Appingedam and Delfzijl are located in the less visited far northeast of the Netherlands. Delfzijl sits on the shore of the bay into which the Eems River empties, connecting it to the North Sea. Appingedam is a few kilometers inland. Both are served by the Eemscanal, a large barge capable canal.
Appingedam picturesque municipal harbor is in the center, reached through a small lock and then by a tiny canal. The harbormaster came to open the bridge and with very basic English guided us to a back in box. Our bow thruster having just failed in high winds just as we arrived at the lock, getting into a narrow box just a half meter wider that our boat can be a bit of a challenge. We managed to get him to allow us to stay where it is easier to dock.
Appingedam has been inhabited since prehistoric times, coming into history in the 13th century. It was located on the Delf River, now called the Damsterdiep. The name ‘Appingedam’ refers to the dam built on the Appe (aka Apt) In 1327. It was then a seaport with good access via the river, becoming a trade hub for destinations in Germany and the Baltic. It was then part of Frisia (Friesland), a region of Frisia called Fivelingo. Nowadays it sits between two canals, completely surrounded by water.
In 1536 Appingendam and Gronigen went to war over trade. Appingendam was destroyed, losing it’s position as a trade hub. It was not dead altogether, however. It regained enough economic health that there were funds to build the City Hall in the 1630’s. By the late 1800’s cattle, flour, oil and five breweries provided employment and growth.
Delfzijl is now the more important of the two towns, being the fifth largest port in the Netherlands. “Delftzijl” refers to a fortified lock on the old Delf canal that connected the rivers Fifel and the Eems. It has been a major port since the Middle Ages. There were six bastions, built in 1591. The town has been the focus of several battles involving the Spanish and French, and in WW2, the Nazis. Today, despite being a fairly important port, the town shows signs of economic stress, with a noticeable number of empty commercial spaces awaiting tenants.
We had lunch at Cafeteria Rex. It was doing good business as we waited. It’s set up as a lunchroom with the grill behind the bar so you can watch them work. The lekkerbeck (deep fried cod) was much less expensive than in Gronigen, at €7 versus €10, and bitterballen likewise, and just as good. Bitterballen are a breaded and then deep fried snack made with a stew thickened with roux. In this beef stew they add onions, salt, pepper, parsley and nutmeg.
The town is protected by a 9 meter/ 30′ dike, sluices and a pumping station. At low tide the sluices open to drain the land. The pumps are used if the low tide is too high to allow for gravity drainage.
The Uitwierde Church has a free standing tower circa 1200. The church sits on an artificial mound dating from well before the construction of dikes. There’s an old windmill, Mill Adam. The Adam is a corn mill. Originally, the Adam was was paired with the Mill Eva. Adam Mill is now an art exposition space. No one knows if Adam Mill misses Eva Mill. https://www.visitgroningen.nl/en/locations/eemsdelta/blissfully-happy-in-delfzijl/culture-in-delfzijl
There’s a monolith tomb dating to 3400 BCE.
