Timelapse through Holland
January 2, 2021 10:53 AM Subscribe
I am very excited by the sheer range or lockes and draw bridges in this video. my favourite one are the ones that just retract.
posted by PinkMoose at 11:19 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by PinkMoose at 11:19 AM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
Thanks so much for sharing this, as a person who has never lived near canals or even rivers I have some questions please.
How many people are employed operating all of those bridges? Are they government employees? Are they more like crossing guards or more like air traffic controllers?
Presumably anyone can be on the water? If I lived there could I kayak to work, do people do that (in summer)? At what size boat does it require a qualified Captain to be in control? If someone owns a waterfront property can they keep any size and type of vessel at their back door?
Some of the towns seem to be upmarket and some areas of course are very industrial, how is the water quality in general? Do kids swim in there?
Wouldn't it be faster to move something from Rotterdam to Amsterdam via the North Sea instead?
posted by McNulty at 11:37 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
How many people are employed operating all of those bridges? Are they government employees? Are they more like crossing guards or more like air traffic controllers?
Presumably anyone can be on the water? If I lived there could I kayak to work, do people do that (in summer)? At what size boat does it require a qualified Captain to be in control? If someone owns a waterfront property can they keep any size and type of vessel at their back door?
Some of the towns seem to be upmarket and some areas of course are very industrial, how is the water quality in general? Do kids swim in there?
Wouldn't it be faster to move something from Rotterdam to Amsterdam via the North Sea instead?
posted by McNulty at 11:37 AM on January 2, 2021 [5 favorites]
And around areas like inner Amsterdam are there "canal signs" similar to street signs?
posted by McNulty at 11:38 AM on January 2, 2021
posted by McNulty at 11:38 AM on January 2, 2021
I wonder what sort of cargo they were towing. Having the camera that high up have you a great view, but it felt odd compared to the height of the tug.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 11:41 AM on January 2, 2021
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 11:41 AM on January 2, 2021
All if the bridges! And Holland is soooooo flat!
posted by calamari kid at 11:48 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by calamari kid at 11:48 AM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Beautiful. Though my first thought was, "in a few years, this video's gonna be a lot shorter."
posted by klanawa at 11:55 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by klanawa at 11:55 AM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
And Holland is soooooo flat!
This is a pernicious myth. On one visit I recall standing atop the towering Central Massif, surveying the lush valleys inches below.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 11:56 AM on January 2, 2021 [31 favorites]
This is a pernicious myth. On one visit I recall standing atop the towering Central Massif, surveying the lush valleys inches below.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 11:56 AM on January 2, 2021 [31 favorites]
I think the most amazing thing about this is how they handle the freeway at 2:37. If you have a look on the map there's a bridge over the river for the arterial road but the freeway along side it runs under the river. But the river is also actually an aqueduct over the freeway.
So there's this hybrid triple level construction and I can't believe how cool that is.
posted by Your Childhood Pet Rock at 12:01 PM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
So there's this hybrid triple level construction and I can't believe how cool that is.
posted by Your Childhood Pet Rock at 12:01 PM on January 2, 2021 [6 favorites]
I can't answer all the questions but will try to answer a few.
Bridges with a railway are operated by a railway employee. (I work with trains therefore at least I know that for sure)
The department of traffic and water (Verkeer en Waterstaat) is responsible for all that's going on on the water and the bridges. Operators of big bridges are most probably employees of that department. For small local bridges I'm not so sure. The operator of those could be an employee from the municipality.
I do believe one such a person is responsible for all the bridges in one village. They used to bike from one to the other but nowadays they could be operating the bridges from a central office. "Crossing guards" is a pretty good description of what they are.
Railway bridges open on a schedule. It's probably the same for the bridges with a lot of car traffic (there's most likely only two of those in this video, the one leaving Rotterdam and the one entering Amsterdam)
I don't know anything about the rules on the canals.
posted by Kosmob0t at 12:15 PM on January 2, 2021 [10 favorites]
Bridges with a railway are operated by a railway employee. (I work with trains therefore at least I know that for sure)
The department of traffic and water (Verkeer en Waterstaat) is responsible for all that's going on on the water and the bridges. Operators of big bridges are most probably employees of that department. For small local bridges I'm not so sure. The operator of those could be an employee from the municipality.
I do believe one such a person is responsible for all the bridges in one village. They used to bike from one to the other but nowadays they could be operating the bridges from a central office. "Crossing guards" is a pretty good description of what they are.
Railway bridges open on a schedule. It's probably the same for the bridges with a lot of car traffic (there's most likely only two of those in this video, the one leaving Rotterdam and the one entering Amsterdam)
I don't know anything about the rules on the canals.
posted by Kosmob0t at 12:15 PM on January 2, 2021 [10 favorites]
I'll give the title of this post a pass because Amsterdam lies in the province of North Holland and Rotterdam lies in the province of South Holland, but never call the whole country Holland, it's the Netherlands.
Yes, I know the website of the dutch bureau for tourism is www.holland.com. Doesn't make it right... grumble grumble...
posted by Pendragon at 12:18 PM on January 2, 2021 [8 favorites]
Yes, I know the website of the dutch bureau for tourism is www.holland.com. Doesn't make it right... grumble grumble...
posted by Pendragon at 12:18 PM on January 2, 2021 [8 favorites]
I enjoy the occasional moments when there is traffic coming in both directions to a lift bridge which has just opened up. At the accelerated speed, its hard not to anthropomorphize and see the boats doing the same nonverbal thing as when two people approach a single door from opposite sides:
"Are you going --"
"Er, wait, should I... ?"
"I'll just -- oh hold on, I'll stop"
"No, please go ahead."
