €2 for continual and unlimited electricity which was a great boon to me such that I could run my air-condioning in the very warm and humid weather.
In the cool of the evening later, I could take my bicycle and tour around Purmerend and visit its grand church, town hall and market square which had its market today which we were unfortunately too late for.
