Experiences sailing trip IJsselmeer
Sailing on the IJsselmeer, the North Sea and the Wadden Sea in Holland 09.07. – 23.07.
Starting point for our two-week trip from Lemmer .
We have taken over our Bavaria 33 Cruiser Atlantica in Marina Iselmar. The ship was in excellent condition for its age (Bj. 2006). Martin Kaaks and his family business “Yachtcharter Lemmer” certainly play a very important role in this. All important ‘ship chandlers’, such as Aldi and Lidl, are represented in Lemmer. So we quickly got provisions and we sailed for the first time to Enkhuizen
Enkhuizen.
After passing the lock and the bridge we were in the middle of the city harbor. I still missed toilets and wash facilities here. Edam is definitely worth a stay. I recommend a walk through the beautiful old town. You can try one or the other Dutch specialty in the shops.
Edam
From Edam we sailed 3-4 Beaufort towards Amsterdam. The entrance of the fairway to Amsterdam is marked by the lighthouse on the island of Marken.
Het “Horse of Marken “
The Sixhaven is located directly opposite Amsterdam Central Station. With a bit of luck we moored in the pack of ships that had moored and moved to our own box in the harbor the next morning. Internet is free, the sanitary facilities are a compromise. For this, however, we are quickly in the middle of the city after a short journey with the free ferry connection. Due to the weather with (grib files) we decided to stay in Amsterdam to weather a heavy storm over Belgium and the Netherlands.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam Noordzeekanaal to IJmuiden
After three days we continued our journey through the North Sea Canal to IJmuiden. From IJmuiden we went across the North Sea parallel to the coastline to Texel.
Northsea
After a turbulent crossing over the North Sea with tailwind and waves, we reached Oudeschild on Texel in the late evening. The harbor in Oudeschild has flourished. The sanitary facilities are very good and internet is included in the harbor dues.
Habour in Texel
An island tour by bike or as in our case by tuk-tuk is highly recommended.
Texel
The Lighthouse “Eierland” op Texel
From Texel it went with the current for 3 hours over the Wadden Sea via the shortest route to Vlieland. When entering the port in Vlieland during the holiday season, the port is always full. This information is also on a sign at the entrance to the harbor. Only when the port entrance is blocked with a chain, there is no way to enter the port. We got in despite the sign and found one of the few moorings.
Buoy VS7 near Vlieland ( the current is clearly visible ).
Habour of Vlieland
From Vlieland we left with the current for three hours and passed the lock in Kornwerderzand. From there it went under sail to Hindeloopen. The city is reminiscent of a museum. Until the 17th century, merchants mainly sailed from the former Hanseatic city to the Baltic Sea. The wealth of that time can still be admired.
A flat-bottomed boat in Hindeloopen
The lock to the port is still operated by hand in Hindeloopen.
Thunder over the IJsselmeer
The last 25 nautical miles from Hindeloopen to Lemmer were sailed again. A thunderstorm chased us, but only reached Lemmer in the evening.
Conclusion:
As an avid water sports enthusiast I would like to summarize that the Netherlands, as one of the oldest seafaring countries, is ideally suited to enjoy this hobby. Characteristic for this are moderate mooring charges in pleasant harbors and cities, excellent waterways, as well as locks and bridges, which are kindly served at all times.
A trip on the IJsselmeer or the Wadden Sea and on the North Sea can quickly develop into a demanding journey. The weather can change very quickly e.g. under rapidly deepening low-pressure areas. In addition, the tide on the Wadden Sea and the North Sea, whose current causes up to 3 knots, must be taken into account. This requires a certain experience.
© by Frank Reinecke
