Stage 2 - Through the Netherlands

Monday 7 May
This was a rest day to recover, tidy up, buy the tide tables, and have a good meal in the restaurant.

The huge marina in Ijmuiden was surprisingly empty - definitely out of season.










Tuesday 8 May
The tides were wrong for a passage up the coast to Den Helder, unless we wanted to start at 4am or arrive very late, so we decided to go via Amsterdam. We locked into the North Sea canal with just one other boat. There was quite a lot of commercial traffic on the canal, though.

Through Amsterdam, at one point, three ferries were crossing in front of us in different directions at the same time as another was overtaking us.

It was a relief to get through the lock and opening bridge and emerge into Markermeer.

As soon as we could, we raised the sails, and had a fine sail up to Volendam.











Wednesday 9 May
The harbourmaster appeared just as we were leaving - we had failed to find him in his office at several attempts - however he gave us a discount since we'd not been able to use the showers. The wind was just perfect for the drifter and a long run up to the lock at Enkhuizen, which we got through in record time. As soon as we were through, we raised the sails again, and ran to Stavoren.

At times the sun was really warm, for the first time on this trip, we were able to sail in ordinary clothes !

It has a super plush marina, half empty out of season, but a very helpful harbourmaster. Forecast is not good for tomorrow - we expect to stay another day, at least.









Thursday 10 May
We stayed at Stavoren, with a bike ride to Hindeloopen, for two days, before the wind died just a little. Stavoren is a nicely run marina, with all the facilities you would expect, and apart from a plague of gnat-like flies, which got everywhere, but were too dopey to avoid being swatted, it was worth visiting.

Saturday 12 May

Hindeloopen - the primest of prim Dutch towns











Saturday 12 May
We finally moved on, because the forecast said the wind would moderate. We had a fine sail up the IJsselmeer but the wind was still strong, mainly over 20kts, with gusts up to 30. Strangely, the waves were smaller once we passed through the lock into the Waddensee, and with a strong tide, we belted up to Harlingen with speeds of over 9kts at times. We were particularly pleased to beat a motoring Moody 33, even though we sailed the whole way and had to tack a few times. I'm sure we had a more comfortable ride, too. We moored up in the Noorderhaven in time for lunch.

Sunday 13 May
Although the forecast for today was good, the ones for following days were not great, so to avoid having to get stuck in Terschelling or/and retrace our steps, we took the wimpy option of the canal route to Lauwersoog. On the way we met two Dutch couples in serious sea-going yachts, one bound for Finland, one for Norway - like us making progress eastward in the canals! We didn't feel quite so wimpish after that. We hoped to get into Lauwersmeer before the lock keeper knocked off at 7pm, but he had already shut up shop when we got to the lock at a few minutes before 7, so we moored up in a side channel near the lock for the night.

Monday 14 May
The lock is supposed to open at 7am according to Brian Navin's book, but it actually opens at 9. We moored up and waited. Once the lock keeper arrived, he came down to help us in the lock and to chat about the weather, and let us through very quickly. We unfurled the jib and sailed up Lauwersmeer in a fresh south west wind to the marina at Lauwersoog. It is much the same as on our last visit, but free wi-fi, possibly courtesy of a cafe just over the dyke. As is becoming a recurring theme, the forecasts are a bit iffy for the next few days. We might make Borkum, or we might be here for a while!