20180625

Published in Dinghy Cruising Journal 239

The Raid NL 2018 1

Day 1 - Aduarderzijl to Lauwersmeer - 32km

We launched our boats at Aduarderzijl. All provisions were loaded into Hatseflats which was going to be our supply ship for the week. We short-tacked up the beautiful Reitdiep which meanders all the way from the city of Groningen to Zoutkamp. We picknicked at Lammerburen and went through the locks. As we approached Zoutkamp it got quite windy.

After the bridge at Zoutkamp we put in a reef. As we passed from the Zoutkamperril into the Lauwersmeer the wind had increased to a full force 4 Sailing close to the lee shore we struggled upwind and crashed into the waves. I got 7 buckets of water on board Hatseflats.

Then we rounded the Sennerplaat and sailed downwind to Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen. On Hatseflats I enjoyed the conditions but Mark had some trouble with his canoe rounding up to the wind. We stopped for the night at a Marrekrite camp site. These are free camp sites for wild camping in Friesland. They have no toilets or drinking water so you must bring your own supplies. There were only two yachts moored at the jetty. We pitched our tents and Joost cooked a meal. As we were eating we found that midges were everywhere. On board Hatseflats I slept uneasily, waking up from the cold several times during the night.