An unsettled weather pattern with an unseasonable low pressure and a fault with Reedham Bridge kept us on tenterhooks in the week before our planned departure. In the event the bridge was quickly fixed and a lull in the weather gave us the opportunity to cross the North Sea just one day later than we had planned.
We had suggested going into Ijemuiden and onto Amsterdam and then the Ijsselmeer, our fleet of 10 boats were all very keen to go to Zeeland once again so we headed south to Vlissingen.
The wind had died off nicely on Monday 12th August and we departed Great Yarmouth at around 0630hrs with a residual swell of less than a metre causing no problem to our crews. A heavy rain shower and squall arrived for the last 5 miles of the passage soaking those on flybridges but it had passed through by the time we were fendering up for the lock at Vlissingen.
From there we made the one hour passage up the canal to lovely Middelburg and the holiday began. Most of the fleet stayed in Middelburg for two nights but the children on Diva, Navigator & Elisanda were very keen to get to the Islands on the Veerse Meer.
The fleet re-grouped in Veere and then visited Delta Marina at Kortgene, Goes, Bruinisse, WIllemstad & Hellevoetsluis. We were blessed in the main with reasonable weather in the first week with the odd rain shower before things really hotted up in the second week when sun lotion and iced drinks were the order of the day.
We left on Sunday 25th August via the Haringvliet lock and enjoyed a super flat calm North Sea crossing, arriving back to Great Yarmouth for a 1600hrs Haven Bridge lift.
Holland truly is a boating mecca and it is great to have it ‘just on our doorstep’. We will be back there for sure.
We had a wonderful trip, this was our first full 2-week cruise to Holland and it was so lovely to be able to visit so many places and enjoy the beauty of Holland, lovely Towns, excellent Marina’s, good weather and great food and drink, but really the trip was all about the comradery and friendship between all our fellow boaters and this was highlighted for us when everyone joined us on the last night to celebrate Nanette’s Birthday, not to mention an early morning visit from some of the children to help her open her presents and share after eights for breakfast!
As always we can’t thank James and the NYA team enough for doing all the hard work for us and making this great trip possible and thanks to all for your company and friendship.
Look forward to seeing some of you at the Laying Up Supper.
Nanette & Mike Charville
Thanks to everyone for making our first trip to Holland so excellent And a special thanks to James his family and the team.
Thanks ALL
For a great trip and fantastic company!!!
Team Navigator