This year there are no plans to go 'abroad' during the May holidays. We prefer to stay in the Netherlands along the coast and visit places we have never been before. But what will it do again? The first 'May holiday' week it is bar and angry with lots of wind and rain. Then we are 'luckily' still at work. The second week the weather is fine and that in combination with good winds for the trips along the Dutch coast to Vlieland and Terschelling and a warm and sunny weekend on the Grevelingen in good company to end it makes it a top-week!
We'll shoot the tennis competition and go to the boat on Friday evening, April 29th. This allows us to leave immediately after breakfast on Saturday and after some dubbing and consulting with the Indian Summer we decide to first go via Stellendam to Schevingen with the possibility to visit Vlieland. It is still quite cold that Saturday but we sail as much as possible, even crossing the Haringvliet. We arrive in the marina of Stellendam, 18.30 hours cold. Quickly we close the hatches, put on the heating and have a nice meal on board. On Sunday 1 May, we sailed into the North Sea in the sunshine via the Goereese lock (after having had some patience with a grumpy lock keeper). Up to the entrance of Rotterdam on the engine and then we sail high on the wind on a calm sea chasing the Indian Summer and No Doubt to Scheveningen. We get a nice spot in the marina with the three of us next to each other. Nice place, also for the girls!
Wim (a colleague of Toine's) and Astrid drop by for a drink. They have just been living in Scheveningen for 4 months. The five kids are going to arrange tickets for the movie and we meet again with the three boats in 'Simonis' for dinner. Already heard a lot about the Indian Summer and a nice experience to have dinner there. The kids go to the movie of half past 10. We go back to the boats for a drink on the No Doubt. Enjoying the summer holiday.
The next morning we leave just before 6 am for a fantastic trip to Vlieland; in 11 hours we cover a distance of 90 miles, which is just over 8 knots on average. A super fast trip and the best longer trip at sea with the SeaQuest so far. Only the first two hours on the engine because of too little wind, then continuously in clover mode with ZW 4-5 and the very last bit at Vlieland in the rain, power 6-7. The boat is very stable and it is really enjoyable. Once south of Texel we make a jibe; that is quite a tour with bulletalie and tree. The last 7 hours we have continuous current and we reach speeds of 9-10 knots. It is still quiet in the harbour of Vlieland, there is plenty of room. After arrival we have dinner with a bottle of wine. Mmm, how delicious that tastes after such a trip. And what a good night's sleep, with outside the wind and the cold and rain.
The next two days we spend on Vlieland. It is nice and sunny already, just a bit chilly. We rent bicycles and cycle around the whole island. That remains beautiful and fun to do. Only Eline has clearly less energy, especially with strenuous efforts she gets tired quickly and gets a headache. Next week we have her blood checked at home. In between we do a lot of homework. Eline is practicing math and Marinthe is practicing English for Cambridge.
Thursday night - Friday during the day is the best time to sail back to Zeeland. So we have one day left and we can visit Terschelling. We have never been there by boat before and it is rich with 'Vossers'-history (my great grandfather was a pastor here and there is a primary school named after him and it is still called the 'Ds Vossers school'). But how do you get to Terschelling? Via the long route where the ferries sail? Or is the short route via the Schuitengat also possible? According to the harbour masters of Vlieland and Terschelling it is. Just keep to the yellow poles. Only according to the map it is 40 cm dry at LLWS and the difference between low and high tide is less than 2 meters. We can't get over that, can we? That is the characteristic of the Wadden Sea; in recent years a deeper trench has emerged that can be used very well. We sail over it at the end of the afternoon with the rising tide just after half tide and we don't see the depth gauge go below 2.6 metres. And we also see dozens of seals lying on the plates sunbathing and a few swimming around.
We get a nice spot in the marina with a good view over the mudflats. What a beautiful 'Wadden' experience! Complemented with delicious dinner in restaurant Flaman with a top atmosphere and good service!
Terschelling is clearly different from Vlieland. Bigger, a bit rougher and more vegetation. Also best to explore by bike so we rent bikes again and make a tour of 35 km. Via West-Terschelling a round trip clockwise until just past Midsland. The whole island around would be a trip of 73 km. It gets warmer and warmer and the coats can be taken off.
We pause for tea and cake in a nice beach tent and later for lunch with a french fries at a fine snack bar. This weekend it will be 25 degrees and the girls didn't bring any real summer clothes. So let's go shopping in West-Terschelling for shorts. A great day like this!
Back in the harbour we prepare the boat and leave at 7 pm after dinner. Again via the short route through the Schuitengat to the sea. Now there is something in the water because we are close to high tide. Once outside we can sail well with east wind force 3-4. At first we have plenty of room and once we turn around the bend at Texel, there is half wind. All night long on a lovely calm sea. A bit of sailing between the wind farms and avoiding a fishing boat.
Passing the entrance of Rotterdam passes without any problems, behind two large tankers. At the end of the morning we arrive at the entrance of the Slijkgat, sailing against the wind and sailing the last hour to Stellendam. What a lovely quiet sailing trip it was! This time the fence in the Goereese lock will be a bit more prosperous. And then with an emergency passage on the engine against the wind in the Haringvliet on the Haringvliet bridge of 15 hours to catch. That just works out. The Volkerak and Krammer locks, as well as the lock at Bru, were also included, and so we sailed back on to the Grevelingen exactly 24 hours later. Another smooth trip. We anchor next to the Indian Summer and the No Doubt on the north-west side of Mosselbank and have a nice evening together.
On saturday we have a bit of a rumble and moor at one of the Mosselbank islands in time for a BBQ for Donald's birthday. Madeleine invited a lot of boats and it is very nice to get to know them a bit better. The sun is shining and it is even bimini-time! Also Jeske and Erik are coming to stay with us and we have a drink with them. In the evening we go in the direction for the well maintained BBQ. With so many sailors around you you feel like you are in the 'departing' world for a while and that always feels good! The kids enjoy themselves with the dinghy and look for each other's company for games and watching a movie.
Marinthe has a tennis competition on Sunday and Toine brings her to Tilburg in the morning. After her beautiful won ankle Toine drives back and we put the boat back in Bru. I have already cleaned and tidied up everything.
What a great week! Not often have we been able to sail for so many hours in proportion to the number of hours sailing and that in combination with a nice destination, good weather, and at the beginning and end of the week in good company of other boats!!