The story of Rense Bakker
'Look, an ice floe with people on it floats by!' 12-year-old Rense Bakker sits doing his homework in the lightkeeper's house on Urk. His mother points out across the water. Rense doesn't think twice. 'It was a freezing cold day in January '84. Together with my mate I took those skaters off with a boat. It was widely reported in the newspapers at the time. We even had to come to Dieuwertje Blok.'
Born and raised
Rense is the third generation of Bakker. He was born and raised in the lighthouse house next to the lighthouse. After his grandfather and father, Rense now lives there with his family. 'My grandfather was very loyal to his work. A drop weight then moved the lighthouse's turning light. He did have to hoist that weight up every few hours. Day in, day out.
My father was more light-hearted. He used to joke that he had the highest position in all of Urk, lighthouse keeper. The position no longer exists now. Still, I feel responsible to continue their work. I have a connection with this place.'
National monument
The lighthouse, like Urk's old core built on a boulder hump, has been a national monument since 1980. 'My father leased the lighthouse. He showed people around it and set up a museum. I was lucky enough to buy the lighthouse after his retirement. Now I will be managing the tower on behalf of Urk municipality. Showing visitors around. And tell the stories, of course.'
St Andrew's crosses in Urk
'Women on Urk used to literally build a fire. This enabled fishermen to find their way back at night. Later, the stone fire beacon, was built and financed by Amsterdam. Amsterdam's coat of arms, three crosses, can still be found on Urk. Just look above the door of Urk's oldest church, the Kerkje aan de Zee.'
Authentic
'We never benefited from Amsterdam's wealth. Urkers continued to fish and work hard. We still do. Urk is really very authentic. You can get a taste of life as it is here. The boat people, that's what we call the tourists on the water, just lie in the harbour among the activity. They love that.'
Special experience
'If it storms? Then we live here just as peacefully. With icy conditions, though, a westerly wind can push the ice up considerably. That's a special experience for Flevolanders too. Just like this place for that matter. Flevoland is a flat, modern country. Here you drive through an old village centre, then up a hill and suddenly there is a lighthouse that you can visit!'
