26 April 2016
Strandhorst to Elburg

Just a reminder, if you click on the phtos it will make them bigger.

We only managed to get off after lunchtime, what with last minute chores in between freezing rain showers. The trip up to Elburg was 26 km, when we eventually got around to looking it up - longer than we remembered. But we were smug and snug inside our tent, feeling sorry for passing boats with their crews out in the elements.

Underway at last.

We were amazed to see both kite and windsurfers blasting across the bay - either mad, or dedicated, or both.

Elburg inner haven.

The inner harbour of Elburg is charming, full of old wooden sailing boats called "botters", but there is limited space for visiting boats so we found a good spot on the grassy wharf near to the shower blocks. The harbour master came to collect the mooring fee - 15 euros. Last year was 12, but they have removed all the pay meters and now the electricity, showers etc are included in the price. Yay, we cranked up the electric fireplace to it´s highest setting! 

We had both run out of wine - desperate situation, so we put the bikes ashore for a chilly 6 minute cycle to the Jumbo. Skip had been drinking from the remains of a 3 litre Albert Heijn house white which had been opened way back in September last year. "Houdbaar 3 weke naar opening!"  (Keeps for 3 weeks after opening") it said on the box. We can reliably inform them that it was houdbaar for a lot longer than that.

Elburg city gate

Cocktail hour was spent on the aft deck with the heater going, the entertainment provided by an English charter group who moored behind us - a good half-hour of battling with lines, fenders and all to a soundtrack of yelling and frantic overuse of their bow thruster. Before we even heard them talk we knew they were English because they were wearing short pants and sandals. It was 5 degrees outside.

The rain and wind let up enough for skip to light the first BBQ of the trip. That´s better.


27th April
Elburg to somewhere on the Flevoland Polder.

Today was King´s day - a major public holiday in the Netherlands. The kids all take to the streets to set up stalls selling off unwanted toys, clothes etc, while the adults party in the streets and EVERYONE wears orange. 

We spent the day in Amsterdam last year which was fun, but crazy. Elburg was a much more genteel affair - more upmarket and family oriented. There were lots of games for the kids while the parents and grandparents watched from the patios of the bars and restaurants lining the main street. It was also fun, but in a quieter way.

Luckily the morning was sunny, the rain holding off until after lunch after which it drizzled most of the afternoon. We decided we might just as well sit in the rain underway, and started heading down the Flevoland polder. 

The deepest lock we have come across in Holland so far - 5m drop

We passed through the lock just above the Hardewijk bridge. It is a small one boat lock but the 5m drop shows how much lower the land on the Polder is compared to the surrounding areas. 

On the other side, the canal is very rural, with thousands of water fowl. There are very few mooring places and when we eventually decided to stop about 5.30, we just pulled into a side creek and banged some stakes into the bank. The wind has dropped so Skip is making another braai.

Where´s the rest of him?

The night time temperatures are improving! A couple of days ago we recorded a low of -3, then night before last it was 1.1 and last night a balmy 2.5 ! Wow, the only way is up ....