23rd - 30th April 2015. Through Mijdrecht, past Zomerlust to an island mooring on the Nieuwekoopse Plassen, then on to the Oude Rijn.

From Oudekerk we headed southeast from the river Amstel, via various narrower waterways, to the south of the Vinkeveense Plassen. Here we are in the older part of Mijdrecht, where the canal is quite narrow.

However, just round the corner, the canal opens out and the newer part of town can be seen.

After joining the Kromme Midrecht waterway, we stopped again at Zomerlust, where this fine Friesian horse went past.

We continued on through the lock into the Nieuwe Koopse Plassen, to moor on a different island this time. Shannon was allowed to run free and really enjoyed this.

If you look closely at the grass alongside The Puzzler on this island, just behind the front tyre fender, you will see a slight hollow there. Andy took Shannon out late in the evening, and inadvertently stepped in this hollow. This was not a good idea! The water below the grassy covering was three feet deep, before he reached the soft muddy bottom, so he got both very wet and extremely dirty! I must point out that he had not been drinking. Well, not much!

Leaving the Nieuwe koopse Plassen at Zwammerdam, this was an interesting mooring on the Oude Rijn. We were opposite a sand and gravel works, and could watch barges being unloaded.