"Thanks so much."
posted by ricochet biscuit at 12:22 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
"Are you going --"
"Er, wait, should I... ?"
"I'll just -- oh hold on, I'll stop"
"No, please go ahead."
"Thanks so much."
posted by ricochet biscuit at 12:22 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
About the water quality. Nowadays people will swim in almost all the canals and rivers you see in this video. I wouldn't personally and in most places it's not allowed but kids will swim and the quality of the water is not too bad.
It used to be much worse but since the 80s/90s it got a bit better again with better regulation and people being more aware of environmental issues.
posted by Kosmob0t at 12:22 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
It used to be much worse but since the 80s/90s it got a bit better again with better regulation and people being more aware of environmental issues.
posted by Kosmob0t at 12:22 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
I know what you're saying Pendragon but this is most definitely Holland. It looks even a bit different from other parts in the Netherlands.
posted by Kosmob0t at 12:23 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Kosmob0t at 12:23 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
It doesn't look that different. Here's a time lapse from my favorite Dutch city: Groningen.
posted by Pendragon at 12:26 PM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Pendragon at 12:26 PM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
This was fantastic, and I thank you for posting it.
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 12:48 PM on January 2, 2021
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 12:48 PM on January 2, 2021
"No, please go ahead."
"Thanks so much."
"No worries. We'll just hold 'er over by the polder."
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:51 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
"Thanks so much."
"No worries. We'll just hold 'er over by the polder."
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:51 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
Would love a high res real speed copy of this, could put it on a loop and catch a new view whenever walking by. I liked the bridge that rotated best. Bridge tenders need to be a bit more than crossing guards, if it goes up with a pedestrian, well very sad headlines. Suspect cargo like this would be fragile and tippy enough that an ocean trip could be iffy.
posted by sammyo at 1:12 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by sammyo at 1:12 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
30 seconds after posting this I realised I could have made an "in 10 minutes flat" pun in the title.
In 10 minutes D-flat major, to be precise.
posted by Room 101 at 1:17 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
In 10 minutes D-flat major, to be precise.
posted by Room 101 at 1:17 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
its hard not to anthropomorphize and see the boats doing the same nonverbal thing as when two people approach a single door from opposite sides
This is exactly what's happening. Just like driving on roads, there are rules about how traffic approaches each other especially when it comes to locks and bridges like road traffic at a four way stop.
I would expect the canal and other maritime traffic in the Netherlands to be exceptionally well organized and polite because a non-trivial trivia note about the Netherlands is that it is and has been a maritime industry center and powerhouse for centuries. Today Rotterdam is the busiest port in all of Europe.
But the main point of trivia I want to bring up is that they have some of the best maritime and piloting schools in the world. If you want to pilot a really big ship like a super tanker or be a pilot boat or tugboat operator at the top levels of the industry there's a really good chance you'll be doing some of your certification and training in the Netherlands.
posted by loquacious at 1:23 PM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
This is exactly what's happening. Just like driving on roads, there are rules about how traffic approaches each other especially when it comes to locks and bridges like road traffic at a four way stop.
I would expect the canal and other maritime traffic in the Netherlands to be exceptionally well organized and polite because a non-trivial trivia note about the Netherlands is that it is and has been a maritime industry center and powerhouse for centuries. Today Rotterdam is the busiest port in all of Europe.
But the main point of trivia I want to bring up is that they have some of the best maritime and piloting schools in the world. If you want to pilot a really big ship like a super tanker or be a pilot boat or tugboat operator at the top levels of the industry there's a really good chance you'll be doing some of your certification and training in the Netherlands.
posted by loquacious at 1:23 PM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
McNulty: How many people are employed operating all of those bridges? Are they government employees? Are they more like crossing guards or more like air traffic controllers?
This is a complicated question!
From the middle ages on (when large infrastructural projects became necessary*) most water-related tasks have been carried out by special societies that operate next to and separate from regular forms of government. These waterschappen or hoogheemraadschappen can make their own laws and raise their own taxes; their boards (headed by a dijkgraaf or ‘dike reeve’) are elected by stakeholders (currently all inhabitants, but it used to be rather complicated). There were thousands of these councils,** of which currently 21 remain: the last two centuries saw a lot of mergers.
Bridges and roads on the other hand are operated and maintained by regular levels of government: depending on the importance of the road this is the realm, a province or a municipality. Some roads, however, are maintained by a waterschap.*** On the large canals you see here, most road bridges will be operated by the office of Rijkswaterstaat (established in 1798 in an early centralisation effort), while all railway bridges will be operated by the (state-owned) railway infrastructure company.
*An early and impressive example is the Westfriese Omringdijk, completed around 1250.
**Like many medieval institutions, most had rather specific jurisdictions: my favourite is perhaps the Hoogheemraadschap van de Uitwaterende Sluizen in Kennemerland en West-Friesland (established in 1544, merged with others in 1993), whose literal translation is something like ‘Society of high home councils of the out-flowing sluices in Kennemerland and West-Frisia’.
***There even used to be waterschappen whose jurisdiction only included roads and nothing water-related. Sadly, this is not the case anymore.
posted by trotz dem alten drachen at 1:39 PM on January 2, 2021 [18 favorites]
This is a complicated question!
From the middle ages on (when large infrastructural projects became necessary*) most water-related tasks have been carried out by special societies that operate next to and separate from regular forms of government. These waterschappen or hoogheemraadschappen can make their own laws and raise their own taxes; their boards (headed by a dijkgraaf or ‘dike reeve’) are elected by stakeholders (currently all inhabitants, but it used to be rather complicated). There were thousands of these councils,** of which currently 21 remain: the last two centuries saw a lot of mergers.
