Today, we had an interesting visitor in our historic harbour in Sas van Gent where Vereeniging has her mooring. This particular visitor is not, strictly speaking, historic in the real sense, but is a replica of a very much older vessel. De Kamper Kogge is a wooden sailing ship built on the pattern of a 14th century original that was found wrecked and buried in the Flevopolder (see Flevoland on a map of the Netherlands), presumably when it was drained. A kogge was a ship built to transport goods and was introduced by a hanze, being a cooperative of traders during the middle ages (remember the Hanseatic League from your school history lessons?). Several cities on the Baltic Sea, as well as the Dutch Hanseatic city of Harderwijk, carry a kogge in the city coat of arms. The design, interestingly was inspired by Viking ships.
 |
| The original kogge was found near Nijkerk at the bottom of this map |
This kogge took four years to build as a reconstruction. It was completed in 1998 and is used today to demonstrate what these ancient vessels were like. The Kamper Kogge travels around the country as a 'faring' museum exhibit and this year, our historic harbour has been honoured with a visit.
Since, for my sins, I am the secretary of our harbour committee, I felt duty and honour bound to go along and see it. Luckily for me, Koos was also keen because when we arrived with Zoe in tow, we found there were dozens of people flocking to the spot where it was moored along our quayside. I am not a fan of crowds, so it was Koos who braved the throngs to go on board and take a look.
Despite not being all that old as replicas go, the ship exudes the atmosphere of an ancient craft. Its planking is thick, heavy, dark wood and its shape distinctly bath shaped, but for all that, it is beautiful in its way with its sharp prow and stern. What impressed me most of all, though, was the keen interest so many local people were showing in it. This enthusiasm certainly gives us hope that the heritage and culture of the Dutch waterways still matters to more than a handful of eccentrics like us.
Anyway, that's it for this week, allemaal! I hope you like the photos and I'll be back with some more news and views from our corner of the Netherlands soon.
 |
| Throngs of visitors both on board and waiting |
 |
| Our chairman on the quayside chatting to someone on board |
 |
| A useful information board for the visitors |
 |
| I'm not sure what you'd call this crenellated cubicle mounted at the stern, but I'm guessing it was for the tillerman* |
 |
| The Kamper Kogge at her bow |
 |
| And again at her stern |
 |
| The usual residents of the harbour |
 |
| Looking across to the kogge from Vereeniging |
*See the comment from Shirley Read-Jahn below with reference to the crenellations.
What a marvelous and fascinating story, Val! Along with great pictures. I'm with you on avoiding crowds, but i can see why there was such a great crowd. (Steph)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Steph! It was gratifyingly busy. ☺️
DeleteBoats are beautiful and, coming from a seafaring family, I enjoy seeing all the different types. This one looks quite different with it's sharply designed stern. I'm assuming that they were used in a similar way to our Humber Sloops to transport goods from the open sea and into inland waterways.
ReplyDeleteThe photo's are really interesting and certainly show the heavy, wooden construction and dark wood used. Very enjoyable post Val. David and Popcorn.
Thank you, David. Since you wrote your comment, I’ve added that the design was based on the Viking ships, known for both their seaworthiness and ability to sail up rivers (for raiding purposes, usually). Being of a seafaring background, it’s no wonder it interests you. :)
DeleteFascinating, Val! ps, totally with you on the crowds thing. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks, TT! ☺️
DeleteWhat a beautiful boat and story! Great blogpost!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear Kathleen!
DeleteI’m so pleased you enjoyed it! Xx
DeleteHi Val and thank you for this fascinating blog. Going to sea on this open vessel must have been rather precarious but sailing along the canals would have been safer. I am definitely a land-lubber. 😂
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lorraine. I’m with you about preferring canal travel! 😄
DeleteWow, the Kogge is beautiful, Val. And you have a great view of it there. It might be a replica but it absolutely looks like it comes from the Middle Ages especially with the crennelated pieces at the ends. As a lover of history, I am all for maintaining the interest of people in the history of the Netherlands waterways.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a splendid vessel, Trish. I think it’s great that they tour the country with it. As you say, maintaining people’s interest is very important.
DeleteI looked up the stern structure and found this, Val. "The crenellated cubicle you are describing at the stern of a medieval Hanseatic ship is called an aftercastle (or sterncastle). It was a defensive, raised superstructure, and while the tillerman (helmsman) operated within or near it, the structure itself was not built exclusively for them.The function of this structure and its relationship to the medieval steering mechanism involved several components:Primary Purpose: The aftercastle was a "fortress within the ship". It provided archers and soldiers with a raised vantage point to fire down on enemies during boarding, while also serving as a stronghold for ship officers and a command platform.The Tillerman's Position: The traditional medieval Hanseatic "Cog" was steered by a large horizontal wooden lever called a tiller. This tiller connected directly to a stern-mounted rudder. As ships grew larger, the tillerman operated the tiller either inside the lower levels of the aftercastle, directly on the deck just in front of it, or from an open platform at the very back of the ship where the tiller was rigged.The Crenellations: The decorative or functional battlements (crenellations) on the cubicle were there for military defense and to give the ship a formidable, towering appearance, mirroring the castle architecture on land.As ship designs evolved into the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, these bulky and top-heavy wooden castles were integrated into the main hull or flattened to improve seaworthiness, eventually becoming the commanding poop deck."
ReplyDeleteShirley, thank you so much! I was going to add this description here but now I see you have written it in full in this comment, so that is brilliant! I hope interested people will read down and see this. I'm so pleased you enjoyed the blog post.
DeleteWhat a fascinating boat, Val. Very unusual with the crenellations aboard, and thanks to SR-J for the explanation. You had the perfect viewpoint from the Vereenigen (which is looking splendid); and like you I'm not good with crowds, so I'd definitely have viewed it from there. I don't know about Zoe, but Chloe would've had a fit at all the people. 💚 xxx
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you, Chris. I'm glad we share that aversion to crowds. Zoe is okay, but she is definitely a bit nervous around lots of people. She and I kept our distance from the throngs! Vereeniging says 'bedankt voor de compliment!' xxx 💚
DeleteFascinating blog Val, I enjoyed reading about the replica of the splendid Kamper Kogge. What a wonderful way to keep the history alive. Brilliant to see so many people still interested, although, like you I'd have waited until it was less crowded. I'd love a look around it. xx
ReplyDeleteVal, what a wonderful find! Don’t you just love it when an element of interest shows up at your doorstep (so to speak)? The history behind this ship is intriguing, to say the least.
ReplyDeleteWe here have a bit of a nautical history, too. Our lake is actually just a widening of the Columbia River (its headwaters are just a short ‘sail’ north of us) and the old paddle wheelers used to be a vital means of transport up and down the valley before the road was built.
I’m an ally of yours regarding crowds, too. Being shoulder to shoulder in a group of strangers is not my thing—especially when trapped within a tight space.
Thanks for bringing such an interesting history to light!
Sending mountains of love to you and Koos!
Dale xx