Following TV broadcasts presented by actor / presenter Huub Stapel about the river IJssel in the Netherlands, I came up with the
to sail this river with GPAs.With 5 TV broadcasts I got a nice picture of this river and its sights. The IJssel passes several "Hanse steden", old trading cities from the glorious trading heyday of the Netherlands.
It also flows past Arnhem, Doesburg, Bronkhorst, Zutphen, Deventer, Zwolle, Kampen. The longest river in the Netherlands, (140 km), from Westervoort near Arnhem, to the Ketelmeer. I had approached 14 GPA owners in September 2023 with the request whether they wanted to accompany me on this undertaking.
Everyone responded enthusiastically, but I was advised to take two DUKWs on the tour for safety reasons on this fast-flowing and dangerous river. In the end, 10 owners remained to do this trip.
In April 2024, I had already explored and recorded slopes, camping, restaurants, ferries and more and had already sailed a section with a friend in his GPA together. The water level was extremely high and the current speed too. We were sailing at about 10 to 12 km/h.
I could already see that it was a dangerous river with many eddies and currents.
In June, I went sailing and exploring part two with another friend.
I had already sailed a large section, but not everything. On 18/19 August, the participants arrived at our campsite, where we could store the campers, trailers and amphibians.
I had decided to use the campsite as a base camp and go to a slope every day, sail a distance, and return to our campsite.
So four days to the slope and do the sailing part in stages, with the possibility of visiting cities and a lunch break.
Because we needed our time badly, we started early with a briefing and left at 9:00 for a ride of about 65 km.
Less than 500 meters from the first slope we turned right onto the IJssel.
We passed the IJssel crossing monument from WW2 just after Westervoort.
Our boat trip then continued with about 25 km to sail, and we left the water in the port of Doesburg where we had lunch.
The second day we started again on the slope of the day before in Doesburg after a ride of 55 km. Here we had another boat trip of 28 km ahead of us.
We left the water to visit the very beautiful smallest town in the Netherlands; Bronkhorst, and have lunch there.
We had some delay at the ferry ramp because an elderly man had driven into the water with his car and everything. (forgot the handbrake)
After lunch we left for part 2 of the boat trip that ended at a ramp in Zutphen.
The third day was the longest day with about 40 km driving and 50 km sailing. For some of us this was a bit too much of a good thing, and a few dropped out.
We passed a historical ruin Nijenbeek (1266) that was completely shot to pieces from Gorssel three weeks before the liberation in April 1945.
We arrived in Deventer where we had lunch and then went sailing with a smaller group for part 2 to Olst where the IJssellinie was built, as a defense during the Cold War. The plan was that the entire area would be flooded to keep the possible Russians out. Top secret plan was included that hundreds of civilian casualties would occur.
After a visit to this structure we continued our boat trip to the slipway in Zwolle.
Friday the fourth day the weather gods were a little less kind to us with a strong wind. Other days had been fine, but now there was some reluctance to sail anyway. Surf shields up we went out on the water with five amphibians.
The first part of about 13 km, from Zwolle to Kampen was easy to do and we arrived in Kampen without any problems for our lunch together with the others.
After consultation about wind, waves and rain, we decided to continue with the five of us for the last 25 km to the slipway in Ens.
There were waves, but the last part was very rough. The wind had not yet died down and there were big whitecaps on the waves. We had to go out on the open water at the Ketelmeer, and there it was really rough.
There was no way back and we had to continue. I have made quite a few trips with my GPA, but this was really rough. Heavy waves from the left and in front of the GPA. We had all closed the air intake valve and the valve behind the front window open. It would have been very annoying to have to stop here with (engine) problems. With constant attention, dosing the throttle with the foot and watching the waves, we continued at walking pace, until we were finally able to turn and got the wind and waves from behind.
Even the DUKWs, which are normally stable and calm in the water, were going crazy. Eventually we reached calm water again, and the wind died down a bit. Late in the afternoon we all reached our last slope in Ens unscathed.
It was a wonderful adventure and fortunately, apart from minimal technical problems, a very successful trip.
In the evening with all participants in a DUKW to a restaurant for a "farewell" dinner.
Thanks to all my pleasant fellow travelers, Jan, Gerben, Gerrit, Wibo, (Jan), Cees, Jack, Fleur, Erik, Peter and there wifes,
for the nice words, compliments and gifts.
Bob