Lemmer's old harbour is the heart of the town. The locks at the IJsselmeer end (the Lemstersluis) lift and lower a steady traffic of yachts, classic flat-bottomed boeiers and skûtsjes, and the occasional commercial barge. In summer the quays are lined three boats deep, the masts almost touching, and the cafes along the Vissersburen and Schulpen run tables out onto the cobbles.
The drawbridges (Sluisbrug and Flevobrug) open hourly through the day, and the long queue of boats and cars on either side is part of the show. Climb up onto the lock walls for a view back across the harbour — the chimneys of the Woudagemaal in the distance, and the IJsselmeer beyond.