Enkhuizen to Den Oever - Day 20

Wednesday 22nd August 2012 - Enkhuizen to Den Oever - Day 20

We had breakfast of croissants and tea and left Enkhuisen at 11.30 with a westerly wind force 4 to 5.
At 12.00 we were passing the fairway buoy with 2/3 rds genoa and fifteen minutes later full genoa and running in a north westerly direction.

Den Oever Marina

The engine stopped at 12.30 and we were making our best course to the north and slowly being pushed into the middle of the Ijsselmeer.  The wind was gusting up to force 6 and building up short choppy waves which was making steering more difficult and uncomfortable with occasional spray making it into the cockpit.  At 14.00 hoisted the main with 2 reefs and with shortened genoa we made more progress but had to tack round for 1/2 hour to miss a shallow bank.
Just prior to the sea lock at Den Oever there is a marina and we decided to give up and stay there for the night and wait for conditions to improve before heading for the Frisian Islands.
We were in  our box at 17.15 and shelter and the harbour master gave all the information required for the next day.

De Dikke Restaurant

Bill before leaving Enkhuizen had prepared a corn beef hash which was promptly put into the oven on arrival and it was very tasty with a topping of beans.  At 21.00 we went ashore to the marina restaurant 'De Dikke Bries' where about two dozen other yachties were dining.  We stuck to the refreshments while we took in the bric a brac which engulfed the interior and gave the place a lot of character.  They stopped serving at 23.00 and as we made it back aboard the wind had dropped.  It had been hard sailing day.