Bridges and roads on the other hand are operated and maintained by regular levels of government: depending on the importance of the road this is the realm, a province or a municipality. Some roads, however, are maintained by a waterschap.*** On the large canals you see here, most road bridges will be operated by the office of Rijkswaterstaat (established in 1798 in an early centralisation effort), while all railway bridges will be operated by the (state-owned) railway infrastructure company.
*An early and impressive example is the Westfriese Omringdijk, completed around 1250.
**Like many medieval institutions, most had rather specific jurisdictions: my favourite is perhaps the Hoogheemraadschap van de Uitwaterende Sluizen in Kennemerland en West-Friesland (established in 1544, merged with others in 1993), whose literal translation is something like ‘Society of high home councils of the out-flowing sluices in Kennemerland and West-Frisia’.
***There even used to be waterschappen whose jurisdiction only included roads and nothing water-related. Sadly, this is not the case anymore.
posted by trotz dem alten drachen at 1:39 PM on January 2, 2021 [18 favorites]
In all seriousness, my first visit to the Netherlands left me at one point flabbergasted. I knew intellectually that a good portion of the country is below sea level, but I was on a highway and our route was about to pass beneath a bridge overpass. What thirty-some years of living in other countries had suggested to me would be another roadway on the overpass was not; it was in fact a... I don't even know the right term. An elevated canal? A vehicular aqueduct? In any event, a sizable freighters packed with shipping containers was blandly sailing across the bridge.
I wish I had been quick enough on the draw to ready a camera.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 2:20 PM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
I wish I had been quick enough on the draw to ready a camera.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 2:20 PM on January 2, 2021 [4 favorites]
I've been watching a lot of 4K video walks lately, and this feels very similar. I really like the included map. My favorite video walker will post his walks on Google Maps, so as I'm watching the video on my TV I'll open up Google Maps on my iPad and follow along.
posted by ralan at 2:21 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by ralan at 2:21 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
And around areas like inner Amsterdam are there “canal signs” similar to street signs?
In Amsterdam, streets and canals have the same name (boats on the canals share their house number with the house opposite to them). Outside Amsterdam, you will indeed find name signs; you can also find direction signs, speed limits etc. etc.
Traffic on the canals is quite busy: about a third of all cargo in the Netherlands is transported by ship. In fact, in the western parts of the country, moving cargo by road is a fairly recent development, made possible only by the construction of long-distance roads in the nineteenth and (mostly the) twentieth century.
posted by trotz dem alten drachen at 2:40 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
In Amsterdam, streets and canals have the same name (boats on the canals share their house number with the house opposite to them). Outside Amsterdam, you will indeed find name signs; you can also find direction signs, speed limits etc. etc.
Traffic on the canals is quite busy: about a third of all cargo in the Netherlands is transported by ship. In fact, in the western parts of the country, moving cargo by road is a fairly recent development, made possible only by the construction of long-distance roads in the nineteenth and (mostly the) twentieth century.
posted by trotz dem alten drachen at 2:40 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Fascinating watch, thanks. Although some of this route passes right by where I live, this is a wonderful unusual perspective.
posted by fregoli at 2:43 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by fregoli at 2:43 PM on January 2, 2021 [1 favorite]
I spend too much time stuck waiting for those drawbridges and might be in the video near the end as it nears the IJ. My guess is that the boat captains time their transits to trap me...
The bridge control is all centralized now, so the unique houses for the operators have been converted into boutique one-room B&B all around Amsterdam. You can rent them and watch the boats and bikes. I don't think they give you a control to make the bridge open, which would make the odd location even more fun.
posted by autopilot at 3:49 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
The bridge control is all centralized now, so the unique houses for the operators have been converted into boutique one-room B&B all around Amsterdam. You can rent them and watch the boats and bikes. I don't think they give you a control to make the bridge open, which would make the odd location even more fun.
posted by autopilot at 3:49 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
> The camera was located on this transport
I've seen the picture but still don't understand what it is. What is it?
posted by ardgedee at 4:42 PM on January 2, 2021
I've seen the picture but still don't understand what it is. What is it?
posted by ardgedee at 4:42 PM on January 2, 2021
Thank you for posting! I could literally watch this all day. So soothing, except I found myself tensing up wondering if they were going to get bridges lifted/opened in time... and yet they made it every time.
posted by TheAliceMunroSingers at 5:04 PM on January 2, 2021
posted by TheAliceMunroSingers at 5:04 PM on January 2, 2021
Just keep thinking about all the perfect running routes along these canals my oh my
posted by Corduroy at 7:40 PM on January 2, 2021
posted by Corduroy at 7:40 PM on January 2, 2021
> What is it?
Piecing together random comments on the Internets, it appears that the cargo being towed was a chemical-plant prototype produced by SPIE Oil & Gas Services for the Shell Technical Center in Amsterdam. The plant appears to now be for sale, so there may yet be a sequel to the movie ...
posted by Dimpy at 7:57 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Piecing together random comments on the Internets, it appears that the cargo being towed was a chemical-plant prototype produced by SPIE Oil & Gas Services for the Shell Technical Center in Amsterdam. The plant appears to now be for sale, so there may yet be a sequel to the movie ...
posted by Dimpy at 7:57 PM on January 2, 2021 [3 favorites]
Was I the only one childish enough to be making Starsky & Hutch-style tyre squeals as the cargo took the corners — eeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrt! — and making vrooming noses as other boats passed our one? No …? Anyone?
posted by scruss at 9:23 PM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by scruss at 9:23 PM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Was I the only one childish enough to be making Starsky & Hutch-style tyre squeals as the cargo took the corners — eeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrt! — and making vrooming noses as other boats passed our one? No …? Anyone?
