Pushing a big boat through a little bridge

With warmer weather arriving, pleasure boats have appeared among the working barges on the Maas.  Jet skis and motorboats are popular so far, with the occasional sailboat and fishing barge.

A few days back, I was surprised by an *enormous* barge that suddenly appeared one morning.

No way this was fitting under the bridge, especially with a tall pilot house.  Yet…the alarm didn’t sound, and the bridge didn’t open.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Certain disaster, and I was there with my camera ready to record it for CNN / BBC.

But, watch closely, the pilot house retracted as it approached the bridge, lowering into the boat to pass beneath the bridge, then popping up on the far side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love the ingenuity of mariners.  Especially when things go completely wrong…