Wieringen: Amstelmeerkanaal
Distance: 8.5 km to the end of the canal x 2 = 17 km.
No kayak-rentals here.
The starting point at De Haukes. GPS: Lat. 52.889400, Lon. 4.938000
Until 1930 when it became connected to the main land by the Afsluitdijk, Wieringen was an island. On the south-side there is the polder Wieringermeer, and in between is a canal, the Amstelmeerkanaal. This canal is only connected to the lake Amstelmeer by a culvert. This one too low for passing by canoe. The canal is a very quiet one and you seldom see anyone else on the water. There are no houses nearby and at some distance there is a country road with hardly any traffic. From the canoe you can see the former south shore of the island. Especially the first part is interesting because here are the cliffs. Further on there is a dike. Take the N99 between Den Helder and Den Oever. Exit to the south in the direction Slootdorp. When you've passed the last house of the village De Haukes, you have reached the end of the island. On the left there is a place marked with a sign where you can let the canoe into the water. Here you start paddling to the east. After 3 km you pass a wooden bridge. From there it is 2 km to the next bridge. The road across is marked with a sign Burgerweg. From there it is 3.5 km to the end of the canal. Here is a place on your left just before the pumping-station where you can take the canoe ashore. This place once was marked with a sign, but it's no longer there. Beware of sheep-shit here!
If you want to go further and go into the woods of the Robbenoordbos you need some more directions. The portage is about 200 m. You walk to the road, turn right passed the pumping station. Then go through to tunnel under the high-way (beware of cyclists). Then you pass a place where they sell snacks and then pass the locks. Take a look: the land is 5 meters below sea-level here! Then pass the big pumping-station named Leemans and turn right into the woods. Then you come to a field which is a camping-site (for permit-holders only). There are toilets here. On the right there is a marked place where you let the canoe into the water. It is somewhat hidden behind the bushes. In the Robbenoordbos there are not many directions where you can go. Straight on (where you can continue to Kreileroord and Medemblik), or turn right after a while. There are just very straight canals and there's nothing very exciting. When this was designed the main aim was to make it functional and not making it interesting for canoe-tourists. But to see it once is nice. I just wander why they don't make any side canals now, at least so that you can make a circle.
There are plans to expand the Amstelmeerkanaal into an watersports-area before the year 2009 (That's when the polder Wieringermeer exists 70 years). The canal would be made much wider and debouch into a lake along the southside of Wieringen reaching to the IJsselmeer. There still are some options open. There may be an open connection to the Amstelmeer, but according to another plan there will be a different water-level, so boats will have to pass locks to get access. Also it is uncertain if there will be a large lake, or one with many islands and inlets with room for nature to develop. More information about the plans can be found on the sites http://www.waterbindt.nl (in Dutch only). If you want to enjoy the silence, you have to come before the new plans will be realized.