Like you were a muscle car powering on and hitting a serious drift in the turns and these tricked out little Hondas kept flitting around... wait. No. I have no idea what you were talking about.
posted by indexy at 9:35 PM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Like you were a muscle car powering on and hitting a serious drift in the turns and these tricked out little Hondas kept flitting around... wait. No. I have no idea what you were talking about.
posted by indexy at 9:35 PM on January 2, 2021 [2 favorites]
Yes, I know the website of the dutch bureau for tourism is www.holland.com. Doesn't make it right... grumble grumble...
also the unofficial name of the national football team, people grudgingly accept it...
posted by ovvl at 10:35 PM on January 2, 2021
also the unofficial name of the national football team, people grudgingly accept it...
posted by ovvl at 10:35 PM on January 2, 2021
Wow... I made a couple of time-lapse driving and icebreaking-ships posts here, many years ago; then I filed the deep dives away and my attention drifted elsewhere (for the most part).
I come back to see this. NICE
posted by not_on_display at 11:19 PM on January 2, 2021
I come back to see this. NICE
posted by not_on_display at 11:19 PM on January 2, 2021
I would expect the canal and other maritime traffic in the Netherlands to be exceptionally well organized and polite
In my experience, extreme radio politeness is a the defining marks of those working professionally in the maritime industries. You both know the rules of the road to the extent you could recite them, and their local variances, in your sleep. You will probably be speaking to each other in English - and it is probably not a first language for either of you - or maybe you are just using sound signals - but you need to trust each other rapidly. Polite deference and polite assertiveness are the gateways to that.
The Netherlands is a country with a fascinating mixture of the very old and traditional - and the very modern and futuristic. The video really conveyed that feeling for me.
posted by rongorongo at 1:24 AM on January 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
In my experience, extreme radio politeness is a the defining marks of those working professionally in the maritime industries. You both know the rules of the road to the extent you could recite them, and their local variances, in your sleep. You will probably be speaking to each other in English - and it is probably not a first language for either of you - or maybe you are just using sound signals - but you need to trust each other rapidly. Polite deference and polite assertiveness are the gateways to that.
The Netherlands is a country with a fascinating mixture of the very old and traditional - and the very modern and futuristic. The video really conveyed that feeling for me.
posted by rongorongo at 1:24 AM on January 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
Thanks for this beautiful post, Kosmob0t. +1 with oak leaves and bar.
I really feel like a sandwich now.
The Dutch language can be confusing when it comes to sandwiches. If you ask for a boterham you will get one slice of bread with something on top of it. If you want two slices of bread with something in between, it's a dubbele boterham. Meanwhile, rolls with something in them are belegde broodjes. The first one of these I ever had in Amsterdam was at Sal Meijer's deli on the Scheldestraat; sadly it's not there any more.
posted by Cardinal Fang at 2:01 AM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I really feel like a sandwich now.
The Dutch language can be confusing when it comes to sandwiches. If you ask for a boterham you will get one slice of bread with something on top of it. If you want two slices of bread with something in between, it's a dubbele boterham. Meanwhile, rolls with something in them are belegde broodjes. The first one of these I ever had in Amsterdam was at Sal Meijer's deli on the Scheldestraat; sadly it's not there any more.
posted by Cardinal Fang at 2:01 AM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'll give the title of this post a pass because Amsterdam lies in the province of North Holland and Rotterdam lies in the province of South Holland, but never call the whole country Holland, it's the Netherlands.
I'll give it more than a pass, it's perfect usage. It gets a big fat thumbs up from me. I was all ready to grumble about it, but no... Kosmob0t got it right. This is a Good Post and they should feel good.
posted by Too-Ticky at 2:07 AM on January 3, 2021
I'll give it more than a pass, it's perfect usage. It gets a big fat thumbs up from me. I was all ready to grumble about it, but no... Kosmob0t got it right. This is a Good Post and they should feel good.
posted by Too-Ticky at 2:07 AM on January 3, 2021
This was so much fun to watch!
posted by obfuscation at 4:42 AM on January 3, 2021
posted by obfuscation at 4:42 AM on January 3, 2021
Also how much was this sped up? The description says one frame each three seconds but I can’t really tell from that. We were guessing maybe 10x just from watching the bridges lift.
posted by obfuscation at 4:54 AM on January 3, 2021
posted by obfuscation at 4:54 AM on January 3, 2021
Yeah I wasn’t sure what the fps was. So not 10x. According to google maps the drive would be ~80km. I imagine by water it’s not terribly different. So the average travel speed would be ~5kph? That seems... slower than expected.
posted by obfuscation at 6:47 AM on January 3, 2021
posted by obfuscation at 6:47 AM on January 3, 2021
In case anyone missed the link to a picture of the thing the camera was on here it is
I watched the whole thing puzzling "camera on kite? tethered drone? really long pole?"
posted by Pembquist at 9:14 AM on January 3, 2021
I watched the whole thing puzzling "camera on kite? tethered drone? really long pole?"
posted by Pembquist at 9:14 AM on January 3, 2021
I don't believe that was the shortest route between the two cities. Wouldn't that be the Rhine? I am guessing the height of that thing was the reason for this loopy but interesting route.
posted by vacapinta at 9:17 AM on January 3, 2021
posted by vacapinta at 9:17 AM on January 3, 2021
The Rhine doesn't even flow through Amsterdam so how could that even be the shortest route between the cities ?
posted by Pendragon at 10:00 AM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Pendragon at 10:00 AM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Wouldn't it be faster to move something from Rotterdam to Amsterdam via the North Sea instead?
I don't believe that was the shortest route between the two cities. Wouldn't that be the Rhine? I am guessing the height of that thing was the reason for this loopy but interesting route.
