The forum burgee is now flying over Holland. It took a while but at last the engine replacement has been finished and I'm sailing!
The first cruise was from Stavoren on the Ijsselmeer to Nordschans on Hollands Diep in the northern Delta, crewed by my friend Dave.

Wunja at handover from the boatyard

The first day from Stavoren to Durgerdam was motored due to very light adverse winds. My first real sailing since doing the dazed kipper, and now I'm in charge! I think we frightened all the other boat owners with our manoeuvring in the locks.

The lock at Enkhuizen

During this part of the trip, we found the compass had a 15 degree variance and the log under read by about 30%.

The second day took us through Amsterdam via the North Sea Canal to Ijmuiden,

Waiting for the Oranjesuizen, entrance to the N. Sea Canal

Then down the coast to Scheveningen.

Any part of the Dutch Coastline

Rafted up in Scheveningen

On the third day was the part I had been most worried about, crossing the Maas entrance with the continual stream of container ships and bulk carriers. We motor sailed this stretch, getting a small advantage from the sails, but mainly to be seen better.

Playing with the big boys

We crossed in the company of the yacht we had been rafted upto the previous night, passing the entrance successfully and only needed to divert around one ship.

Once past the Maas entrance we turned off the engine and settled down to a few hours of blissful sailing.

Back into the inland waters of the Haaringvliet via the Stellendam lock.

At the end of the third day, we over nighted in Stad aan 't Haaringvliet. I know Holland were playing Italy that night, but even that couldn't account for how quiet the town was. One super market, one curio shop (1950's gramophone records a speciality) and that was it - no pub, no restaurant!

Marina Atlantic, Stad aan 't Haaringvliet, at sunset

Logistical reasons meant we needed to complete the trip by mid-day the following day. So an early start, motoring until we were through the Haaringvliet bridge.

Haaringvlietbrug (higher than it looks!)

This motorway bridge has a lifting section that will open every hour, but the first opening isn't until 9:00 am, an hour after we got there. The pilot we were using said there was 12.4 meters and I had been told the mast height was 12m, but never had the opportunity to confirm this! On the first pass, I was convinced the top of the mast was higher than the road deck, but some fishermen in a mobo, assured us that we would fit and so we crossed under slowly but safely!

Last bit of the trip was with a gentle following wind, until we neared the marina at Noordschans and had to cross the busy channel with continual barge traffic.

On the last two attempts at mooring up, Dave and I had become a team and feel more confident about what we are doing, learning that propwalk can be your friend and looking less chaotic.