Already for a very long time I wanted to visit the Navy Museum in Den Helder. This because I saw very long ago that big submarine outside there. So today we would go there.
But before Marion and I would leave for Den Helder, Marion wanted to see a hairdresser. She made already a week ago an appointment for that with a hairdresser in Heemskerk (one that was recommended to her). The thing is that Marion and I have this deal, if I would keep my hair real short (what she really likes) she would let grow her hair again (which I really like). But in the last weeks Marion’s hair reached a length (somewhere between short and long) that it really looks awful, in her opinion at least. So she wanted desperately a hairdresser to do some magic on it.
And I have to say, now there are some waves and curls in her hair again, it looks indeed very nice.
So finally we were ready to leave for Den Helder. We went by train, so Marion could relax too. The train-trip to Den Helder went fast and before we knew it, we were standing in front of the Navy Museum.
The weather was rather nice, a bit windy. The sun that was shining happily made the temperature even enjoyable.
The museum owns a beautiful collection of miniature ships and boats. Their collections of items that are somehow connected to the Dutch Navy is more then impressive.
But the big attraction of the museum are the three navy ships they have and which can be looked at.
The first one Marion and I looked at was the submarine “Tonijn”. It was very impressive to see how this submarine was standing on land aside the museum.
“De Tonijn” has been in active service from the year 1966 to 1991. Very nice was the conversation we had with the person of the museum who really had worked in the past on “De Tonijn”.
I have seen movies about submarines (as “Das boat”) and having been in a real submarine (although it wasn’t in the water) gives a little bit more understanding how things must have been. Privacy was close to none existent. Very less room to move. The dangers of being under water. And as the man of the museum told us that at times they stayed 7 weeks under water (which was the maximum time for this kinds of submarines to stay under water). I must admit that my respect for people working on submarines has grown.
The wind was rather strong while standing on “De Tonijn”…. (Right Marion? :P).
The second ship we looked at was the Ironclad Ram “Schorpioen”. This ship is almost 140 years old. It was designed to ram other ships. But it turned out that ramming ships was not very effective, but the use of iron cladding on the ships skin proofed to be very effective. Ships as these were used to defend the coast.
The ship has two large steam-engines. It is al very impressive to see.
On “De Schorpioen” is a restaurant located. Marion and I had there a very nice lunch. The salads and breads were very tasteful. And it was very nice to sit there enjoying good food and looking out over the harbor of Den Helder.
The third and last ship was the Abraham Crijnssen, a in 1936 built mine sweeper, that also was capable to place mines. It was active in the Dutch East Indies and it is famous because its escape disguised as a tropical island from the Japanese forces who occupied the Dutch Indies. Under the protection of the darkness that the nights gave they sailed to Australia.
I really enjoyed this visit to the museum, I learned a lot about the Dutch Navy. So many things I never realized. And I think there is even a lot more to learn about the Dutch Navy and its history. As said before, I loved to walk around the three boats and make pictures of them.
And of course I had very enjoyable company!
Afterwards Marion ad I made a walk along the dikes. It is very beautiful there, but the wind had become much stronger and as we both were not really dressed for that, we decided to go home. But we will go back there when there is not that much wind. Maybe we even go for the isle of Texel then. For both of us it was very long ago we have been there.
I really love it how Marion felt asleep in my arms on the train-trip back home…
It was indeed a very nice day. Although I am far from a military person, I found the museum quite intrestring. And yes, specially the boats were a sight to see.
I can remember that I have been to that museum many years ago. The memories that I have about it are very good. Maybe time to refresh those memories.