4 September. Almere Haven to Haarlem.

We were delighted with our find of a 3.5 HP Mercury outboard motor at Almere Haven this morning. OK, so we won't be doing any water-skiing :) but it is light and we only want to putter down small canals so it will be adequate for our little 2.6m inflatable guppy. And it was a good price. Happy.

Not so happily, our fresh water pump packed up just after filling the kettle for breakfast coffee but before the morning showers :(

Drat. We took a wash in a bucket of river water - it is, after all, perfectly fresh water just CHILLY and got busy with Mr Google to try and track down a replacement pump.

We started, natch, with the boat shops and marinas near Almere but because we require a 24v pump and not a 12v pump (which everyone had in stock) we ended up moving further and further afield until we bit the bullet and headed back to Amsterdam yet again (third time this trip) and found exactly what we wanted for 85euros at Dekker Watersport. I mention the price just because one of the other marinas had one for 511 euros (HOW MUCH!!!!!!) which we immediately rejected.

The Ij or Noordseekanal at Amsterdam. These are the size of boats we shared the canal with.

In case you ever wondered how the barge drivers see over all the cargo they carry around, this is how it's done. The whole wheelhouse lifts up hydraulically so they can see over the top.

So we left Dekker just after 4.15 pm and, as we were now west of Amsterdam, we changed our route and headed down the Spaarne  to Haarlem. We arrived at the first of the cities' 9  bridges just as they were due to reopen at 18:00 after their two-hour rush hour close.  We waited and waited and waited. No buttons to press, no numbers to call and an increasingly irate Skip who was ready for his evening beer by now. I won't repeat the language.

After about 20 minutes we gave up and dropped all the awnings and windows and managed to scape under. The next bridge was also high enough but the next was no more than 1m high, so no ways. There were no moorings available between the bridges so not a place to stop either. I then had a brain wave and found, in my map folder, a piece of paper were were given last year by the Haarlem harbour master with bridge times and phone numbers of various harbour authorities etc. So I called the first number on the list and got a nice chap who, after some confusion, told me he would contact the bridge people for us. Well, dunno who he was but it sure got some action. Within 5 minutes a bike screeched up to the bridge, it opened, and the next couple of bridges were opening as we approached them. The bridge keeper at the last bridge then shepherded us to a prime spot on the charter boat wharf, where normally pleasure boats are forbidden, with free electric. So whoever I spoke to was obviously high up the food chain.

Moored up in the centre of Haarlem. We are in splendid isolation as this is supposedly the charter boat quay and pleasure boats are usually not allowed here. The other side of the canal is chock-a-block with boats.

Supposed to rain tomorrow so we have no particular plans other than Skip REALLY wants to blow up his dinghy …