If you look at the photo of the thing being transported, this is not something you'd want to take out on the North Sea. It's a barge with a pretty tall structure on it, probably designed to just make it under all those bridges.
The Rhine, strictly speaking, doesn't go through either city. It has a complex delta with many waterways. Most of its water flows through Rotterdam on the Nieuwe Maas (New Meuse). You could navigate out the Nieuwe Maas to the North Sea, go north, enter the Noordzeekanaal and follow that to Amsterdam.
posted by beagle at 10:04 AM on January 3, 2021
I don't believe that was the shortest route between the two cities. Wouldn't that be the Rhine? I am guessing the height of that thing was the reason for this loopy but interesting route.
If you look at the photo of the thing being transported, this is not something you'd want to take out on the North Sea. It's a barge with a pretty tall structure on it, probably designed to just make it under all those bridges.
The Rhine, strictly speaking, doesn't go through either city. It has a complex delta with many waterways. Most of its water flows through Rotterdam on the Nieuwe Maas (New Meuse). You could navigate out the Nieuwe Maas to the North Sea, go north, enter the Noordzeekanaal and follow that to Amsterdam.
posted by beagle at 10:04 AM on January 3, 2021
I typed Rhine but was thinking of the Rijnkanal after taking the Lek. Clearly though I have a lot to learn about Dutch waterways.
posted by vacapinta at 10:23 AM on January 3, 2021
posted by vacapinta at 10:23 AM on January 3, 2021
As you watch the video it's worth stopping now and then to look around. Besides the amazing flatness of the land, notice how it is engineered down to the centimeter. There is hardly any natural "landscape" in this entire video. Much of the flat farmland you see is below sea level, created and artificially maintained by non-stop pumping. (See windmill at 4:49, which originally would have been doing that job — the land to the left is visibly below the canal water level). That windmill was built in 1797 but the polder is probably at least a century older (based on the ages of other nearby windmills). Also, very strict zoning everywhere results in hard separations between built-up areas for housing and commerce, and farmland.
posted by beagle at 10:34 AM on January 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by beagle at 10:34 AM on January 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
Addendum: that windmill would have pumped water out of the Polder Oudendijk, which was built starting in 1606.
posted by beagle at 10:51 AM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by beagle at 10:51 AM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Dont forget there is this similar post a while ago: https://www.metafilter.com/179067/Tubes-of-the-sea
posted by Snowishberlin at 10:51 AM on January 3, 2021
posted by Snowishberlin at 10:51 AM on January 3, 2021
Thanks for posting this! Turns out I am waayyyy more of a bridge nerd than I ever knew. Just when you think you've seen all the varieties, they start rotating.
posted by Quagkapi at 2:17 PM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Quagkapi at 2:17 PM on January 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
How many people are employed operating all of those bridges? Are they government employees? Are they more like crossing guards or more like air traffic controllers?
If you think the bridges are impressive, wait until you find out about the silly number of ferries.
posted by grahamparks at 4:25 PM on January 3, 2021
If you think the bridges are impressive, wait until you find out about the silly number of ferries.
posted by grahamparks at 4:25 PM on January 3, 2021
Cool video, makes me a little homesick in a good way. I have navigated most of this route as a tour boater a couple of times, so here's a voiceover to the video. Please read out loud!
0:00 good morning! Today we're joining a delivery of some plant parts to the Shell Laboratories in Amsterdam North, from Rotterdam.
0:10 Some of you might be surprised at the choice of route. We're headed East, inland. While a quick dash over the North Sea is possible, a seaworthy ship is much more expensive than two tugs and a pontoon. Another fast option is the Amsterdam-Rhine channel, but at 6 knots we're too slow for that big channel.
0:30 It's still early morning, but already the A16 from Rotterdam has heavy traffic. Sorry guys, you should have known the Brienenoord bridge opens at this time.
0:37 We're entering a string of canals across the 'green heart' of Holland. Collectively they are called 'staande mast route', because all crossing are either movable bridges or aqueducts.
0:46 Here's the oldest of the Delta Works flood defense system. The sea is not allowed in here! In this small area near Rotterdam, to the left and right, a million people live down to 18 feet below sea level.
1:05 most of the green heart is rural by law, so there's no urban sprawl. This area was settled in the late Medieval, along the rivers. After all, boating is much easier than dragging through the marsh. In the green heart, built up areas are primarily along dikes - the polders are for the cows.
1:16 Finally, some plush green. The waterschappen (thx trotz dem!) keep water levels at a very precise level. Even a couple of inches could waste a harvest or the precious cow's ankles.
1:33 Yup, still rural (Dutch definition)
1:58 Get your Gouda cheese here! Turn right, 1 mile ahead.
2:14 We're entering the smallest of state-managed canals. The bridges open on request, just call the posted marine VHF number. We'll have to wait for the locks to equalize the 2ft differences. There is a bridge manager's office, but most are empty because they are all monitored and opened remotely.
2:30 This will be a long wait! At least 12 trains per hour until midnight...
2:40 ...just ten seconds, even your guide is surprised.
3:11 We don't see many recreational boats, as it is still early morning on a summer weekday. The lakes of Holland are further up North. You know the traffic rules on water right? Recreation always yields to commercial shipping, keep right, and stop for red on a bridge unless it's red and yellow than you don't have to wait except if your boat is too high. Brugwachters have a good vocabulary for scolding people who don't understand the lights a friend told me.
4:13 Surprisingly, we haven't seen many windmills yet! In the polders below sea level, they're needed for pumping rain and seepage water. Most were replaced with steam engines and later diesel engines. This is a grain mill however.
4:24 The Julianabrug was replaced two years after our trip. Things went wrong, but miraculously nobody was injured.
