6. Hindeloopen
Over the dyke on to the lake
Listen Henk Gemser: “That was still on the landside of the dyke, but after Hindeloopen we had to go through the harbour on to the IJssel Lake. That’s when it really started. The wind became stronger and stronger and was blowing straight against us. And it also began to snow. It was really like Siberia. Every now and then you saw another skater in the distance. In all anonymity you grabbed hold of him – figuratively speaking of course – and then you skated together for some time. So, taking over the lead, first one and then the other, in my case mostly the other, who needed a pause or couldn’t keep up with the tempo. Then he let go, and then you went on alone again. Looking for someone else you could perhaps skate to. And whom you would then leave behind again.” Kees Bovée: “Walking over the dyke, we saw it. Straight into the wind (force 6 or 7) and without any shelter. That was very hard. You wished you could creep behind someone’s back to get out of the wind a bit. So a sigh of relief was heaved when we got close to the dyke at Workum.” Photo: Walking on skates through Hindeloopen