Monthly Archives: February 2013

Port of Amsterdam by helicopter

Port of Amsterdam, September 15, 2007 5.03 pm

In my last post I told something about the pilotage by helicopter. For me it was not the first time I had a trip in a helicopter. In 2007 I won the first prize and two photos were nominated for the photography competition “The Harbour works” in Amsterdam. The first prize was rewarded with a helicopter flight above the Port of Amsterdam. It was a wonderful experience to see the harbour in a different way.  See my following post: The Harbour works

Pilots of Amsterdam.

 
Despite the many pilot journeys I made since 2006 it was the first time I accompanied the pilots Wiggele Warnar and Roelof Favot by the pilotage by helicopter of the bulk carrier “Cape Sunrise” (length 292 m, width 45 m, draft 16,5 m), from the North Sea heading to the IJ-palen at Tata Steel in IJmuiden. Because of the darkness, cold and heavy winds from the helicopter it was a challenge for me to take good pictures. Thanks to the experienced crew of the helicopter, the help of the pilots and my Nikon D800 I succeeded. It was a great experience.

See for more pictures: Pilots of Amsterdam

Pilotage by helicopter

 
Saturday February 9, 2013 I suddenly got the opportunity to go with the pilots of Amsterdam on a special mission, namely a pilotage by helicopter. Deep draft vessels coming to the Port of IJmuiden are restricted because of the tide. These vessels have to use the so called IJ-geul. The IJ-geul is a man made channel at the North Sea, 450 metres wide and 25 miles long, accessible for vessels with a maximum draft of 17.8 meters. For safety reasons these vessels are always piloted by two specially trained pilots who use state-of-the-art navigational equipment. The pilots get to the vessel by helicopter and board near the helicopter rendez-vous area at the entrance to the IJ-geul. The bulk carrier “Cape Sunrise” (length 292 m, width 45 m, draft 16,5 m), a so called cape-sizer, heading to the IJ-palen at Tata Steel, was piloted by Wiggele Warnar and Roelof Favot, pilots of the Region Amsterdam-IJmond.

Snow spotted in the Port of Amsterdam.

The  authorities of the Port of Amsterdam take care of the management and maintenance of the harbor infrastructure such as roads, railways, crane ways and waterways, quays etc. They also take care of the safety and security on land and in the water of the harbor area. The boat of the Port of Amsterdam guides the ship to the assigned berth. They also have to do their jobs if there is a lot of snow.

Pilots of the River Scheldt.

The River Scheldt is an important waterway in the south of The Netherlands. Special of this area is the close cooperation between the Belgium and the Dutch pilots. The Dutch pilots take care of 27,5% of all the pilot services of The River Scheldt. In 2008 I had the opportunity to sail with Jan Mastenbroek, pilot of the region Scheldemonden, from the entrance at Vlissingen up the lock of  Berendrecht, the entrance of the Port of Antwerp.

For more pictures see: Pilots of the River Scheldt

Pilots of The North.

In my post of November 4, 2012 http://www.mirjam-terpstra.com/?p=417 I mentioned the journey with the Sedov during DelfSail 2009. In the context of the project “Pilots of the World” I want to show the work of  the pilots in the north of the Netherlands. Because I didn’t actually sail with the pilots of The North, I decided to publish a pilotage of the tallship Sedov at DelfSail.

http://www.mirjam-terpstra.com/?page_id=1159

Pilots of Rotterdam.

In April 2011 I was invited by Herman Broers, Chairman of the Rotterdam Pilots, to sail from Hook of Holland to the Dutch Pilot Station at the North Sea. The Pilot Station is located at sector post Maas about 10 miles southwest of the entrance of the Port of Rotterdam. From the pilot boat to the vessels pilots are transferred by a launch. The small boats are lowered to the water by a david (cranelike device).

http://www.mirjam-terpstra.com/?page_id=1152