UK to Germany

  Good Friday 22nd April 2011 - Across the North Sea

As planned we left from Lowestoft at first light and arriving at the Seaport Marina in Ijmuiden, Holland at 8 pm, a crossing of 15 hours under motor – a light wind on the nose all the way but a calm sea which is a great bonus for me and no need to take seasickness tablets.   I also managed to keep miles away from any gas rigs, so we were not met in Ijmuiden by the police as in 2008!

During the tedium of being on watch I fell to musing about past North Sea Crossings, particularly remembering my first crossing – our ‘Honeymoon Cruise’ a race to Ostend in July 1980 with one of our Ushers Anthony Compson as crew.  We were sailing our Achilles 24 called Bluefinn and there was little technology on board: we did have an eight channel VHF radio, a wedding present from a group of friends, a depth sounder, a trailing log, a little auto helm and a RDF (Radio Direction Finder) set and we hired a slightly better one with a radio built in which proved good for listening to the Archers and the finals of Wimbledon but not a lot else!  We used a hand bearing compass for sights and good old pencil on a chart to mark the fixes.  The return journey was done in fog with no idea of how busy the shipping lanes can be.  When we first sighted the East Anglian coast we really were not sure where we were, until we saw beach huts and then a pier which when we came out to miss it we lost slight of the beach huts, but at least we had identified Walton-on-the-Naze so we crept home around the coast with me watching the depth sounder which was down below and James was on the bow and Anthony on the helm and every time it got shallow I would bang on the coach roof for Ant to come out, this was fine until the Pye channel, but once across that it was shallow all around us but eventually we realized where we were and had to back track to the channel and follow it out into the deep water before Harwich Harbour.  Perhaps after that there is no surprise that I did not like North Sea passages and I think I tried to get James to arrange crew for most of the future ones and I took the ferry or I have blanked out the memories!  Also seasickness in our smaller yachts was a constant problem for me.  In 1981 we were back across the North Sea for a holiday in Southern Holland (the first of many), and celebrated our first wedding anniversary at Willemstad.  The following year 1982, we sailed through the canals to the IJsselmeer in Northern Holland and made it to Enkhuizen on the western side.  When we spoke to the Dutch they used to ask us where we had left the trailer, they could not believe that we had sailed such a small boat across from England.

I digressed from the journey in hand, now we have electronic navigation on the lap top, radar, GPS, Navtex for the weather forecasts and new for this year AIS B (Automatic Identification System) ‘B’ means we are transmitting who we are but we also receive details of all other vessels who are transmitting and a warning if there is a risk of collision, this all comes up on the lap top navigation system should we require it.  It is through this system that should you want to track our voyage you can do so, either by doing a Google search MNSI Paddington 4 or www.marinetraffic.com and then in the top left hand side are three boxes, in the vessel one put Paddington 4 and on the map put the cursor on to Northern Europe. 

Saturday 23rd April 2011 - Through Inland Holland


 We left Ijmuiden having filled up with diesel and locked through to the North Sea Canal and motored to Amsterdam where we made a 20 minute stop by Central Station for me to nip to the supermarket at the Station for necessary Dutch supplies e.g. Waffle biscuits and very red roast beef – the English supermarkets just do not know how to do rare cold roast beef!  From Amsterdam it out through the Oranjesluizen to the Markermeer (southern part of the IJsselmeer) and across to Lelystad where we locked through to the northern part of the IJsselmeer and headed across to Lemmer where we locked through to the Prinses Margriet canal which we followed north until we came to a double red light at a bridge, which means the bridge keeper has gone home and that’s the end of sailing for the day, we were stopped at a bridge just before the Sneekermeer.  
(During the weekdays the opening times are from 6 am – 8 pm, however, Sundays and Bank Holidays are more difficult 9 – 12, 1 – 4.15, 5.15 – 7 pm). 
Motored: 74 nautical miles (nm).

Easter Sunday 24th April 2011 - continuing through the northern Dutch waterways


It was leisurely morning, knowing that the bridge would not open until 9, so James had a walk and I prepared a cooked breakfast plus of course there were Easter Eggs – Lent being over I can indulge!  However, we were off as soon as the bridge opened trying to motor as fast as we dared without causing too much wash, the Grouw Railway bridge which in the past has delayed us was just standing open, so it was straight through, we then decided to follow the Standing Mast Route that was sign posted which was a little different to the route we have usually taken, however, there was little difference in mileage or travelling time ever if the canals were smaller so we had to observe a reduced speed.  The great debate of the morning was were would we get to before the 12 noon lunch break, it turned out to be the 3^rd of  the 9 Leeuwarden bridges and the first of the two railway bridges.  Even when the lunch break was over we were kept waiting for two trains to pass before the bridge would open and the second bridge was even worse which really put the pressure on as we were hoping to get to Lauwersoog before the lock closed for the night.  Leeuwarden was the first place where we had to pay for the bridges to open cost: €6.50, the lock keeper has a clog on the end of a line and pole into which you put your money.

