Crossing Netherlands to Uk

[sailaboutvic]

Wow 13 years - must have had some great times, are you heading off again next year?

Wish you a safe crossing

Most likely our full time cruising will probably come to a end , living on board over winter in northern Europe isn't our thing .

But saying that we are already planning several months cruising ( 4 or 5) to Denmark next year .

We just coming to an end of a 6 months cruising in the Netherlands.
Anyone who not cruised the Netherlands let me say it's well worth doing, as tho who have done it will tell you .

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Saturday/Sunday looking good this end.

S-SE 3/4 relatively dry but might have leftover strop. At least you don't have to worry about tides much.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Saturday/Sunday looking good this end.

S-SE 3/4 relatively dry but might have leftover strop. At least you don't have to worry about tides much.

We still weighting up Friday or Saturday,
If we wait too long the winds may be light if we go too early the seas may not had settled .
We look at it tomorrow but I guess we decide Friday after the shipping forecast.
In the mean time we in the marina the other side of the locks , Vlissingen.
Listening to the wind howling .
Just to say the marina in Middelburg was €11 a night including power .
Here it's €25 a night including power .
Quite a different.

 

[Daydream believer]

We still weighting up Friday or Saturday,
If we wait too long the winds may be light if we go too early the seas may not had settled .
We look at it tomorrow but I guess we decide Friday after the shipping forecast.
In the mean time we in the marina the other side of the locks , Vlissingen.
Listening to the wind howling .
Just to say the marina in Middelburg was €11 a night including power .
Here it's €25 a night including power .
Quite a different.

You could cross over to Breskens. Passport checkout may not be a problem, as you have ignored the rules so far. You would be more likely to fall foul of an over enthusiastic immigration official in Flushing, as it is a major port & they have offices there. I do not think Breskens have the same facility. It would be a problem to get caught having got this far. They might do a random visit if they hear a UK flagged boat has arrived.

Sorry if I am teaching you how to suck eggs but an early poster suggested that tide would not be an issue . That is not entirely correct. You may already be aware of the need to get the west going tide for the first part of the journey. It is very strong in the estuary & you will go nowhere very slow if you leave on the adverse tide. I discovered this on one trip in the early 70s, which forced a return to Breskens after 2 hours sailing. In my experience it seems to turn earlier than the tide chart in Reeds suggests & runs very fast past the entrance to Breskens marina. Breskens is also good for refuelling & the fuel station is easy access during the day. Useful if you expect to motor a lot.
Leaving from Breskens saves a little time on the trip, saving 2-3 miles. Plus you do not have to navigate the shipping lane , which may be awkward if leaving in the dark . I rarely cross the lane without dodging at least one ship. One year it was a line of 6-7 naval vessels in convoy.

 

[sailaboutvic]

You could cross over to Breskens. Passport checkout may not be a problem, as you have ignored the rules so far. You would be more likely to fall foul of an over enthusiastic immigration official in Flushing, as it is a major port & they have offices there. I do not think Breskens have the same facility. It would be a problem to get caught having got this far. They might do a random visit if they hear a UK flagged boat has arrived.

Sorry if I am teaching you how to suck eggs but an early poster suggested that tide would not be an issue . That is not entirely correct. You may already be aware of the need to get the west going tide for the first part of the journey. It is very strong in the estuary & you will go nowhere very slow if you leave on the adverse tide. I discovered this on one trip in the early 70s, which forced a return to Breskens after 2 hours sailing. In my experience it seems to turn earlier than the tide chart in Reeds suggests & runs very fast past the entrance to Breskens marina. Breskens is also good for refuelling & the fuel station is easy access during the day. Useful if you expect to motor a lot.
Leaving from Breskens saves a little time on the trip, saving 2-3 miles. Plus you do not have to navigate the shipping lane , which may be awkward if leaving in the dark . I rarely cross the lane without dodging at least one ship. One year it was a line of 6-7 naval vessels in convoy.

Are departure harbour will be Vlissingen there no point sailing to Breskens or Flushing it won't save us any thing other then a few mile and a hour off a journey of 90 miles isn't here or there for us .
Plus it's blow hard so there be no moving to day any way.
We probably lose more time getting out of the lock as there no telling how long before they open .
But thanks for the suggestion .
We most lightly leave late afternoon and make it a night sail arriving early morning ,it be much better for reporting into the UK and if there any boarding to be done it better for everyone if it's done in day light.
fridays seas still looking as if they could be a bit sloppy although by the evening it should all start to drop quite a bit ,
So the verdict is still out ,
if we leave to morrow or Saturday, the concern is the winds going SE and getting too light if we leave it too late.

We sad to leave the Netherlands but excited to see family and friends and I can't believe I'm saying this and being back in the UK this winter even if the country is falling apart with debt.
We might even get to met a few from here at last .

 

[Daydream believer]

Are departure harbour will be Vlissingen there no point sailing to Breskens or Flushing

Vlissingen is Flushing

 

[sailaboutvic]

Vlissingen is Flushing

No wonder I keep getting lost .

 

[Daydream believer]

I Think that you will be pushing the tide until circa 1900 hours. From memory ( I may be wrong here) it turns about an hour before LW Dover. I always think that it makes that part of the journey hard work.