4:45 Here are a couple of houseboats. First the modern houseboat, which is a concrete floating basin with a house on top. Ahead are two small converted commercial ships. Owners have very costly mooring rights, and any extra boats should fit in that small parcel. Of course, as long as you don't hamper shipping noone complains. Keep an eye open for quirky houseboats and floating playgrounds, beer gardens, giant clogs, and of course, floating cows.
4:49 One of the many windmills for drainage. There used to be two or three in a 'gang', because one windmill could not pump all the way up. Most of the windmills are still operating, operated by volunteers.
5:04 We're getting closer to boating lakes. In this small country, there are at least 500.000 boats. On a good weekend, the lakes are crowded.
5:14 Most of the recreational fun is in and around lakes like the Braasemmermeer. In a tour through the smaller canals, you cross a lot of smaller bridges. They're operated mostly by pensioneers. A very popular job - it often comes with a house. And as Kosmobot wrote above, yes, they still escort you on a bike. And they collect levees with a clog.
5:24 Ferries are still a a good option when building a high bridge is'nt possible. This one is for bike traffic.
5:33 The Haarlemmer lake was growing every year due to storms, threatening Leiden and Amsterdam. It was drained in 1852. The surrounding Ringdijk is a popular roundtrip for speed cyclists.
5:50 This lake close to Amsterdam is very popular for sailing. You do not need a sailing permit for boats less than 15m/45ft, but on the other hand, summer sailing camps [fb] are always fully booked.
6:31 Just barely visible is the airports control tower. As we're navigating close to one of the runways, we had to notify the airport of our excess height. A little later, we see the tarmac of Schiphol Aalsmeerbaan is to the left. When the wind is NW or SE, there's a plane every three minutes.
7:15 I'm as mystified as you why we chose to stay here. You see, we're nearing the southern ring roads of Amsterdam. These open just once, every night. I suppose we'll have dinner then...
7:24 Good morning everyone! We've been joined by a camper in a sailing boat.
7:39 The Amsterdamse bos was a planted during the 30s crisis. A job creation project at the time, now it's a very popular park. I love the Bostheater!
7:43 The Nieuwe Meer is Amsterdam's largest lake. In the 70s and 80s, water quality was atrocious in the cities of the Netherlands. Thanks to pollution laws, sewage improvements and daily flushing of the canals, water quality has improved enough to allow for swimming in the canals.
7:50 Bridge opens at 4:00am. Y'all wait here while I enjoy the wild tourist spots of A'dam 'kay?
9:08 Nowadays the Overtoom is just a bridge, but the name (lit. pull-over) tells that this was a low dam, and boats were pulled over. It ties to the name of the next stretch. Kostverloren vaart ('forlorn cost canal') and it has a nice history of late-medieval commercial conflict that resulted in the Overtoom.
9:40 I find this very hard to see. After this windmill was restored, the new highrise took all the wind. Without wind, a windmill is doomed due to quick wood rot.
9:53 We're on the outer edge of the former Amsterdam bastion fort [wp]. The inner defensive canals were converted for commercial shipping in the 17th century during the Netherlands Golden Age. The outermost bastion was only converted 200 years, when the New Dutch Water Line was built.
10:03 The last railroad bridge opens. Are we stuck?! If we do not pass now, we'll have to wait another 24 hours
10:18 My former house to the left. This used to be an industrial area, but all warehouses have been converted to housing. You can empty your treasure chest, or you could apply for social housing. Even in the rather expensive city center, 30% is social housing.
10:23 There's a housing shortage in Amsterdam. For the rich, they built Pontsteiger at the end of the pier. Below, there is a public ferry across, to the tamed-rough creative NDSM wharves.
10:37 We've arrived. After 2013, most of the Shell labs were sold for residential development. Will the North finally become an integrated part of Amsterdam? Not everybody agrees on the best way forward.
Hope you enjoyed our trip!
posted by Psychnic at 8:36 PM on January 3, 2021 [21 favorites]
0:00 good morning! Today we're joining a delivery of some plant parts to the Shell Laboratories in Amsterdam North, from Rotterdam.
0:10 Some of you might be surprised at the choice of route. We're headed East, inland. While a quick dash over the North Sea is possible, a seaworthy ship is much more expensive than two tugs and a pontoon. Another fast option is the Amsterdam-Rhine channel, but at 6 knots we're too slow for that big channel.
0:30 It's still early morning, but already the A16 from Rotterdam has heavy traffic. Sorry guys, you should have known the Brienenoord bridge opens at this time.
0:37 We're entering a string of canals across the 'green heart' of Holland. Collectively they are called 'staande mast route', because all crossing are either movable bridges or aqueducts.
0:46 Here's the oldest of the Delta Works flood defense system. The sea is not allowed in here! In this small area near Rotterdam, to the left and right, a million people live down to 18 feet below sea level.
1:05 most of the green heart is rural by law, so there's no urban sprawl. This area was settled in the late Medieval, along the rivers. After all, boating is much easier than dragging through the marsh. In the green heart, built up areas are primarily along dikes - the polders are for the cows.
1:16 Finally, some plush green. The waterschappen (thx trotz dem!) keep water levels at a very precise level. Even a couple of inches could waste a harvest or the precious cow's ankles.
1:33 Yup, still rural (Dutch definition)
1:58 Get your Gouda cheese here! Turn right, 1 mile ahead.
2:14 We're entering the smallest of state-managed canals. The bridges open on request, just call the posted marine VHF number. We'll have to wait for the locks to equalize the 2ft differences. There is a bridge manager's office, but most are empty because they are all monitored and opened remotely.
2:30 This will be a long wait! At least 12 trains per hour until midnight...
