For a long time it is uncertain if we can really make a longer summer holiday trip with the Brandaan because of the situation of my (Mira's) mother. She just moved and is all that going well enough to be able to leave? Luckily she is and we dare to go on the road. Besides that, the summer holidays are more 'limited' by Marinthe tennis tournaments. That means we're on the boat late Sunday afternoon (July 1st) and should be back three weeks later. If that will really work out, we'll leave it in the middle for a while, because that depends very much on the weather.
We don't have a real destination this year. The Shetlands and the Scillies are high on our wish list, but not really feasible this year. Scotland and the Shetlands are continuously in the depression trains coming from the west. It is sailable, but not luring because of the bad and wet weather there. The Scillies are difficult to sail against the westerly wind and three weeks is too short. On top of that we are not looking for too much challenge at the moment because we need to relax after a hectic period.
So we decide to go via the German Bight to Denmark. The first week we mainly have nice and warm sunny weather (except for the few hours of storm on Vlieland). Sailing is only possible for an hour or so, for the rest we tuft the 260 miles on the engine along the Dutch coast through the German Bight and also the 60 miles through the Kielerkanaal. A very relaxed first week. But the moment we sailed into the Baltic Sea, the wind started to blow and there was an enormous storm. A harbinger for the 1.5 week after that. Then we have a continuous rather strong westerly wind and regularly a heavy shower and it is also a lot fresher (17 degrees).
In these weather conditions it's ideal to explore the Kleine Belt in Denmark and not go further west in the direction of Borholm, because how do we get back in time with that western weather? In the Kleine Belt we make beautiful sailing trips and everything is sailable. Twice with very strong winds (8-10 Bft and 7-8 Bft). As far as sailing is concerned it is challenging, but not very relaxed and this part of Denmark is boring. Hilly with cereal fields, cereal fields and more cereal fields. Dull some business-like villages with little atmosphere. Of course with exceptions, but this is in a nutshell how we experience it. We spend a relatively large amount of time on the boat and don't do a lot of things on land. All four of us can do that very well, but still we solemnly promise each other 'that we will never go to Denmark again', because it is really more fun to be able to do things on land as well as sailing.
And how do you get back with a steady westerly wind? Through the Lymfjord? Then the Netherlands might be better sailable, but a lot more miles. So again via the canal and the German Bight. Luckily we have a nice weather hole there just in time, but also a challenging stretch between Brunsbüttel and Coxhaven with wind force 8-10 and current against tide. Also not really relaxed. Once back in the Netherlands the beautiful summer weather starts (also in Denmark). Anyway, we have a great holiday and enjoy travelling with the Brandaan with a lot of time for each other. Below the report from day to day.
On Monday at the end of the morning we leave Bru with the goal to sail directly to the North Sea and maybe in one go to the Kielerkanaal. But first we have to get to the North Sea and that is not easy. That even makes it very difficult for us. As if we are not allowed to go on holiday ;-). First of all it is our own fault because we make the choice to go 'outside' via the Haringvliet instead of via Roompot. Under normal circumstances this road is definitely no longer; only with some more obstacles that are uncertain how long they will take. Well, this time it took us a lot longer and a broken marine antenna. First of all, the Krammer lock takes more than three hours. Once we're through there and at half past 4:30 at the Volkerak lock, we hear that there's congestion until 6:30 pm. Well, then wait two hours. Luckily it's nice in the sun. But at half past 7 still a vote .... it appears the bridge is broken and they are making it but they have no idea how long it will take. Over an hour later no change and then we get a bit despondent .... we can't make it to the North Sea today, can we? Then we get the tip that we can try the hunting lock. We need a height of 19.40 m and there's at least 19.00 m. The highest part of our mast is the marine antenna and it's probably a bit flexible .... well that's for sure .... until almost the end of the bridge it bends neatly with each beam, only the last two beams (vd 20) are just a bit lower .... snapping .... and then the upper 1/3 part of the antenna hangs snapped aside. But we arrived through the lock and on the Haringvliet! And fortunately, the antenna is still working perfectly, so we don't need to replace it immediately (by the spare antenna at the back of the boat).