Just out of interest I wonder what others who have done the trip think. My passage plan would be to leave much earlier

Leaving 30 mins before the tide turned, On an 18 -20 hour journey ( it is 100 miles) one could get 6 hours positive & head a bit west & south of the track. Then 6 hours adverse , still keeping a bit south. Then 6 hours on the N going stream up to the rivers. Then just a couple of hours adverse tide at the end.
So one would have some decent tide in one's favour. That assumes that one can make 5kts SOG. A bit faster & no adverse tide at the end.
One would be clear of the shipping lanes in daylight.

 

[sailaboutvic]

98 miles 17.5 hours door to door although calling yachtline at 04.30 may not been a good idea.
The lady was a bit lost to know what to do,
She couldn't understand why we calling if we already filled in the online details.
08.30 we got clearance to remove the Q flag .
Is this some kind of record?
Maybe it's just a weekend thing.

The SW F5 TO 6, soon F4 and decreasing F3 never happen
What we did have was a F5 at times gussing F6 which help to give us a fast sail over.

At this point I like to give a thanks to Daydreamer believer who kindly copy his tidal chartlet and send them over,
when mine not used for 6 months all where stuck togather because of damp.

Well guys look like this year cruising over,
Denmark is on the cards for next year if all well.

In the meantime there some work to sort out like rudder bearing and lithium cells to build add the end of season maintenance.

Thanks everyone who contributed to this thread

 

[DanTribe]

98 miles 17.5 hours door to door although calling yachtline at 04.30 may not been a good idea.
The lady was a bit lost to know what to do,
She couldn't understand why we calling if we already filled in the online details.
08.30 we got clearance to remove the Q flag .
Is this some kind of record?
Maybe it's just a weekend thing.

The SW F5 TO 6, soon F4 and decreasing F3 never happen
What we did have was a F5 at times gussing F6 which help to give us a fast sail over.

At this point I like to give a thanks to Daydreamer believer who kindly copy his tidal chartlet and send them over,
when mine not used for 6 months all where stuck togather because of damp.

Well guys look like this year cruising over,
Denmark is on the cards for next year if all well.

In the meantime there some work to sort out like rudder bearing and lithium cells to build add the end of season maintenance.

Thanks everyone who contributed to this thread

Welcome home. Sounds like you had a good passage.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Welcome home. Sounds like you had a good passage.

Yea as far as sailing goes very good we used more fuel going up the Orwell then the whole of the trip.
It was a long night with just 5 hours of day light in the whole of the sail
but the traffic was much more then we expected I know its a busy area but we seen to have had no end of ships to deal with .
But hey it was a great sail for the last of the year even though at times very bumpy.

 

[sailaboutvic]

The problem is what do we do now after 13 years non stop cruising ?
Other years when we returned we knew we be back to full time non stop cruising within 18 months but not now.
DON'T anyone suggest taken up golf .

 

[Irish Rover]

The problem is what do we do now after 13 years non stop cruising ?
Other years when we returned we knew we be back to full time non stop cruising within 18 months but not now.
DON'T anyone suggest taken up golf .

Whatever you do Vic, don't stop posting on here, please. For a day tripper and occasional cruiser like myself your posts are always interesting and informative and sometimes bloody funny. Enjoy your return home and reconnecting with family and friends.

 

[johnalison]

I think you’ll have enough on your hands planning your Baltic trip. If you come on here for advice I look forward to making some misleading contributions.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Whatever you do Vic, don't stop posting on here, please. For a day tripper and occasional cruiser like myself your posts are always interesting and informative and sometimes bloody funny. Enjoy your return home and reconnecting with family and friends.

What you mean bloody funny sometimes, I'm funny most of the time although my dyslexia give me a good starting point even when I'm not being funny,
Isn't it great when you can laught at yourself.

What stranges is after many years helping people and posting advise on forum on the Med like here , med sailing , cruising forum , noonsite and Noforeignland I am find having to ask for advice ,
Which is why I'm thankful for those who given their suggestion on the Netherlands although I probably had a head start as my Co skipper spend most of her younger days sailing there which was a help big help with bridges and lock communications, she even negotiated some very good marina fees.

 

[MoodySabre]

Gardening.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I think you’ll have enough on your hands planning your Baltic trip. If you come on here for advice I look forward to making some misleading contributions.

Yes John Denmark is planned for next year as long as things stay as they are,
No one knows whats around the corner as age creaps in .

 

[sailaboutvic]

Gardening.

Your taken the piss now Roger

 

[Biggles Wader]

You could always take up UK politics. We dont have many good ones here.

 

[Daydream believer]

You could always take up UK politics. We dont have many good ones here.

We have more of those than you think
After 6 pints, in a pub up north, every man & his dog is a politician, who could run the country in their fag break. Sort ejucashun, elf, care, tax, Vat & the army, at a stroke. Trains & pensions. Not to mention enugee, coppers, druggies & the Irish question. Then tell the EU where to go. Be a hell of a lot of people hung & even more "sent back where they cum from" Not a job to be taken on lightly.