Sneek to Akkrum

The last bridge out of Sneek. What we like to see - Red/Green as we approach.

14Km. Seems to be about our optimum cruise distance. Our route today from Sneek to Akkrum passed through the Sneekermeer lakes and was the very first time we can honestly say we can now see why everyone has boats on these lakes. This is our 5th time in the Netherlands, and almost every trip has involved a lake or two or three and they have always been awful - gusty, choppy, brown, unappealing. All down to the weather, of course, and today was gorgeous, if a tad too warm at 29C. Being mid-week there were only a few boats out and about, but I could finally see the attraction. The lakes are dotted about with small islands with lovely mown-grassy moorings and trees. I spotted the odd BBQ pits ashore too. There were also any number of marinas, boatyards and yacht clubs around the perimiter. No doubt really busy around here in summer or on weekends. Although the lake had plenty of depth - for the most part 1.6m - we stuck to the buoyed channel behind a medium-sized barge.

There are plenty of places to moor around the lakes. In harbours with all the facilities, and a fee, or ....

on an island with nothing but nature, perhaps a BBQ pit, and no fee.

 It doesn't look like it, but this is a huge lock which usually stands open but can be closed at periods of high water or flood.

I found very little information about our destination Akkrum, so we weren't sure what to expect. It turned out to be a charming small town/big village with a couple of churches, a supermarket (Poesez - which always makes Skip laugh), a hardware store, a chemist, a couple of dress shops and a handful of restaurants and cafes. 

Zoe moored up in the small haven in Akkrum. At 10m, we are just on the limit of what is allowed in here.

There is also a sweet little passantahaven where we are moored up. They only have room for about a dozen boats, maximum 10m, with power, water and wifi. There are other moorings for excess or bigger boats out next to the first bridge into town. The town is criss-crossed with canals and just about every house/building fronts/backs onto a canal - some both.   

Todays bike route through the neighbouring villages and farmlands. Note:  Shorts & T-shirts!

This is the start of the Turf Route which we will be following for the next 3 or 4 days. We took a bike ride for a couple of hours this afternoon which crossed the canal a couple of times and I think we are going to like it a lot. It is narrow, very so at times, with lots of self service bridges and a passel of locks. But pretty, pretty. 

We'll be passing through here tomorrow so Skip stopped to check out how the bridges work as they are, for the most part, self-service.

The weatherman has promised us rain tomorrow, sadly, but at least it will be cooler.  After a hot ride, in shorts and T-shirts, we put the deckchairs ashore under a convenient tree next to the boat and enjoyed a La Chouffre beer in the cool evening air.

Skip keeping an eye on the BBQ.

By the way, I forgot to mention that when the chap came to collect the harbour fee in Sneek, he said "Mmmm, Zoe. You were here year before last were'nt you? Tied up in the same place." . "WHAT? You remember!" we replied amazed. "Yes, well we hardly ever get any English boats in here." he said.