After Leeuwarden we followed the Dokkumer Ee canal and in Birdaard James dropped me off between the 2 bridges with my bicycle so I could cycle the tow path for some exercise.  I paid the Bridge Keeper the €2.50 fee as he cycled past me.  The enforced tea time bridge break came at Dokkum, so I took the opportunity to have a break from cycling for a cup of tea on the boat, also I needed to pay the Bridge toll for James this was €4.50 for 5 bridges.  It was whilst waiting at the second bridge to get a photo of  Paddington IV that my accident happened – I had stood the bike up on its stand to take the photo when all of  a sudden it fell over and everything from the bicycle bag fell into the canal I managed to retrieve my handbag with all our euros as luckily it floated along with various other things, but sadly I lost a good bicycle chain and lock ex Charlie and more expensively one of our hand held radios went to the bottom, not that I realized until somewhat later what I had lost, thank goodness I had not taken my phone with me and I was holding the camera.

The bridge at Dokkum, just after I lost the hand held VHF radio and other things!

Paddington  motoring along the Dokkumer Ee Canal

I continued with the cycle ride to the end of the canal at the Willem Lore Sluis (lock) into the Lauwersmeer.  I had a cycled a little over 14 miles.  I was able to fold the bike and get it back in its bag before James arrived in the boat, so I could just hop on in the lock.  We made the lock just before 7 pm but as soon as we were out the double red lights went on, which made us wonder whether the Dokkum Bridge Keeper had got his times right as he had said both the locks in the Lauwersmeer would stay open until 8 pm.  Anyway, we continued as fast as we could to the sea entrance to the lake at Lauwersoog hoping we would be able to lock through to the seaward side where there is now a new marina.  However, although we made it before 8 pm, there were two red lights so we had to overnight beside the lock.
Motored: 50 n.m..

Easter Monday – 25^th April 2011 - Nordeney
  
The Robbengat Sluis at Lauwersoog opened at 8.30 and we were in the first locking and headed straight out to sea.  The original plan, had we been on the seaward side of the lock, would have seen us leave at first light and aim for Helgoland, however, having lost 3 hours we decided upon Norderney.  Yet again the wind was against us and a fairly constant NE 4, so we were very glad of the inside steering position as there was at times quite a lot of spray coming over the boat and it was another motor job.  The AIS proved its worth today, when we were trying to find the northern buoyed channel out from by the Frisian Island of Schiermonnikoog which was shown on our electronic chart that James had updated less than a week before, as we cast around for the buoys Schiermonnikoog Traffic Centre called us up to say we were running into danger and then confirmed what we had begun to suspect that the northern buoyed route was no longer – the sands around the Frisian Islands are always on the move so the channels change frequently.  
Motored: 58 n.m.

It seems as though the weather is breaking up, so the plan for tomorrow [26/4] is another early start to go to Helgoland, which although German, is a duty free island so we can take on more fuel and alcohol at duty free prices.  Although a tiny island we enjoy walking around it to see all the sea birds nesting on the cliffs and for me there is the best Leisure Centre I think I have ever been in, good pools, Jacuzzi / hot tub and saunas with the most wonderful view out of full length windows to the sea, you just have to cope with naked Germans!  I have been trying to get back there ever since we stopped there on our outward passage to the Baltic in 2008.  Then James hopes we can make a dash on Wednesday 27/4 for List on the German North Frisian Island of Sylt, where we would expect to be storm bound for a few days.  We visited Sylt in 2006 on our way back from cruising the Danish Limfjord and know that there are good bike rides to be had around the Island and there is an excellent fish emporium in List.

Tuesday 26th April 2011 - Helgoland

We left Nordeney at first light and had a good trip to Helgoland arriving at lunch time.  The first job was to fuel up with duty free diesel, then we found a berth alongside another boat.  Helgoland  is really just a lump of rock in the North Sea, that was used by the RAF after WW2 for bombing practice, so that there are still large craters on the hill side.  The town is split into two, one half on the top of the hill and the other by the sea.  There are a lot of duty free shops, bars and apartments.  The cliffs on the south side are full of nesting sea birds: gannets, guillemots and kittiwakes.  Across a short stretch of water is another low lying Island of Dune where the airport is situated, only suitable for small aircraft to land.  Most visitors to the Island arrive either by high speed sea cat or on day cruises from various German ports.  The only vehicles allowed on the Islands are electric, so most people arrive with suitcases on wheels.

