People who want to go on the Paterswoldsemeer with their boat are really disappointed. The lock has been broken since Tuesday, so no one can get in and out of it anymore. Since then, the boats have piled up in the Hoornsediep.
Elle Punt and her husband have been waiting in front of the lock since yesterday morning. “We didn’t know. And when we got here they said the lock was broken, but it would be fixed soon.”
It turns out that one of the cylinders in the lock is leaking oil. The part needs to be replaced, but according to the Meerschap it is difficult to get the part. As soon as it is there, divers will go into the water, but for now the repair is pending.
Still, it shouldn’t spoil the fun. “From here we can cycle to Drenthe, and a whole new world opens up for us there,” says Elle’s husband enthusiastically. “Fantastic! Beautiful cottages, beautiful houses, beautiful lands. Enjoy.” He and his wife wait one more day. If the lock is not made tomorrow, they will return to Ulrum.
On the other side of the lock, skippers are now running into another problem: they can’t get rid of the lake. “Unfortunately,” says Jeroen Gnodde, who this morning with his boat against a closed lock. “We had planned a nice weekend: we were going to sail to Friesland today. But that’s not going to be it.”
Gnodde doesn’t let it spoil his mood either. “Fortunately, the weather is beautiful, so we only have to do a few extra laps here.”
It is unknown when the lock will be made.