Red Adventures Blog – Page 68

Next Step – South Holland Canals

September 19, 2009/0 Comments/in Blog post/by Kristine

After reaching Ijmuiden and crew returning home, Grateful Red had its own 2 week vacation from the pounding seas and driving wind and rain. Nestled in Seaport marina, just off the coast of the North Sea in Ijmuiden, I remained on the boat to follow progress on boat repair and “regrouping”.

While Ken was back in the US for those days, I was visited by Shelly Meise, and together with Niki, Ken’s oldest daughter, (who flew over from London for a weekend) we explored Amsterdam. One great night at Gerhards for a “blind” winetasting experience left us with a small sense of Bordeaux Rightbank verses Leftbank. Or, so we say! We did a local canal boat tour and were blessed with reasonable weather.

After the visits were over and Ken returned, we got the boat ready for the last leg of the 2009 travels. The Stand mast Route of South Holland. This route would take us through locks, bridges, flood barriers and wonderful Dutch countryside and villages. We would arrive in Bruinisse in Zeeland (South Holland) where Grateful Red would “rest” for the winter.

Last Crew of 2009, Ron Hausch, Janet and Larry Cunningham, Ken and Kristine.

We departed Thursday, September 10th, leaving Seaport Marina and taking a quick right hand turn out of the marina heading to the North Sea Canal Lock. A quick motor towards Amsterdam and taking a right turn at the Spaardam Lock and bridge entering the Zijkanaal C.

First Stop – Haarlem where we tied up just North of the Gravestenenbrug on the East Bank of the canal.

Showers and toilets are in the old bridge keepers house at the Gravestenenbrug and access tokens were purchased at the harbor office. All within close walking distance to the boat. Truly a beautiful site, being tied up in the city center on the canal. Leneke and her daughter and boyfriend treated us to dinner at one of their local restaurants and by next morning, we were through the first swing bridge and heading off.

Leneke had discussed route planning with Ken with suggestions to take time to sail in the Kagerplassen. (small lake on the way).

This route led us to Leiden where we made plans to spend an entire day exploring. Docking at the Municipal harbor and “squeezing” into our box mooring, we were greeted by a local boater who explained where to go to pay for our mooring and showers.

Our departure the next day was a concern. The marina had filled up prior and we were not sure if getting the boat out of the mooring box would require us asking the boat on our port to leave its mooring in order for us to swing the stern to clear the pontoons. No problem in the end, as most boaters left early for their return home. (it was Sunday and the end of the weekend).

Rented a canal motor boat for a day cruise around the Dutch countrysides and the Leiden city canals. Extraordinary experience!

Discovered a wonderful Saturday Market that was open all day. Restocking of some great cheese and fish for dinner.

Lift Bridge on the way to Gouda.

Stopped and Inspected by the Dutch Coast Guard!

September 16, 2009/0 Comments/in Blog post/by Kristine

Six thousand miles of sailing from Key West to Oslo and back to Amsterdam – we were on our last leg with a slimming crew. Wendell had to jump off prior to the Kiel canal (again he allowed this work thing to interfere with a passion like sailing). Kristine, Dan Zarnstorff, his 16 year old daughter Hannah and I sailed on.

A stop in Cuxhaven, Germany – as the tide was running in providing a six knot current in the wrong direction – delayed our start. The Elbe river outlet of the Kiel canal to the North sea in Germany is a major shipping channel – again shipping lanes and mega cargo boats everywhere. As we turned West out of the Elbe river into the North sea the winds picked up to twenty plus from the West – rather then spend days tacking up wind in the North sea between shipping lanes we decided to motor. Added to the sauce were a number of larger storms – you know lightening, winds, rain and such. We used the radar to try to dodge the fronts and storms. After a night of storms, the sky cleared and the winds started to drop. By the time we arrived at the northwest corner of the Netherlands where we turn south towards Ijmuiden the winds were almost non existent, skies blue and we were out of diesel plus our plane home was leaving in less 48 hours …….. and we had a visitor!

At first a rather large impressive looking government boat circled around us a couple times from a distance. When you have neither wind nor any diesel circling is rather easy. Finally the Dutch ‘coast guard” sent out a smaller Zodiac with two personnel from the “mother” ship to board the Grateful Red.

We graciously accepted their invite to board our boat. The routine passport and paper check then the question I had been waiting on for the past two months …….. has anyone on board been certified for operation of the boat’s VHF radio? Ah ha, yes I have spent numerous wasted hours studying the rules of the global maritime distress safety system and taking the two FCC required exams to obtain a General Radio Operator License and be certified as a Section 7R operator. I immediately produced the license and certification – the two Dutch authorities check the box and ask if they can inspect the vessel. Of course – the crew never leaves the cockpit one individual does the vessel inspection. Checks some more boxes and declares that the Grateful Red and crew has passed the inspection. They offer us some diesel – we decline – why I am not sure. They return to the mother ship, we drift on.

Hannah kindly volunteers to drive in the low wind. As the day turns to evening the winds pick up from less then five knots to over ten knots. Hannah does a nice job driving as we move from drift to sail. By midnight the winds are good and rotating as we turn south, Kristine and I take over the night shift as we sail on to Den Helder – the former port for the Dutch navy – and diesel. Over 48 hours of sailing, two overnights from our last stop at Cuxhaven, Germany and less then six hours from Ijmuiden.

The last stretch gave us a early morning view of the Frisian Islands and Noord-Holland shorelines. We arrive in Ijmuiden at 3:30 Sunday afternoon. Dan and Hannah departed to Amsterdam early evening to be ready for their final leg (flight home to US) and Ken and Kristine made plans for the boats two week stay at the Seaport marina.