Sailed up from Hoorn in a F2 mostly at 3 kns with a brief run of 6 kns in the gusts. Only12 miles and all day to do it. Tomorrow we head to the sea lock about 22 nm, then Friday out into the sea again and cross to the island of Vlieland, got to find the tidal atlas again, it's been a while now without them. We will have to get into a safe secure area somewhere by Tuesday as a full gale is forecast. We have had a short walk around here this evening before a barbi...

Marken to Hoorn 12 nm force 3 to 4. 40 deg to apparent wind in the sunshine, a great 2 hour sail. We arrived mid afternoon and decided we would anchor in the outer harbour rather than go into one of the marinas, we took the dinghy ashore and had a walk round, as it was Sunday there was lots going on,Beach volleyball in the town square, music on most street corners. We identified a good bar for later as our newly adopted football team were playing Mexico at 1800. ...

We had a good sail up from Amsterdam, filling up with fuel on route. The wind increased to about a force 5 as we arrived at the small harbour Marken. We could not work out the layout very well and another boat directed us to a box mooring side,on to the gusting wind, the box was for a larger boat than us so we had all the wrong ropes on, we had to get out the longer ones. Our first proper box mooring, we need a bow thruster!! in any sort of wind our bows just ge...

We have spent 3 nights in the Aeolus marina in Amsterdam, giving us a perfect base to explore the city all for €13 a night. We have used our cycles a lot taking them across the water on the free ferry. The Dutch have great cycle lanes only spoilt by mopeds riding on them with little regard to us poor people without an engine. Since neither of us had been to Amsterdam before we both enjoyed exploring the city. We we're hoping to go and see the Anne Frank House b...

Amsterdam Night Convoy We arrived at the Schipol motorway and rail bridge at 1600 the evening opening was to be at 2000 so 2 hours sleep and a meal later up went the bridge. They stopped a motorway like our M 4 for five min. just to let three yachts past and there is no charge. We then moved on another four miles to another set of bridges and the start of the convoy, due to start some time between 2300 and 0100. In fact an accident on the motorway delayed our st...