After waiting half an hour for the Haringvliet Bridge, we are the only boat to pass through it at 21.00 hrs at the last opening of today's ..... North Sea, here we come .... only to cross the Haringvliet to Stellendam ... we think. But when we arrive there more than two hours later our mouths drop open with amazement .... also this bridge is broken, just a week, and it can take another month before it's made. Ah, no way! What now? We're stuck on the Haringvliet and have nowhere to go, and that while there's such a nice weather hole to reach the Kielerkanaal in one go. We search the internet and find out that we can go to the sea via the Spui, the Oude Maas and the Nieuwe Waterweg near Rotterdam. The Spui can be sailed halfway up the Haringvliet. But not at night, so we drop anchor and go to sleep for a couple of hours.
At 6 o'clock the next morning we continue our 'battle' to enter the North Sea. Through the Spui and the Oude Maas (quite beautiful South-Holland landscape) we arrive at the last two bridges that separate us from the sea, the Botlek and Spijkernisse bridge. And both of them actually work together, and so it comes to that we finally sail into the North Sea almost a day later via the Nieuwe Waterweg. With a nice sun and little wind from behind. And so we float up along the Dutch coast all day with occasional sails and lots of engines and arrive in Vlieland half past 6 the next morning. The weather is not long enough anymore and we are looking forward to a few days in Vlieland.
Vlieland remains just a nice island to stay. And we also have lovely sunny and warm weather. The first day we make a cycling tour on the island, even swim in the sea (only Eline and Mira) and eat delicious food in the restaurant of the marina. The second day it rains once in a while and it is a good day to clean the boat. We hadn't gotten around to a spring cleaning yet. Toine goes into the mast via the electric winch and replaces the marine antenna .... that looks a lot better! We assemble the dinghy and take it to a mudflat in front of the harbour. In the evening we have a BBQ and go for a walk along the beach to see the sunset. The next day is the departure day, but only after we have passed the front. Around noon it rages over Vlieland for more than two hours with regular wind force 7-8. There we wait for a while on .... and when it gets quieter around 3 pm and the wind has turned to the southwest, we head for the sea to Brunsbüttel.
The first part getting away from Vlieland is still a rough one and the girls just don't get nauseous, but once we get to the starting point we can 'turn right' and have the wind and waves nice from behind and we can only enjoy sailing with the genoa. After that we can sail with the mainsail in calf mode. But it doesn't take long, because the wind is falling and for the rest of the trip we sail everything on the engine. It is going to be a nice and quiet night, but we have to watch out for shipping traffic and the construction of a wind farm. Around noon the next day we are at the entrance of the Elbe, and only 8 hours later we are in Brünsbuttel. What a long and boring stretch, that German Bight!
Through the locks at Brunsbüttel is a fun experience with huge seagoing ships very close by. For the first time after more than 20,000 nautical miles and after at least 26 other country flags, the German flag hangs in the rigging of the Brandaan. We spent the night in the small marina right behind the lock and saw the large sea-going vessels sailing in and out of the locks a few metres away. A band on the site next to the marina is playing good old golden music from our youth with beautiful singing. In the sunshine with a beer, it's a good place to be!
By now it is Sunday July 8th and we tuft the 100 km through the Kielerkanaal. Again in the sunshine with a lot of large seagoing ships passing by. The bridges are all high enough and most of them are of special German architecture. That makes up for a lot. For the rest it's only a long piece of tuff! When we're through the locks of Holtenau the predicted thunderstorm suddenly breaks loose. The rain comes out of the sky. But we're in the Baltic Sea! A little further to the marina of Laboe. A typical Baltic seaside resort with nice restaurants and a beach with 'old-fashioned' looking German beach chairs with an awning.
The next day after breakfast we leave for the 35 miles north to the Danish islands of the Kleine Belt. We didn't have a very good look at the weather forecast, but we know from yesterday that it is southwest wind, max force 6. Moreover, it is not really open sea we are on, so it will be loose. We leave with a little reefed genoa. Once we are on open water it is still quite windy and the boat is more stable with reef 3 in the mainsail and a little less for the wind course (120 degrees) towards Søby on the island of Æro. But soon it starts blowing even harder and we are in a real storm (regularly around 35 knots of wind one and around the few showers above 40 knots with a maximum gust of 49 knots). And that 25 miles (over 3 hours) long. The Brandaan doesn't give a shrink and just sails on. The girls inside don't either, they just watch a movie. And we're sitting outside watching that violence of nature. For me it will take some getting used to.
