Finally, vacation! |
Last
September, after a long year of hard work, I finally finished my
master’s thesis. It was time for a well-earned sailing vacation.
The Monday after my graduation, I and my boyfriend set sail for a
three-week sailing trip.
The
first two days we sail to the north of the IJsselmeer Lake, to the
locks that are the gateway to the Wadden Sea. Although it is
September already, the weather is still nice and sunny. We enjoy the
Dutch version of the Indian summer. But when we arrive at the north
of the IJsselmeer, the weather forecasts start to change. Stormy rain
and winds keep us pinned down in
the town of Makkum.
Sailing the Wadden Sea is worth the effort |
After
almost a week, there appears a weather window that allows us to cross
the Wadden Sea. We sail between the Wadden Sea’s sand banks and mud
flats up to the island of Vlieland. Sailing the Wadden Sea takes a
lot of planning. You have to take the tides, currents and water
depths into account. Then, you have to calculate a specific route and
time of departure. Otherwise, the tide could set you back hours. Or
you could get stuck on a sand bank or mud flat.
Approaching Vlieland |
But
sailing the Wadden Sea is definitely worth all this effort. This area
is very beautiful. It is one of UNESCO’s world heritage sites.
Because the sea is so shallow here, there are almost no waves. The
clouds and the sunlight give the water a silvery shine.
The
island of Vlieland is quiet, unspoiled. The beaches are almost
completely empty. There is only one small village. The rest of the
island belongs to nature. The island smells like pine trees and sea
salt. It is a big contrast to the densely populated rest of the
Netherlands. The Wadden Islands are the northernmost area of the
Netherlands. It is almost as if the region of Scandinavia begins
at the island of Vlieland.
Vlieland is quiet and unspoiled |
After
a week on Vlieland, we set sail for the next Wadden Island. We aim to
reach the island of Ameland, by taking the northern route, over the
North Sea. Unfortunately, there is too little wind. We cannot sail
fast enough to reach the island in time, before the currents reverse
and drive us away from the island. We cannot really use our engine
either. We only have a small outboard which doesn’t work in big
waves. And the sea is still choppy from the storm we had a few days
earlier. We have to change our plans.
The wetlands of Vlieland |
We
choose to go for the island of Terschelling instead. This island is a
bit more crowded than Vlieland. But you can still see, hear and smell
the nature all around you. Sea gulls, oyster catchers and sand pipers
roam the mud flat at the outside of the harbor. Seals and birds rest
on a drying bank at the east of the island.
The harbor of Terschelling, with the Brandaris on the right |
The
town next to the harbor is full of cozy restaurants and bars. In the
Netherlands, it is a cruiser’s tradition to spend New Year’s Eve
in the harbor of Terschelling. Now that I am here, I can understand
why this is a tradition. It is only September, but I already feel the
warm and glowing December holiday atmosphere. It must be great to
arrive here after a cold winter sailing trip and to enjoy an Irish
coffee in one of these bars…
At
the center of the town square is the Brandaris, the oldest lighthouse
of the Netherlands. The medieval tower was finished in 1594. Because
the tower is so old, the Brandaris resembles a church tower instead
of a typical light house. At the top of the tower there is a
high-tech control room, monitoring all traffic on the Wadden Sea. We
frequently hear the traffic control center Brandaris on our VHF
radio.
After
a day at Terschelling, we take a second attempt to reach Ameland.
This time, we have more success. Approaching the harbor of Ameland is
quite challenging. The currents are fierce here, and the fairways are
not properly lit. Also, the Wadden Sea is shallower here than it is
at Vlieland or Terschelling. There are only a few small channels you
can sail. The rest of the area dries up at low tide. Twice a day, the
entire body of water that separates the island from the mainland
disappears completely. You can see the ferry maneuvering trough a
small canal of water in a plain of mud and sand. An impressive sight!
At low tide, the water that seperates Ameland from the main land dissapears completely |
When
we arrive in Ameland, we walk around the island a bit. There are
several old towns and villages on the island, built in a typical
local style. The main town of Nes, with its cobbled roads and neatly
trimmed hedges almost looks like an open-air history museum. Outside
the village center, the islanders maintain several chicken pens,
small farmlands and herb gardens. People have lived on this island
for more than a thousand years. They have really created a place of
their own here.
The town of Nes |
The
next day, we leave the island of Ameland again. It is time to go
home. The plan is to sail from Ameland to the harbor of Lauwersoog,
on the mainland. From there, we will follow the canals to our own
harbor, Lemmer.
Crossing
this part of the Wadden Sea takes even more planning than our initial
trip to Vlieland. We have to cross three mud flats that completely
dry out at low tide. Our boat is not built to dry out. Therefore, we
are in a bit of a hurry! We
have to calculate the right window to cross those flats and
we need to get
there in time.
When we sail from Ameland to Lauwersoog, we have to pass three mud flats, wich dry out completely at low tide |
There is enough wind to sail fast. We actually
sail too
fast and arrive too early at the first mud flat. The water isn’t
high enough yet, so we get stuck. We have to wait ten minutes, before
the rising tide sets us afloat again. After the first time, we get
stuck two more times. When you sail here, you have to stick very
close to the sea marks!
Sailing trough the mud flats |
In
the afternoon, we reach Lauwersoog. We sail for a bit on the
Lauwersmeer, the lake at the other side of the sea locks. The
Lauwersmeer was once a part of the Wadden Sea, but in 1969, it got
closed off by a dam and became a sweet water lake.
Some beauties we came across on the way home |
The
next two days, the wind disappears completely. This means that we
have to motor all the way home. Fortunately, the weather is warm and
sunny again. And the lakes and canals are very peaceful. We spend the
last two days enjoying the sun and the sights around us, soaking up
that last bit of that holiday feeling, before returning to the
working life again. I am already looking forward to the next sailing
trip…
Peace and quiet on the Dutch lakes and canals |
Beautiful photos, enjoyed the travelogue, well written, thanks for sharing...
BeantwoordenVerwijderenThank you! :)
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