At 9.00 am, after coffee and breakfast, we are in front of the lock and we are allowed in immediately. It’s blowing heavily outside. Lovely. Funny how we experience this so differently since we have the WJ and are happy with all winds above 13 kts. Just outside the lock we set all the sails and, sure enough. The WJ is soon spinning at over 6/7 knots through the then always weird choppy waves of the IJsselmeer. By noon we are already through the lock at Enkhuizen. And all this while we have to/want to wait for a lock due to a lot of jostling before and in the lock. We were under the illusion that, contrary to our own expectations, we might reach the bridge at Schellingwoude before 16:00. Unfortunately, the wind subsides a little and we refuse to add the engine 😉 . So we arrive at Schellingwoude at 16.20 and calmly put the WJ more on the brakes until at 18.00 the bridge turns and we can pass through the Locks in Amsterdam (Oranjesluizen)
Two locks are open for everything to pass through and of course there are again plenty of boaters who find waiting for their turn a bit tricky. Oh well… fortunately everyone can get through and at 19.30 we decide to measure up at the Marina Amsterdam where we have a steak at Loetje not long after. Tomorrow we will sail to IJmuiden around 8.30 a.m. ….. for another long sailing day to Scheveningen.
The next day:
At 8.00 Pat and Gaffel walk out and via the Hema for tasty sandwiches the ladies board at 8.25. Before then, everything on the WJ had been seafixed again, although it always remains fascinating how after a sort of ‘vertical’ sailing day, stuff still managed to move or land itself. Behind every cupboard door we open after a nice swinging trip, there is something ‘on edge’. Anyway. It’s not that far then. Together with some other sailors who would like to head out to sea at around 11.00 am, we race south towards the locks of IJmuiden, which we can also pass through fairly quickly. Then a bit of rocking starts with some nose-dives before you really get through the surf. Before we are out of the hole, we have set all the sails and are heading south along the clear beaches towards Scheveningen. Again, we do wonderful speeds on this high course and the WJ hangs nicely with her hanging board except for 10 centimetres in the water. What a great day. The 23 miles fly by in no time. We have to cross a bit upwind to regain some height and at Scheveningen we already witness spectacular kite surfers with foils literally and figuratively flying past in front of us. We sail into the harbour and get a great spot (head of CD peer). At 17.00 we are sitting with a tidy ship, at least…. Sort of if you don’t count the insides of some cupboards for a moment, with wine in the sun on the aft deck. Life’s awesome 🙃😏
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