Off Grid and Stork spotting

 This week we have the longest day, and by rights it should be high summer. Not so this year, with cold, wet weather persisting across much of northern Europe. Aboard Antiope, however, we have managed to stay cosy with no pressure to travel far. Having explored the Overijssel province last season, we have returned to some of our 'off grid' mooring spots to sit out the wet days. 

Pinned is the Weerribben National Park area

10 pm on a rare clear evening, and almost the longest day 

at time of writing. See blue spot on map

One of our favourite off grid moorings, close to Zwolle

Guests joined us for a few days and despite the weather, we were able to cruise slowly through the Weerribben National Park and do a bit of stork spotting during nesting time. The locals around here encourage the storks by creating nesting sites, even on roofs and on pole structures in their gardens. 

These pics taken by our guest aboard, Gerhard Klaus 

We did venture out onto the Ijssel river, making the passage up-stream from Kampen towards Zwolle. The rainfall in the upper reaches of the Rhine had topped the banks here and caused the strongest current we have yet encountered in the Netherlands. Slow going upstream, but a fast passage back down again a few days later.

Fast flowing current on the Ijssel

The Ijssel in flood

A familiar sight recently from our cosy cabin window!

Ouch!! Was it something I said?