Waternet crews are carrying out extra inspections and dredging along the Amsterdam canal route ahead of Sunday’s City Swim. Boats are clearing bicycles and other submerged debris to ensure participants can swim safely.
The route runs from Keizersgracht to Marineterrein. More than 3,300 participants have signed up to raise money for research into and treatment of ALS.
Clearing the route with sonar
Crews use sonar to scan the canal floor for sharp objects, shopping trolleys, and dumped bicycles. One operator reads the sonar display while another operates a mechanical grabber to pull items out.
On Wednesday morning near the starting point on Keizersgracht, the catch was relatively small. Workers pulled up a rusted city bike, a children’s bike, a car tyre, and stones after having already sailed the route several times earlier in the week.
Targeting dumped rental bikes
Dredging usually yields far more submerged clutter, which frequently draws crowds of watching tourists. Alderperson Lian Heinhuis joined the crew on Keizersgracht to observe the operation.
Heinhuis noted that debris in the canals is partly a reality of city life, but questioned why specific items end up in the water so often. She pointed out that Swapfiets rental bicycles are pulled from the canals in relatively high numbers and called for an examination into why.
Fundraising on Sunday
The charity swim features various distances and includes appearances by prominent Dutch personalities and competitive swimmers.
Organisers will announce the provisional fundraising total at Marineterrein around 17:00 on Sunday. Last year, the event raised more than 1.7 million euros.
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