Passage Report: 98   
Sahula
Jaded, Rejuventated to Amsterdam

Cruising life is not for the feint hearted. Cruisers are adventurers; risk is a part. Wounds: physical, psychological, are toll for engaging - time the exilir.

Sahula returned to the Jade River estuary, wary, trusting to a calm, North Sea.

"...in an onshore wind, waves break in entrance... do  not enter above Force 4... Sahula edged in towards Norderney.

It was calm. Sahula entered - slowly - markers had changed - the bouys followed the shore - tourists waved.

"...your friend in Sea Rescue has just phoned as you came in...to check you were here..." (Harbour Master).

Sahula stayed two days R&R. Norderney (Island) is a tourist town.

"... your friend asked if you could leave the back way...(to Dalziel) what is your draft..."

Skipper noticed a small hole where the bowspit had lifted the deck. Crossing calm, tidal, mud flats, was appealing.

"...yes, we have a yacht going that way tomorrow...leaving... before high tide (3m)..." (Norderney Sailing School).

"Wiffies" (rammed tree branches) mark the shallows. 

Sahula "ploughed" soft mud, meandering bouy to bouy across the expanses of an estuary desert. Large ferries passed, impossibly, by.  

Dalziel offered a welcome marina. 

Sahula entered the lock into Holland's "Staande Mastroute" (mast up) canals to Amsterdam. 

Blunt bowed barges passing, ducks, geese, swans, verdent green, yellow fields, ancient sentinel windmills, erect modern wind turbines, red brick farms, spires, towns - lifting, swinging, parting, bridges - waving cyclists - along a watery ribbon to Groningen. 

Three days, alongside an ancient, inner city, stone wharf, under autumn trees - busy markets, bustling university students, bikes, bikes, bikes, cobbled streets, reeking Hanseatic history.

Art museum features works of rising Chinese (sexually frustrated) youth (every "thing" is "art"?) and "Ploeg" (plow) group - locally based, impressionist, modern, colourists - Skipper relishes "R & R.”

Ship museum records Holland's marine evolution from blunt bowed, load carriers, trading internally, to faster, sharp bowed Brigs, Barks, Schooners trading internationally.

News of Atlantic rescue of German friends on "Nada Brahma," (50 foot wooden, motor sailer, enroute to Brazil), in 50 knot, August, gale, heightens Skipper's resolve and caution.

"...you have a problem with the North Sea..." - Dutch sailor. 


Skipper reads "Motor Cycle Diaries of Che Guevara" - "...there is nothing lonelier than adventure..." - of his South America travels. 


"...go to Makkum...for Sahula's repairs..." (English friend).

German traveller provides Skipper with Friesland, canal chart to Makkum via Leewarden and Harlingen (off "mast up route" in Van Harinxmakanaal) "...enjoyed meeting you...I will send photos..." 

Dokkum, Leewarden (berth, inner town park), beautiful, historical, towns to Harlingen (HWSV marina 15e), seaport for the Waddenzee (seawaters inland of offshore Friesland islands). 

Large, majestic, sailing (single (brig) or two masted (bark), some square rigged (schooner)) barges (chartered by students), under full sail, accompany Sahula from Harlingen, towards the Afshuitdijk lock, into the Ijsselmeer (inland sea) to Makkum. 

A mast "forest" greets Sahula entering Makkum estuary. 

"...a lot of Germans leave their yachts..."

Sahula seeks Gebr. van Elkhuizen shipyard (www.noordkaper.com) (info@noordkaper.com) 

"...welcome, staff will assist entry to a berth...how can we help you..."

Excellent facilities, friendly, efficient, management and staff, high quality workmanship, "Yanmar" mechanics, a "one stop shop" await - Sahula is lifted and moved to rest for some two weeks to enable repairs.

Symbolicly, the sun shines - a new bowspit, sails checked and repaired (UK de Vries), new batteries, battery charger replaced, deck repainted, feathering propellor overhauled, etc, etc - shortening the ever lengthening, "winter" list. 

Skipper bicycles into the country; walks, sketches town and sea scapes - enters Dutch life in a small ancient place.

 

 

 

 

 

Skipper considers wintering at the shipyard but the Schengen visa issue (three months) determines returning to Ipswich.

Crew comes from England, time to leave - Sahula sails the Ijsselmeer into the Markermeer to Hoorn (Binnehaven, 15 e) and Amsterdam (Sixhaven 20 e).

October gales, rain and cold, recurring, repeating, rolling, Atlantic "lows," confine Sahula, frustrating Skipper. Crew returns home. 

Local friends, galleries (Van Gogh, Rijks); Skipper soaks a unique city and awaits the weather gods judgement.

Next Report: Amsterdam to Ipswich
Best
David
Amsterdam
16th October, 2013