Amsterdam - Days 25 & 26

Monday 27th August 2012 - Amsterdam - Day 25

A quiet berth

In the morning Bill went to the supermarket which was just outside the marina gate while I carried on with the computer.  The motor cruiser we were lying alongside left at 11.00 and we said our goodbyes to the German family on board and their dog.  We spent a lazy afternoon reading and sleeping in the warm sunshine.
At 18.00 we spent ashore and after a 15 minute walk got the free ferry across the canal to Amsterdam.  This time we headed off in a different direction and turned right after leaving the Central Station.

Aeolus Marina Club House

This side of the city is just the same, crowded with visitors.  Bars with strange people inside and noisy music and it appears lots are smoking the happy baccy, as you smell it everywhere you go.
We were back on the ferry to the north side by 21.00 and we went to a bar we used to use when here on the tallship two years ago but it was closed.
Back to our marina club house where we another good night and finished off with night caps on board.



Tuesday 28th August 2012 - Amsterdam - Day 26

Amsterdam Station

We cleaned the boat in the morning as Bill was leaving today.  At 13.00 we went for the ferry and  to a corner bar for the last time just outside the station.  We said our farewells  as he boarded the 15.20 train to Schipol airport.  Thanks again Bill for all of the support during the past two weeks.
I went back into the city centre doing some shopping and the streets were packed.  This is certainly a mecca and must be one the most popular cities in Europe.  I was on board by 17.00 and made myself a meal.

Ferry

I was back on the ferry to the Central station at 21.00 and met the re-joining crew member Jack from the yacht club.  His train pulled in at 22.10 and like old times he wanted to go into the big city.
We ambled along and took in all the sights until arriving at the 'Old Sailor' pub in the heart of the red light district.  Again, the whole area is absolutely full of people, mostly tourists enjoying and taking part in the scenery.  We tried a few more places on the way back to the ferry and arrived on board for 01.00 and finished off with fruity malt loaf and tea.  Jack was back.

Monnickendam to Amsterdam - Day 24

Sunday 26th August 2012 - Monnickendam to Amsterdam - Day 24

Monnickendam canals

Watered and filled up the fuel tank while Bill made breakfast of fried bread, bacon, eggs and beans (we do live well).
At noon we left Monnickendam and with the full genoa we made our way out of the Gouzee and the weather was fair with sunshine and a little westerly breeze.
We had made plans to go a place called Muiden only twelve miles away on the other side of the Markenmeer.

Marken Lighthouse

At 13.15 we were passing the lighthouse on Marken island and the clouds were starting to build up.  Fifteen minutes later the wind was increasing and as we shortened sail the gusts began to hit us and boat was well heeled over, then the rain came and we were drenched very quickly.  For the next two hours these squalls kept battering us.  We were about one mile off Muiden and abandoned going inside the narrow entrance onto a lee shore and came about to try and find shelter.  We looked at Durgerdam on the other shore but this was also discounted and we decided to head for Amsterdam.

At 16.00 we were under the Schelling-Wouderburg lifting bridge and inside the Oranjesluizen locks 10 minutes later.

Amsterdam Cruise Terminal

Once in the Nordzee Canal the strong winds began to ease down and just before the marina on the opposite shore were these cruise liners.  Cunard's 'Queen Victoria' and P&O's 'Oceana'.
At 17.00 we were alongside a motor cruiser in the Aeolus marina where the harbour master was most helpful.  We were ashore in North Amsterdam by 18.30, unfortunately being a Sunday most of it was closed.  We did find one bar but the beer was very poor so we came back the little club house in the marina. Spending the rest of the night with the harbour master and his wife plus three sailors from a Belgian yacht.  We were happy to be back in Amsterdam in a nice quiet marina.

Monnickendam - Day 23

Saturday 25th August 2012 - Monnickendam - Day 23

Its raining

At 09.45 we were woken up by a young lady on a bicycle who delivered in a basket, two tea cakes and the weather forecast. A lovely wake up call.
Bill went off to the supermarket while I tried to sort out the communications problems with the internet and unfortunately did not succeed.
The weather forecast prediction came into fruition in the afternoon, the wind came out of the north west with accompanying heavy showers which rolled in and times were torrential, our tent was earning its keep again.

Narrow winding cobbled streets

We lazed around, reading until going ashore at 19.00 to the four seasons restaurant.  The starters of spring rolls and spare ribs we enjoyed but the rack of lamb main courses were not up to our usual standard as the meat was under-cooked.  We ended up in the 'Koffiebon' bar watching a football match on the tele  in which Ajax won 5-0.
The small winding streets and little canals of Monnickendam are enchanting with the fairy lights strung across the small wooden lifting bridges.  How people manage to get there little boats on the canals outside there houses must be a joy to watch.  It is again the cleanliness of these places which really catches your attention

Oudeschild to Monnickendam - Day 22

Friday 24th August 2012 - Oudeschild to Monnickendam - Day 22

The weather forecast for the weekend was very bad and my plans of visiting the other two Frisian Islands of Vlieland and Terschelling were abandoned.

Waddenzee control sluices on the dyke

It was decided to head back into the inland sea for  shelter and the harbour master gave us the best times to leave and make the most use of the flood tide.
We left Oudeschild at 08.00 against the tide for 1/2 hour and by 09.00 we were back in the main channel heading south easterly passed the uncovered sands of the Balgzand to the south.
Once more we quickly moved along with the 3 knot current and did not have to wait for the swing bridge at Den Oever and straight into the Stevinsluizen lock.  By 11.00 we were leaving the lock and back into the Ijsselmeer.  With full main and the auto-helm in charge.