Above: selection of James' photos of gannets on Helgoland

'Lange Anna' is the rock stack at
the western end of Helgoland 

I walked around the hillside on arrival to see the nesting birds and the interesting rock stack of 'Lange Anna' on the western end of the Island.


Then down the northern side to the spa complex which houses outdoor salt swimming pools heated to 26 degrees, one is best for swimming lengths and the other has various water features of bubbling water.  There is also a kiddies pool.  Inside is a small round pool with bubbling water and on an upper deck a jacuzzi.  There are various places to relax inside and out.  The Spa complex houses two sauna's at different temperatures with large windows over looking the sea, a steam room, foot baths and relaxation areas.  I was definitely over dressed in my swimming costume!  It's interesting how you tell the men apart!

Wednesday 27th April 2011 - Back to Helgoland

We tried to leave at 10 am, having gone back to bed at first light on reading the forecasts that had come in overnight.  Then we got a more up to date one, which showed just the chance of a weather window, but once we had followed the channel out north and got on to our heading, we were being thrown all over the place and the boat was crashing into waves, so we turned around and headed back here.  The forecasts are now for strong winds until Sunday.  

Thursday 28th April 2011 - Helgoland - still here

 The morning was spent taking the boat to pieces trying to sort out two electric bilge pumps, one started to work again after if was cleaned up but a second one is definitely kaput!  As you may imagine the air was fairly blue!  I went swimming again for exercise but decided not to pay the extra to use the Spa area, however, I did take my book and enjoyed relaxing in their lounge over looking the sea, the only problem was when I came to leave my ticket would not let me out through the barrier as I had been there too long - I had not realized that the time was limited to I think 2 hours, luckily the lad on the desk realized that I had not understood the terms and let me out without paying any extra!

Friday 29th April 2011 - the Royal Wedding - Prince William to Kate Middleton 

I arranged to watch it on German TV at the nearby Marine cafe / restaurant which is also where I can get an internet connection.  We enjoyed a really good lunch here whilst watching the coverage, James only came up for the lunch and the balcony scenes.  I watched until the channel moved on to other things and then nearly forgot my Union Jack!

The Off!

Thursday 21st April 2011

James & Carol just before departure from RHYC

 We left our Royal Harwich Yacht Club berth as planned at noon and motored into a light wind to Lowestoft.  The trip down the Orwell River was warm enough to sit in the cockpit and enjoy the sunshine, I was reminded of the first time I sat out in 2009 in late May or early June when we left Gdansk for Hel (Poland) and all of a sudden a Force 10 gale blew in causing damage to our genoa sail so we had to return to Gdansk for repairs - I called that trip to 'Hel and back' which was quite apt!  However, I am please to say we had no repeat of such a freak storm today and it was lovely gentle sea - just what I like, no need for seasickness tablets and it will be super if tomorrows trip across the North Sea to Ijmuiden is similar which according to all the forecasts it will be.

Background

A little background to this Blog: I am Carol and I sail with my husband James, we have been sailing together for over 30 years.  This is our 5^th yacht, we started with an Achilles 24 and our boats grew as our sons Jeremy and Charles got bigger.  However, the children are now grown up so we mainly sail on our own.  Paddington IV is a Moody Eclipse 38.  She is a 38’ sailing yacht with a large 62 horse power engine and a deck saloon which gives us an inside helming position – great in wet and cold weather but also good when it is too sunny and we don’t want to get burnt!  We have an owners cabin with an en suite heads (loo etc) which I use and just outside the cabin is the main heads with an excellent shower – this is James’ though I usually shower here as well!  There is a compact galley with microwave, fridge and gas cooker – 2 burners, grill and separate oven and 1.5 sinks, fairly good storage.  The main saloon has raised seating so we can see out of the windows and watch the world go by.  There is an a double aft cabin but this is used for storage - this year it is fuller that ever - having been warned that Norway is very expensive I have stocked up with lots of tins and meal pouches plus loads of fizzy cans of drink, I have allowed 1 a day for James plus extra for Pimms etc for both of us, which adds up to a lot about 250!  The aft cabin is also home to two folding bikes, sun shade and cockpit cushions.

For many years our sailing has been mainly around East Anglia, with our base being Woolverstone on the River Orwell.  Our summer holiday were usually taken sailing around the inland waterways and lakes of Holland.  However, since retirement we have ventured further a field and in 2008 we sailed to Sweden and spent time in the Stockholm Archipelago and went as far east as the Aland Islands.  Our route back took us across Sweden through the Gota  and Trollehatte Canals to Goteborg and back through Denmark and the Kiel Canal.  In 2009 we were once again in the Baltic, when we sailed along the German, Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian coasts to Finland and we returned via Sweden and Denmark.  On both these trips we were away for 4 months, so this years trip to the Arctic Circle will be of a similar duration and distance.