Friday 12 August - At sea Ijmuiden to Scheveningen

Ijmuiden astern

The wind, which yesterday was an angry tiger, has shrunk overnight into a tiny kitten, and gives us the opportunity to move on—as little or as far as conditions encourage. HW at Ijmuiden is 0330 or 1600, but there is negligible tidal stream inshore on the Dutch coast. The wind is forecast F3W, but this is a bit suspect, given recent weather patterns. Wave height looks good 1.3ft at Sandettie 0700cest, but there may be residual swell… Sun / cloud, temp 18deg?  Worth having a go!

Ijmuiden –Scheveningen was as far as we decided— 24nm @ 209deg,  but also on a depth contour. Fuel 1/2-, 1/2 (the fuel dock had a large queue, so we did not fill up, as we had planned).

Water 3/4, engines 890, and this time, electricity disconnected.

Little & Large

A companion at sea

.1045  Cast off.  Exit harbour, avoiding wakes of larger vessels.  Set revs at 2600/2700 15kn sog. Cloudy, dry, good vis, ripples on a 2ft medium swell. Brightening. F3 W.

.1115  Abeam Haarlem centre. AOK. Bilges.

.1140  Abeam RO mast.  Sea now moderate. Brighter. AOK.  Fuel 1/4+, 1/2-;No traffic.

.1200  Abeam Katwijk –aan-Zee. Sea slight/moderate. Sunny patches. AOK.

.1230  Scheveningen approach. A bit of a maze to find Haven no 2—thankyou, GPS!

.1245  Tied up on pontoon, with possibility of rafting, but with a nice aspect.

Katwijk-aan-zee

Almost immediately boarded by Customs (v.friendly). Registration, passports, VAT proof, red diesel questions,  but not competence, insurance, gas, fire, or schengen papers. Customs officer informs us that we have seen more of Holland than he has.

Settle in, do the harbour admin, etc. Marina fees E22.74 p/n, inc electricity. Poor wifi, but free.

Explore surroundings on lengthy bike ride, dinner at a beach-side café.

This may be “The Glorious Twelfth”, but we have no grouse.

Victorian splendour