April 3rd: And We’re Off!
On April 3rd, it finally happened: we left Enkhuizen, officially kicking off our adventure. Our plan? Sail to IJmuiden; our first real stretch on open sea, and the first time navigating saltwater together.
We had a great trip through Amsterdam, full of excitement… and nerves. By the time we arrived in IJmuiden, the wind had really picked up.
Docking was tricky and yep, we hit a pole on the way in. Turns out, we weren’t the only ones. Always 'comforting' to see other boats struggling too ;)
Smooth Sailing to Scheveningen
Our next stop: Scheveningen (The Hague).
Mathilde used to live there for three years and was beyond excited to sail into her old hometown.
The sea was flat, the weather calm, everything felt easy going.
At the dock, her brother Harald was waiting for us, and not long after, Robin and his wife showed up for drinks.
It turned into a super cozy evening with wine, stories, and pizza aboard. Instant boat vibes.
The next day was a practical one; time for groceries, paperwork, and prepping for the next goodbye: Ralph’s friends were coming that evening for one last get-together before departure.
It was a tight squeeze, but somehow everyone fit on board and it turned into a great evening.
The next morning, bright and early, Harald knocked on deck.
“Can you drop me off in London? I want to visit my girlfriend.”
And just like that… our route shifted westward. First destination: Cadzand.
Guest log – Harald’s Take on Cadzand
We let Harald take the helm (of the keyboard) for this one.
Here’s how he experienced the trip to Cadzand:
We continued our journey via Ostend and Dunkirk.
We had watched the Dunkirk movie together beforehand, which made it extra fun. Suddenly, the remnants like the Mole were no longer just history, but something we could actually recognize from the water.
Then things got a little more exciting: we were about to cross the English Channel: destination: Dover!
Thankfully, the crossing went smooth, with semi-calm seas and surprisingly little “traffic” around.
We’d been warned we might encounter migrants attempting to cross from France to the UK, but we didn’t see any.
Just us, the water, and a straight shot to the White Cliffs.
The next morning, after a calm breakfast in Dover, we set sail for Ramsgate.
It was a relaxed leg of the trip and once again, Harald took the opportunity to turn his experience into a guest blog.
Here’s how he saw it:
From Ramsgate, we spent the night in Queenborough on a mooring.
A first for us, and a cool experience not being tied up in a marina.
The next day, we made our way up the Thames and into London.
We docked at South Dock Marina, which turned out to be a bit of an adventure in itself.
It’s not exactly the most common choice for visiting boats, most of the ships there are lived on full-time, and the berths are… tight.
But it was totally worth it, because Harald’s girlfriend lives just two blocks away.
Mission accomplished!
We absolutely loved having Harald on board! He was cheerful, helpful, and definitely crew-worthy.
He earned his stripes (and probably a few extra beers)!
Where The Wind Took Us
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