Thursday 28th July. A Short Passage to Hoorn.



Engines 882, water 1/1, fuel 3/4=, Forecast F2 NNE, sun/cloud, some showers.


Edam from the Markermeer



.1020 Cast off, after a slow and leisurely start to the day. The marina were very apologetic about the state of their wifi, and outlined all the extensive steps they were taking to get it working properly. We set out in bright sunshine, with a few cotton-wool clouds, and warm already.

.1040  Abeam of Edam fairway markers. Getting hazy. Flat sea, running at 1500=, 7kn. AOK.

.1110  Gave engines a 5-minute “blast” to clean off injectors (lots of smoke). Precautionary pump to bilges. Position at buoy LUW10 (not on the Staandemast chart). Hoorn easily visible at 000deg. The sea is flat, the air is still, and the way to the horizon is dotted with yachts and fishing boats going their ways and doing their things.

Marking off a sports area

(Note to mariners: The Staandemast chart is taken from the regular inland series, but they have removed the lat/long lines, and many of the markers. Thus, the detailed charts are a necessity, esp in fog, if it should occur).

.1150  Requesting berth by phone at Hoorn entrance. Very helpful,  perfect English, “Echo 3-5”

.1215  Tied up, stern in, facing a very picturesque church, Sunshine and calm.

Crew at work

Marina fee Euro 14.40 pn, laundry 7.00 (w+d), showers 1.00, electricity 0.50 in the slot. Water free. 300 or so berths, very well kept with nice gardens, good clubhouse and restaurant, with balcony overlooking marina and part of harbour.  Later inspection confirmed the decision not to enter the inner harbour, where they were rafted up to 5 deep, and the larger, commercial marina, whilst possibly more convenient, lacked character. The bicycles allow us to come and go easily, and discerning cruising crews should not be without them.

Hoorn is enchanting. The harbour is straight out of a story book, with its towers, cobbles, ancient yachts, barges, and mariners. The town is bustling and bursting with history, whilst the high street has all that a shopper could wish for

A postcard from Hoorn

3 Ancient Mariners

. (Note to shopaholics: The effects of the economic crisis have reached here, also, and Summer sales are in full swing everywhere. Our crew even managed to find a “bargain” or two).

No connection with the previous note, but we also found a compatible cash point to replenish the wallets which drain so quickly in this area where UK cards don’t work.