LEXMOND – Miller Leen van Aalsburg has had sleepless nights. How sturdy is his ancient Bonkmolen in Lexmond with storms Dudley and Eunice raging past? That’s why he does everything he can to fix it as firmly as possible. “Before you know it, it’s on fire. Yes, really. And we shouldn’t have that.”
Of course: it is not the first storm that Leen (74) has experienced. He knows that too. But if you stand in the ridge of his ancient mill, you can hear the entire wooden structure squeaking and creaking. “It’s just an oldie, isn’t it. Only we have to do everything we can to preserve that heritage. And we don’t seek attention so often, but know that every miller in the country is in the highest state of readiness in every storm .”
He has just put several mirrors around his mill. Handy, he thinks, because that way he can see how the blades are standing from every angle. What makes it so dangerous in his eyes? “No wind is the same. Although that sounds a bit crazy, it means that every storm can potentially cause the sail cross to fall off. You have to imagine: the blades make so many beats per minute. If that number is above 80 ends up, then I know: we have a problem.”
Miller Leen braces himself for the storm
Storms getting crazier
If the mill turns ‘too fast’, there is a chance that the blades will fly off. “Or there’s so much friction between all that wood that it catches fire. Well, luckily that never happened to me. But with those storms getting crazier here, you never know.”
That is why he ensures that his Lexmond windmill is made stormproof – as best as it can be. By removing sails from the sails and then securing them extra, for example. And, he points upwards, by properly applying the brake in the cam. Once at the top he pulls as hard as he can on a rope. “That’s the brake, sort of. If it’s not stuck, then you understand: then it’s like driving a car into a wall without the brake working.”
I think we take better care of our windmill during a storm than the average Dutchman takes care of his fence
Leen understands that you hardly hear about windmills during a storm. “Yes, because there are all volunteers who do everything they can to preserve our heritage. I think we take a lot better care of our mill during a storm than the average Dutchman watches his wooden fence.”
The mill doesn’t stay alone
For this miller it will be an exciting day, especially Friday. Although he doesn’t live in the mill, he does sit there all day. Especially from the afternoon storm Eunice will rage towards the mainland. And well, then he can’t leave that Bonkmolen alone. “On the coast they expect wind gusts of 130 kilometers per hour. I hope that this mill – and us too of course – will be spared.”
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