A King’s Day as usual in Amsterdam also means full canals. Also this year the canals turned orange again with partying people. According to the police, something too orange: at the beginning of the afternoon people were called upon not to come to Amsterdam by boat because of extreme crowds on the water.
“It’s busy on the water, too busy,” the police said on Twitter. The police therefore called on everyone not to come to Amsterdam by boat anymore. They were also asked to avoid the canal belt. But not everyone agreed with the police about the crowds on the water: “I actually think it’s not too bad.”
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For the partygoers who had found their way to the canals, there were a number of rules to make sure everything went safely. In addition to the usual rules, such as an alcohol ban for the skipper, extra measures were also taken for this King’s Day. For example, there was extra supervision by the water police and several canals were closed to guarantee a smooth passage.
At boat rental Mokumboot in Centrum, extra attention was paid to the rules today: “What we are pressing people with on King’s Day is that you really have to stay sober as a captain,” says shift leader Mo. The company has one of the busiest days of the year on King’s Day: “We are completely sold out today. We are really looking forward to it.”
Despite all the rules, the King’s birthday was still celebrated as well. On the water, King’s Day passed peacefully without any major incidents. A happy partygoer summarizes the atmosphere: “It’s just nice and relaxed, nice and relaxed. Great!”