De Kreupel

At 12.00 a Dutch yacht came alongside and asked if I had map of the lake, if not he would help.  This was a very kind gesture, as I showed him my full set of charts, he gave a friendly wave and move off in another direction.  At 13.30 we were passing the man made island of De Kreupel about two miles out from Medemblik.  Why it was built I do not know but there appears to be two buildings on it.  We were making very good progress down the Ijsselmeer and it was decided not to stay for the night in Enkhuizen but to push on while we still had good weather.

Day tripper

Nearing Enkhuizen we passed a few of these beautiful sailing barges which take visitors out for the day.  While others do one week voyages and mostly cater for the German tourists.  We were in the Navidad lock for 15.20 and back into the Markenmeer by 15.45.  With the auto-helm and full sail for a couple of hours we had a very pleasant run.  It was now decided we would go to Monnickendam for a couple of nights while we let the weather fronts pass through.

Markenmeer

In the evening the wind died away completely, all sails were stowed and with a sea of glass we motored into the Gouzee.  Off the entrance we saw a fleet of becalmed yachts waiting to start a 24 hour race, we wished them luck and hoped they would enjoy it.  We followed another channel after passing our old haunt in Volendam and by 20.00 we were in our box at the Monnickendam marina.

Monnickendam

We went ashore to the bars and restuarants but did not fancy a meal.  Wandering back to the near marina Lakeside Hotel, I found this had not changed in 10 years.  It was still a stop over for people flying back to Australia and enjoying there last night in Europe, knocking back lots of beer accompanied by boom-boom music.  We left them to it. On board we had our own fruity malt loaf and beer.  It had been a long day, travelled 51 miles but we were now alongside and safe.

Den Oever to Oudeschild - Day 21

Thursday 23rd August 2012 - Den Oever to Oudeschild - Day 21

We had breakfast of corned beef hash and eggs and taking the advice of the harbour master we did not leave until 12.30.

Sailing Barge

As we left the marina we watched as this very impressive sailing barge hauled up her sails for her trip down the Ijsselmeer.  The locks were not quite ready for us but there are convenient lay by berths prior to the lock and because of the wind conditions.We put a bow rope on the quay and let her sit there with her nose into the wind.  We lay there for about 1/2 hour with other yachts then the lock traffic lights changed for red to green and we were ready to go.

Stevinsluizen lock

We were in the lock for 15 minutes and followed this large barge ahead of us into the next waiting area for the swing bridge.  We were a little too slow and the bridge keeper changed the lights to red when were very close to passing through.  Onto another lay by while we waited, after ten minutes the bridge swung open for a fast moving lifeboat and we were allowed through.  A little further on in the fairway we saw the lifeboat alongside a 38 foot yacht whose engine must of failed and was drifting onto the shore.  We are now in the Waddenzee and are now under the influence of tidal movements with strong currents within the area.

Oudeschild - Texel

We followed the very well marked channel known as the Gat Van De Stier, with a 3 knot ebb tide. In parts we had wind over the tide which gave very short steeped waves and became very uncomfortable.  It took 1 1/2 hours up this channel before we altered course off Den Helder and cut across the current before going into the next channel Texelstroom with the current against us.  After another 3/4 hour we were arriving at the Frisian Island of Texel and berthed in the Waddenhaven marina in Oudeschild.  Out with the cold beer we achieved one of our goals.

Havenhotel Texel

We were ashore in this very busy fishing harbour by 18.30 in the 'Havenhotel Texel'.  Prior to our meal we were given a little starter of a small bowl of tiny shrimps with a dip in sauce.  Too much hassle shelling these, so we gave up while a main course of a very large pot of mussels, chips and bread was absolutely delicious.  We adjourned to the bar and speaking with the staff asked what it was like in the hotel in the winter with all of the visitors gone.  The answer was no work, as we were shown a photograph of the hotel with the sea water covering the first floor windows.  This also explained the large dyke surrounding the harbour and the large quayside posts for the boats to tie up to with their tops painted white. Bill went back aboard while I went to the new marina pub 'Compagnie' which was not there when I was last here 10 years ago. It was a lively place and after a night cap returned aboard, it had been another successful day.

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.

Hoorn to Enkhuizen - Day 19

Tuesday 21st August 2012 - Hoorn to Enkhuizen - Day 19

Elisabeth

We left Hoorn at 12.00 and hoisted the main at 12.45, there was very little wind so we motor-sailed.  An hour later and we were passing this fine  sailing vessel 'Elisabeth' on her way into Hoorn.

At 14.00 we entered the main buoyed channel which takes you up to the locks which connect the Markenmeer and the Ijsselmeer across which stretches a very long dam connecting both sides of Holland.

Naviduct Lock

We arrived in the lock at 14.45 and the gates closed behind us and we were only inside for about ten minutes as the water level only dropped about 100 mm.  We arrived in Enkhuizen Compagnieshaven and in or box at 15.15.
On the passage up from Hoorn we had noticed water coming into the engine compartment bilge space and traced this to a leaking stern gland.  The electric bilge pump fitted last year was not up to job of pumping it out.

Enkhuizen

I packed the stern gland with grease while Bill went off to his favourite shop the chandlers and purchased more grease and a new bilge pump. The new pump was fitted and it was time to go ashore.

This is a very pretty town with lots of fine buildings built during the days when this was one of the main trading ports on the Zuiderzee.

Bill's bridge

We found a wonderful restaurant called 'Van Bleiswijk' and a meal of onion soup, plaice fillets and beef satays really filled us up.  The local Irish bar 'The Dubliners' was small and noisy while upstairs in the 'Schiffdifj' was nice but smoky.  Most of them seemed to be smoking inside the pub, we cannot understand this as we are all supposed to adhere to the EU regulations on smoking in public places.  We finished off in the 'Tankerikj' pub next to the very impressive now lit up tower and lifting bridge.  We were very impressed with Enkhuizen