2:40 ...just ten seconds, even your guide is surprised.
3:11 We don't see many recreational boats, as it is still early morning on a summer weekday. The lakes of Holland are further up North. You know the traffic rules on water right? Recreation always yields to commercial shipping, keep right, and stop for red on a bridge unless it's red and yellow than you don't have to wait except if your boat is too high. Brugwachters have a good vocabulary for scolding people who don't understand the lights a friend told me.
4:13 Surprisingly, we haven't seen many windmills yet! In the polders below sea level, they're needed for pumping rain and seepage water. Most were replaced with steam engines and later diesel engines. This is a grain mill however.
4:24 The Julianabrug was replaced two years after our trip. Things went wrong, but miraculously nobody was injured.
4:45 Here are a couple of houseboats. First the modern houseboat, which is a concrete floating basin with a house on top. Ahead are two small converted commercial ships. Owners have very costly mooring rights, and any extra boats should fit in that small parcel. Of course, as long as you don't hamper shipping noone complains. Keep an eye open for quirky houseboats and floating playgrounds, beer gardens, giant clogs, and of course, floating cows.
4:49 One of the many windmills for drainage. There used to be two or three in a 'gang', because one windmill could not pump all the way up. Most of the windmills are still operating, operated by volunteers.
5:04 We're getting closer to boating lakes. In this small country, there are at least 500.000 boats. On a good weekend, the lakes are crowded.
5:14 Most of the recreational fun is in and around lakes like the Braasemmermeer. In a tour through the smaller canals, you cross a lot of smaller bridges. They're operated mostly by pensioneers. A very popular job - it often comes with a house. And as Kosmobot wrote above, yes, they still escort you on a bike. And they collect levees with a clog.
5:24 Ferries are still a a good option when building a high bridge is'nt possible. This one is for bike traffic.
5:33 The Haarlemmer lake was growing every year due to storms, threatening Leiden and Amsterdam. It was drained in 1852. The surrounding Ringdijk is a popular roundtrip for speed cyclists.
5:50 This lake close to Amsterdam is very popular for sailing. You do not need a sailing permit for boats less than 15m/45ft, but on the other hand, summer sailing camps [fb] are always fully booked.
6:31 Just barely visible is the airports control tower. As we're navigating close to one of the runways, we had to notify the airport of our excess height. A little later, we see the tarmac of Schiphol Aalsmeerbaan is to the left. When the wind is NW or SE, there's a plane every three minutes.
7:15 I'm as mystified as you why we chose to stay here. You see, we're nearing the southern ring roads of Amsterdam. These open just once, every night. I suppose we'll have dinner then...
7:24 Good morning everyone! We've been joined by a camper in a sailing boat.
7:39 The Amsterdamse bos was a planted during the 30s crisis. A job creation project at the time, now it's a very popular park. I love the Bostheater!
7:43 The Nieuwe Meer is Amsterdam's largest lake. In the 70s and 80s, water quality was atrocious in the cities of the Netherlands. Thanks to pollution laws, sewage improvements and daily flushing of the canals, water quality has improved enough to allow for swimming in the canals.
7:50 Bridge opens at 4:00am. Y'all wait here while I enjoy the wild tourist spots of A'dam 'kay?
9:08 Nowadays the Overtoom is just a bridge, but the name (lit. pull-over) tells that this was a low dam, and boats were pulled over. It ties to the name of the next stretch. Kostverloren vaart ('forlorn cost canal') and it has a nice history of late-medieval commercial conflict that resulted in the Overtoom.
9:40 I find this very hard to see. After this windmill was restored, the new highrise took all the wind. Without wind, a windmill is doomed due to quick wood rot.
9:53 We're on the outer edge of the former Amsterdam bastion fort [wp]. The inner defensive canals were converted for commercial shipping in the 17th century during the Netherlands Golden Age. The outermost bastion was only converted 200 years, when the New Dutch Water Line was built.
10:03 The last railroad bridge opens. Are we stuck?! If we do not pass now, we'll have to wait another 24 hours
10:18 My former house to the left. This used to be an industrial area, but all warehouses have been converted to housing. You can empty your treasure chest, or you could apply for social housing. Even in the rather expensive city center, 30% is social housing.
10:23 There's a housing shortage in Amsterdam. For the rich, they built Pontsteiger at the end of the pier. Below, there is a public ferry across, to the tamed-rough creative NDSM wharves.
10:37 We've arrived. After 2013, most of the Shell labs were sold for residential development. Will the North finally become an integrated part of Amsterdam? Not everybody agrees on the best way forward.
Hope you enjoyed our trip!
posted by Psychnic at 8:36 PM on January 3, 2021 [21 favorites]
Presumably anyone can be on the water? If I lived there could I kayak to work, do people do that (in summer)? At what size boat does it require a qualified Captain to be in control? If someone owns a waterfront property can they keep any size and type of vessel at their back door?
Powered vessels that can exceed 20km/h (12.5mph) need to be registered, and the skipper licensed. Also non-powered vessels over 15m in length. If your property is on a navigable waterway you can probably keep a reasonably-sized vessel there as long as it doesn't obstruct, though you'll likely have to comply with municipal regulations if you want to build a jetty or something.
(If you own a 25m yacht you're likely that well-off that you can simply have a mooring basin dug in your garden, out of everyone's way.)
And around areas like inner Amsterdam are there "canal signs" similar to street signs?
On most if not all canals where there is commercial shipping you will find direction signs, and traffic signs indicating 'maximum speed', no mooring', 'no anchoring', 'side inlet' and other warnings and local restrictions. The canals in Amsterdam are more like local city streets except for a few through-routes. There are no 'canal signs' but instead we've simply named the roads lining them after the canals: Herengracht, Prinsengracht, Damrak and others.
