The Fort Town of Willemstad - 2016

I went on a more wide ranging safari. First I had to get off the ship but there was sand at the bottom of the ramp which of course meant that I got stuck there.

Next to the dock



A very brief setback and soon overcome.

Windmill from the ship

I went and took photos of the lighthouse and what I thought was the fire station next to it. (It turned out to be a lifeboat station)


Willemstad Light and rescue building

This is a currently inactive (since 1989) lighthouse located on the Lantaarndijk on the waterfront of Willemstad, overlooking the Hollands Diep, a segment of the lower Maas east of the junction of the Haringvliet and Brouwershaven, the estuaries north and south of Goeree-Overflakkee. The station was established in 1820, but the old tower was destroyed in WWII. So the current 33 ft square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, unpainted; lantern painted yellow with a red conical roof only dates back to 1947. The original lighthouse was an interesting pentagonal cast iron skeletal tower. There may be a small museum in the lighthouse, but I did not investigate this. The lighthouse is located next to what I thought was a firehouse - the sign on it translates as Rescue. But pieter_jan_v 5 of VirtualTourist explained that Reddingsbrigade = LIFEBOAT brigade so it isn't a firehouse. And that makes sense as it is right next to a lighthouse which is for sailors. There was a marina past the lighthouse

View of the river with the marina


Battery Marina

The marina on the other side near the lighthouse is called Battery Marina (Jachthaven De Batterij). It is where the Dutch came ashore in 1793 and overpowered the French (Napoleon). Google translation of this event:
Carel van Boetzelaer decided, the then governor, that attack was the best defense. In a battalion in the inner gathered early morning of March 15 to 58 volunteers from the State troops. By ship they were brought up just outside the Water. In silence they went ashore and got on their hands and feet on the Lantern Dijkje direction Westdijk. Once at the French battery, the assailants were unexpectedly and brutally overpowered. Shortly after this attack the enemy's drums were stirred and wisely blown retreat ..

Then I went out into the town (which is inside a perfect star shaped fort). If you look at a map of Willemstad you will see that the original small town is inside of a star shaped fort (seven points) with a moat around the fort. The fort walls, covered with grass are all around the small town.

water entrance - gap in the moat



This is an old map which shows the sea gate -right - Willemstad


Jeroen van der Werf describes the area (and I don't understand the description because I'm not familiar with the Old Dutch System) so I am quoting him here: The fortifications were designed according to the Old Dutch System, only here the flanks of the bastions' are not perpendicular to the curtain walls but have a retreated curved shape .. and are quite short. In later years some of these flanks were modified to make them perpendicular to the curtain wall. Apart from the walls facing the sea, which were revetted in brick, all the ramparts were unrevetted earthworks. The seaward front of the town consists of two bastions with water in front of them. Between this water and the river (which in the past was part of the sea) there is a glacis, which prevented ships from coming too close to the walls and gave extra protection against enemy fire......the overall form of the current fortress dates from the 1680's

Fort wall near the lighthouse



Fuel barge in front of AmaViola

In addition to marinas for yachts, Willemstad is also regularly visited by river cruise ships, and has a dock and facilities for these ships. There is a fuel provider there (Olie-Benzine) which appears to be a barge which also has gasoline. It says bunkering is available.

Fuel barge


Sign and stop light at entrance


Sign about the 2014 winner

The Entente Floral competition of Europe (Willemstat was the 2014 winner) is a civil initiative involving 55 million Residents living in 25,000 towns and cities that aims to make areas more beautiful and livable. The competition wants the streets to be tidy, the front gardens neat, and the balconies are decorated with flowers. It is run by the AEFP (The European Association for Flowers and Landscape) stands for:
•Awareness among those in charge of our towns and villages, elected or others, of respect for the landscape and of the requirement of an environmental /ecological approach.
•A planned approach to the improvement of the quality of life of the inhabitants of towns and villages.
•Convincing people to become active participants.
•Awareness and educational initiatives which will increase respect for quality actions
•The vital role played by education, training and proper information flows.
•The importance of a well structured communication policy

Pansies


More flowers


Clair de Lune - the bike barge


Sign about Bike Barge holidays

I saw a boat advertising the boat-bike tours from a company called Hat-Tours. Two of the tours are:

Highlights of Holland (HOH)
Beach, Netherlands, Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden, Towns (historic), Travel guidance, City walk, Museum, Windmill, IJssel Lake, Hoorn, Bathing resort, Holland, Barge, Flower Park Keukenhof, Fishing village, Zaanse Schans, Sea

Castles & Walled Towns (KVP)
Hanseatic town, Amsterdam, Castle, City walk, Museum, Nature, Barge, River, Fishing village, National Park, Harderwijk, Holland, Netherlands, Travel guidance, Towns (historic)



Clair de Lune - the bike barge



Old Dutch Boat


Guardhouse at the entrance from the port