Tony and I spent a few weeks in Europe last summer, visiting Malta for some dives, and family in Denmark. On our way between these destinations we spent a night in IJmuiden, a Dutch port city on the North Sea. It is there the North Sea Canal, which connects the port of Amsterdam to the North Sea, meets the ocean.
There are four locks at IJMuiden, which regulate the water level in the canal and assist in managing the groundwater levels in the Netherlands. The maximum vessel draught that the locks can handle is just under 14 metres.
When we were exploring the port and lock area of the town, we were fortunate to watch the MSC Opera cruise ship exit through the Northern Lock. The MSC Opera is a not infrequent visitor to South African shores. She is 250 metres long and 32 metres wide, with a draught of about 7 metres.
The process was breathtaking, with no room for error, and being able to stand so close to a ship of such size while she was in motion was absolutely fabulous. I almost self-actualised right then and there.