Locks and bridges do have traffic lights (as you can see in the video) to indicate when it's your moment to move into/through; with bridges, small vessels that can pass under the deck can ignore them though they still have to keep watch for oncoming traffic.
I think the most amazing thing about this is how they handle the freeway at 2:37.
At 2:37 they're coming up to two railway bridges, the first a lifting one with four tracks, the other a rotating single-track; the road bridge and the aquaduct are at 2:51. On workdays the first one carries 16 trains per hour, the second 8. Not all railway bridges on the electrified lines have a catenary system over the moving section but these are next to an Intercity station so they have to, as otherwise trains would lose traction power right after leaving the station. There's a sign for the train drivers announcing a gap in the overhead lines.
I typed Rhine but was thinking of the Rijnkanal after taking the Lek.
As the voiceover comment states, the rig is too slow to be allowed there. It would also be longer by about 30km, but that would not be a factor.
Just when you think you've seen all the varieties, they start rotating.
Rotating bridges are quite common when they have railway or overland tramline tracks running over them, as are lift bridges though those still pose height restrictions on shipping.
posted by Stoneshop at 5:46 AM on January 4, 2021
Powered vessels that can exceed 20km/h (12.5mph) need to be registered, and the skipper licensed. Also non-powered vessels over 15m in length. If your property is on a navigable waterway you can probably keep a reasonably-sized vessel there as long as it doesn't obstruct, though you'll likely have to comply with municipal regulations if you want to build a jetty or something.
(If you own a 25m yacht you're likely that well-off that you can simply have a mooring basin dug in your garden, out of everyone's way.)
And around areas like inner Amsterdam are there "canal signs" similar to street signs?
On most if not all canals where there is commercial shipping you will find direction signs, and traffic signs indicating 'maximum speed', no mooring', 'no anchoring', 'side inlet' and other warnings and local restrictions. The canals in Amsterdam are more like local city streets except for a few through-routes. There are no 'canal signs' but instead we've simply named the roads lining them after the canals: Herengracht, Prinsengracht, Damrak and others.
Locks and bridges do have traffic lights (as you can see in the video) to indicate when it's your moment to move into/through; with bridges, small vessels that can pass under the deck can ignore them though they still have to keep watch for oncoming traffic.
I think the most amazing thing about this is how they handle the freeway at 2:37.
At 2:37 they're coming up to two railway bridges, the first a lifting one with four tracks, the other a rotating single-track; the road bridge and the aquaduct are at 2:51. On workdays the first one carries 16 trains per hour, the second 8. Not all railway bridges on the electrified lines have a catenary system over the moving section but these are next to an Intercity station so they have to, as otherwise trains would lose traction power right after leaving the station. There's a sign for the train drivers announcing a gap in the overhead lines.
I typed Rhine but was thinking of the Rijnkanal after taking the Lek.
As the voiceover comment states, the rig is too slow to be allowed there. It would also be longer by about 30km, but that would not be a factor.
Just when you think you've seen all the varieties, they start rotating.
Rotating bridges are quite common when they have railway or overland tramline tracks running over them, as are lift bridges though those still pose height restrictions on shipping.
posted by Stoneshop at 5:46 AM on January 4, 2021
No canal signs, but plenty of other signs. Here's a nice example from the canals in Groningen. The green ones point out which way to go to reach different lakes and towns and the distance to them.
posted by snusmumrik at 7:23 AM on January 4, 2021
posted by snusmumrik at 7:23 AM on January 4, 2021
Most of its water flows through Rotterdam on the Nieuwe Maas (New Meuse).
Well, actually most of the flow from the Rhine as it enters the Netherlands is into the Waal (65%) ending in the Hollands Diep south of Dordrecht, and more than half of the remainder flows into the IJssel, feeding the IJsselmeer.
And a very tiny portion (half a percent) can be said to flow into Amsterdam, through the Amsterdam-Rijn kanaal.
posted by Stoneshop at 8:26 AM on January 4, 2021
Well, actually most of the flow from the Rhine as it enters the Netherlands is into the Waal (65%) ending in the Hollands Diep south of Dordrecht, and more than half of the remainder flows into the IJssel, feeding the IJsselmeer.
And a very tiny portion (half a percent) can be said to flow into Amsterdam, through the Amsterdam-Rijn kanaal.
posted by Stoneshop at 8:26 AM on January 4, 2021
Thanks everyone for answering all of my questions and well.
I love this thread so much.
posted by McNulty at 11:01 PM on January 4, 2021
I love this thread so much.
posted by McNulty at 11:01 PM on January 4, 2021
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention: I thought until a much later age in my childhood that all "drawbridges" (that weren't in WB Cartoons attached to castles) were of the rotating kind—I grew up near this bridge. I think the road bridge parallel to it was a rotating bridge as well, but has since been turned into a very-tall bridge that any boats going up this shallow river can pass under easily.
posted by not_on_display at 3:04 PM on January 6, 2021
posted by not_on_display at 3:04 PM on January 6, 2021
I remember being on the other side of this - I had a 25 minute commute if the bridges were down, but there were seven on the way - including the one on the private road to the company car park - and so that commute time was somewhat variable.
On the other hand, seeing a 4-lane freeway raise up in front of you is quite a sight. As is being stopped to let a 3 masted sailing ship go past (on engines, mind).
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 10:55 PM on January 6, 2021
On the other hand, seeing a 4-lane freeway raise up in front of you is quite a sight. As is being stopped to let a 3 masted sailing ship go past (on engines, mind).
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 10:55 PM on January 6, 2021
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posted by Kosmob0t at 10:59 AM on January 2, 2021 [24 favorites]