Once around the tip of Æro the sea flattens out and we moor in the sheltered harbour of Søby. With a very nice characteristic harbour master. So, we are in Denmark!
Tuesday the 10th of July we stay a day on Æro. It's lovely sunny weather and dry! We make a long walk over half of the island of about 18 km. A couple of hours of heavy lugging and we all like that. Over hills, along grain fields, through villages and along the sea. In the afternoon we arrive tired and hungry in Æroskobing and there we find a fine diner with delicious fries, homemade ice cream and beer. We can take the bus back to the boat for free. A nice day in Denmark this way!
Wednesday the 11th of July, after breakfast, we sail a short distance on just the genoa to a nice anchorage near the island of Avernakø. The island itself is not much. It is very small with only a few holiday homes. But just lying at a nice anchorage with nobody around us is also good, that is all we need. We eat deliciously on the boat (the best meal so far according to all four). Just like last year, we have picked up the habit of playing card games every evening. We told the girls we're going to Legoland in a couple of days. They are very excited about it and in return they will secretly make something beautiful for us. In the end they spend three days in lost hours making something beautiful for us.
Thursday July 12th we sail 25 miles into the Kleine Belt to the island of Arø. A tough sailing trip almost high on the wind with wind force 5-7. Especially around the showers, the wind picks up. But we do not see the wind gauge rising above 30! Everywhere around us there are sailboats that also just keep on sailing. That is the advantage of sitting on reasonably sheltered water. Arø has a very small marina where we only just fit in. We are the largest boat and we just manage to make it in terms of draught. A nice place to lie down! Every half hour the ferry arrives from the mainland and leaves a quarter of an hour later. We get the homemade gift from the girls and that is a beautifully crafted Brandaan. How sweet of them!
In the evening we walk a bit over the island and have a great meal in a real local Danish restaurant. Eline pies, Toine and Marinthe a piece (your) beef and I a delicious fish pan. With delicious salads and a draught beer. Really nice and tasty!
The next morning Eline and I are fanatical and for breakfast we run according to Eline's hockey summer schedule. Feels good to do! Then a nice piece of sailing (12 miles) before the wind with only the mainsail still further into the Kleine Belt along small islands to Middelfart. In the afternoon we go out into town to find out how we can go to Legoland the next day. Middelfart is a business and not a nice town. In the evening we eat on the boat and play Canasta.
Saturday, July 14 ... Up early, quick breakfast and a long walk to the station. First by train from Middelfart to Vejen. Then by bus to just before Legoland. Two hours later we are in front of the entrance. It is a very nice park! Not very big, with the lego miniature park of which we like the Dutch part with the houses, bridges, canals, locks and boats the most. Next to that there are nice roller coasters and a white water rapids (kind of Phiranha). We get two enormous rains and thunderstorms over us. Now that we are wet anyway, we can also go into the white water rapids. Marinthe protests, 'I always get very wet from this'. We still say 'don't whine so much'. But she is right because she and Toine get a huge wave of water all over them. Luckily they also have those dry blowing booths. Just before we leave we buy two large Lego building kits; 'the road is gone' from Harry Potter for Marinthe and an off the road car of technical lego for Eline. Then the girls have something to do. We forgot to bring lego and they still play a lot with it.
Sunday the 15th of July we go a little further north. The plan is to sail home via the Lymfjord. First the narrowest and winding piece of Kleine Belt under the two bridges. Then a piece of sailing with plenty of wind. The wind picks up again and we decide to stop at Juelsminde and not sail on to Endelave or Tunø. There they have very small marinas and we don't know if there is room and anchoring in this strong wind is not an option. A practical stop, but again a small town with little atmosphere.
