After a check-over of the various systems, we were set to leave our winter berth in Elburg. Our destination is Lemmer in Friesland where we will be based until October.
In spite of the cold and wet weather, it was great to be back on board once more and on the move. We arrived at the Roggebotsluis at 1230 for a 1300 transit. In fact the lock was prepared early and we were through by 1250, joined by one commercial, one sailing boat and one very small cabin cruiser.
Winds, as forecast, were about 20kts gusting 30 from the W and NW so the closer we got to the Ketelmeer the windier it became, and on the nose. Turning N across the mouth of the Ijsselmeer to leave an E Cardinal to port, we then shaped a NW'ly course for the entrance of the Ramsdiep, arriving (late) at our first bridge. We were soon through the second bridge at Vollenhove and arrived at Blokzijl at 1630. Still cold and very windy. We moored up on a fixed pontoon at the N end of the harbour.
That evening we had a short respite from the wind.
It didn't last. Next morning it was blowing again with worse to come. We decided to stay in Blokzijl for another four nights while the storm worked itself out. The harbour is fully surrounded by buildings with a guard lock at one end and a conventional lock at the other. This is the view from the guard lock to the other, and the lifting bridge beyond.
The guard lock is "never closed". Well, at the height of the storm, they closed it:
By this time we had moved from our fixed pontoon to the floating ones on the W side of the harbour in anticipation of a rise in water level.
We had gusts of 66 knots according to the weather monitor in Blokzijl; Pirramimma was secured by a cat's cradle of lines.
1st April.
We decided to move. On 1st April the locks and bridges become fully manned which saves the (for us) challenging task of phoning an automated call centre to book transit times. The forecast was now predicting a force 5, gusting 7 so, abandoning our idea of stopping at a pleasant 'nature mooring' for the night, we decided that we would motor non stop to Lemmer.
By 1005 on 1st April we were through the lock in Blokzijl in rather more benign conditions.
Once out of the shelter of the town, the wind never dropped below 20 knots and it was often a lot more.
On the advice of a friend of ours, we went through the Kalenbergergracht in the Weerribben National Park. Fabulous place; we will return in warmer conditions.
Actually, we did stop once - for fuel at Echtenerbrug.
… where it was still blowing, with surprisingly rough water:
Across the Tjeukemeer, turning S into the Prinses Margriet Canal and into the yacht harbour Lemmer Binnen.
/Rich.
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