What shall we do? Continue north and via the Lymfjord to home or turn around and return via the German Bight? The weather a few days ahead is quite unpredictable. From both sides there is no clear weather hole. On top of that there is still quite a few miles extra sailing, partly very or too high on the wind to Hals. We make a definite decision ... but underneath ... and so we sail back yesterday's stretch and further south. Again in strong wind .... power 7 with bumps in 8 and almost high on the wind. With mainsail in reef 2 and genoa in reef 3 the Brandaan is doing fine. And with regular sunshine it is actually a nice sailing trip. After more than 40 miles we sail a beautiful sheltered anchor bay on the north side of the island Als in. With a very narrow entrance a good place to lie down after such a trip. Of course we play Canasta again in the evening.
The next day we sail about 15 miles through the Ansfjord along Sønderborg. A nice trip with lots of sightseeing on the shore and other boats around us. Eline and I get off in front of the Sønderborg bridge to do some shopping and come back on board after the bridge. A short trip to the anchor bay of Hørup Hav, but that is far too exposed in the strong northwest wind, so we go to the small marina of Hørup anyway. We have a nice walk along the water and back through the forest. It is good to stretch our legs for a while and for girls we need to run and play soccer.
Wednesday July 18 we sail the more than 30 miles back to the Kielerkanaal on the engine with little wind and rain coming out of the heat front that covers it. At the entrance of the canal we see a Dutch HR named Nova ... that must be Marnix and that's right. He and his family picked up a new HR 412 from Sweden as a demo boat of Nova. Nice to have a chat. Then into the canal to the anchorage 15 km away. It's still raining. Immediately up the cockpit tent, good food and playing a game of Canasta.
Thursday the 19th of July we continued early on the canal. The predicted cold front pulls over with strong winds and heavy rain showers. In the canal we don't suffer much from that. Once we arrived at the lock, we hesitated ... continue to Cuxhaven with this wind or stay in Brunsbüttel? It's only 13 miles on 'reasonably' sheltered water with wind force 6-7. Shouldn't that be possible? We don't know yet that it's windforce 8-10 outside and that gives big waves with wind against a strong current. We'll find out as soon as the sluice gates open ... the waves roll in. There are two other boats, one heavier and bigger than us and it continues. But the smaller and lighter than us turns around. It won't get through. Our boat's doing fine. It's heavy enough with a good engine to withstand this. But what a force of nature and what waves we sail on and through. We get a lot of salt water all over us. Even just before the entrance of Cuxhaven the waves are still high. So we sail 9.0 knot speed against wind force 9. Quite a current with us. Aimed just as well to sail with that current into the marina and once inside the water is flat and only blowing. It's a spicy trip! But nice to be there. It is now half past nine and we immediately go for a nice meal in the harbour restaurant. The harbour is indeed full of Dutch boats and whether or not to leave is the topic of conversation.
We are the only boat leaving for the Netherlands the next afternoon. It is still said 'if you dare'. In the German Bight is predicted northwest 5-6 decreasing to 4. But once out of the bend, the wind will quickly decrease due to the high pressure area that will also bring the beautiful summer weather in the Netherlands. The first half day will be a tough one, but after that it will be fine weather to sail to Bru. And waiting a day longer will bring back headwind along the Netherlands. The Elbemonding itself is not so bad, only at the entrance the waves are a bit higher. But nothing compared to yesterday. Once out of the estuary we can sail. High on the wind with wind force 4-5 and a confused sea with probably even higher waves because of yesterday's storm. A spicy first part of the journey back. The girls are nauseous, eat almost nothing and go to sleep early. We too feel a bit catty. The boat is going back and forth quite a bit. It takes until the beginning of the next afternoon until we turn the corner at Vlieland and don't have to sail as high. In the morning the wind subsides for a while and then I turn on the engine during my watch. Immediately a 'wrong' sound .... the whole boat vibrates.... there is something in the propeller! Toine immediately gets out of bed and tries to free the propeller with a forward and backward turn. That succeeds partly ... at least in such a way that we can motive. It doesn't feel completely normal, but fortunately it's okay. Otherwise Toine would have to look under the boat in the middle of the sea.
The second day at sea is very relaxed, with a calm sea and little wind. Around noon we arrive at the Roompotsluis and then it turns out that we can't turn back ... there's something really wrong with the propeller. Immediately after the lock we moor and Toine dives under the boat ... and pulls out a huge bunch of fishing net from the propeller ... now we can explain why it was so difficult.
A few more hours of sailing in the sun to Bru and we'll be back exactly three weeks later!