Windsurfing from Scheveningen to Lowestoft and back - today!

[MK101]

Hi all, Dutch windsurfer Bob van de Burgt is currently en route from Scheveningen to Lowestoft in the opening hours of a mighty challenge today. He is windsurfing all the way from the beach here to the beach there, and back - in one day! It's more or less 200nm. He's doing it to raise funds for the Dutch charity which helps children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

He left at 8am Dutch time and reckons to be back anytime between 18-21 this evening. You can read more about it on the English version of his site which is Home - Surfing for Muscles The Dutch version is Home - Surfen voor spieren If you have the yellow brick race tracker app then you can track him on that under 'surfen voor spieren 2024' - which currently tells me he has 171 miles to go, and he's travelling at 14+ knots. There's a video feed of the app on his website - I guess there will be live pix as he approaches the English coast and returns to NL.

 

[MoodySabre]

Wow that's incredible. Looks like a steady SW wind. Good luck to him.

 

[MK101]

Update: unfortunately it looks as though he’s heading back. Will try and find out what the issue was.

 

[wonkywinch]

Oh no, looks like he's turned back.

 

[Sandy]

He will get turned back from Lowestoft as it is not a port of entry!

I was in RNSYC a few years ago when a German boat arrived about 0900. They were greeted on the pontoon and informed that they could not get off the boat, but could rest for a few hours, and had to make there way to a port of entry.

Before COVID they were frequent visitors and had not realised the rules had changed because of the thing we never mention starting with a B and ending with an X.

 

[footsoldier]

starting with a B and ending with an X.

What's that then?

 

[MK101]

Update from Bob himself: a combination of higher than predicted waves, and a confused sea, meant that he struggled to get to the required speed and direction. In addition, the sea state was much tougher on the support boat than predicted - they were struggling to keep up and burning much more fuel than anyone had calculated. So (reluctantly) they decided to turn back. The window is open till 12th September. He's keenly hoping for the right wind, preceded by some settled weather. Fingers crossed. Meanwhile €38,000 raised (and counting).

 

[stranded]

What's that then?

Bollux?

 

[johnalison]

Whether it will help or not, it looks like being a warm southerly-ish for the next couple of days, which ought to give him a good run.

 

[westhinder]

Light winds for the next couple of days, according to the weather apps

 

[Gustywinds]

Unintentional trip near where I live.
Stranded paddleboarder rescued 3km from shore Stranded paddleboarder rescued 3km from Portobello shore

 

[mil1194]

Unintentional trip near where I live.
Stranded paddleboarder rescued 3km from shore Stranded paddleboarder rescued 3km from Portobello shore

We had one 1.6m from shore yesterday and had to be airlifted in.

But I’m sure these boys have got it wrong - lighthearted obvs.

 

[ylop]

He will get turned back from Lowestoft as it is not a port of entry!

Since its a day return I don't suppose that will be the end of the world. What happens if you have a mechanical or other issue forcing you ashore somewhere else? In other parts of the world it looks like you just get on a bus / taxi and go to where you want to go? Who refuses you entry in Lowestoft - presumably as its not a port of entry there are no immigration officials.

Unintentional trip near where I live.
Stranded paddleboarder rescued 3km from shore Stranded paddleboarder rescued 3km from Portobello shore

Based on here the weather was not really paddleboarding weather... but I know someone who's paddled out to Inchkeith before (which must be more than 3km from Portobello?) so the headline might be sensationalism!

 

[Gustywinds]

Based on here the weather was not really paddleboarding weather... but I know someone who's paddled out to Inchkeith before (which must be more than 3km from Portobello?) so the headline might be sensationalism!

Been out there a few time on dinghies and ribs , wouldn't want to do it on a paddle-board.

 

[Sandy]

Who refuses you entry in Lowestoft - presumably as its not a port of entry there are no immigration officials.

Somebody at RNSYC, I did not take their name, refused them entry. They were directed to the nearest PoE.

From bitter experience I've had to have my passport stamped on a day visit to France!

 

[RivalRedwing]

We had one 1.6m from shore yesterday and had to be airlifted in.

surely they could walk that far

 

[RivalRedwing]

Somebody at RNSYC, I did not take their name, refused them entry. They were directed to the nearest PoE.

If he is aiming for the beach then it would take a pretty clued up deck chair attendant to refuse him entry

 

[ylop]

Somebody at RNSYC, I did not take their name, refused them entry. They were directed to the nearest PoE.

A few days ago people were debating if Border Force officials have the power to ask British Citizens for proof of ID and yet we have yacht club officials "refusing entry"... all the weirder because the UK Gov advice doesn't seem to require you to enter only at specific ports of entry just remain on your vessel until cleared, and clearance can be remote! Sailing a pleasure craft that is arriving in the UK (and if I understand correctly if you fill in the online form in advance you probably get pre-cleared). No UK marina has ever asked me to prove I have a right to be here so I assume there is no obligation on marina's to check visitors are legal either...

 

[Sandy]

A few days ago people were debating if Border Force officials have the power to ask British Citizens for proof of ID and yet we have yacht club officials "refusing entry"... all the weirder because the UK Gov advice doesn't seem to require you to enter only at specific ports of entry just remain on your vessel until cleared, and clearance can be remote! Sailing a pleasure craft that is arriving in the UK (and if I understand correctly if you fill in the online form in advance you probably get pre-cleared). No UK marina has ever asked me to prove I have a right to be here so I assume there is no obligation on marina's to check visitors are legal either...

Have you sailed into a foreign marina? Ensigns, accents and documents give the game away and, in my experience, passports get checked.

We were sat in a restaurant in A Coruña and were handed menus in English! Apparently the way we were dressed gave the game away.

Who knows RNSYC, as I said I did not ask the chap, may have had a meeting with Border Force before this vessel arrived or had telephoned them for advice and guidance.

From my own discussions with Border Force they are very interested if non-UK nationals arrive by yacht even UK registered ones.

 

[ylop]

Have you sailed into a foreign marina? Ensigns, accents and documents give the game away and, in my experience, passports get checked.

I’m not talking about sailing into a foreign marina - I’m talking about the U.K. (Foreign Hotels often copy passports etc - something “we” don’t usually do). Rarely have marina staff bothered to leave the office so wouldn’t see my ensign. I don’t recall ever being asked for “documents” (except insurance for an annual berth). I sometimes have to fill in a very basic form. Clearly I have a Scottish accent, but nobody has even enquired if I have non-British people aboard. There are frequently foreign flagged boats in the marina sailed by people with non-Scottish accents and they check in with seemingly no more scrutiny than me.

FWIW I have sailed a German flagged charter boat into Dutch marinas/harbours staffed by people in official looking uniforms and even with a clearly Scottish accent none of them asked for anything except money!

Who knows RNSYC, as I said I did not ask the chap, may have had a meeting with Border Force before this vessel arrived or had telephoned them for advice and guidance.

Presumably not advice from BF as they would, I assume, have provided the advice that private vessels on pleasure journeys do not need to go to a “port of entry”. Potentially some miscommunication somewhere or perhaps someone from RNSYC getting annoyed that when they went to mainland Europe they had to jump through hoops and believing it must be the same the other way round.

From my own discussions with Border Force they are very interested if non-UK nationals arrive by yacht even UK registered ones.

Exactly - so my British flagged, British skippered vessel should really have no different treatment - but that seems to be a BF and skipper responsibility not a marina or sailing club one. I realise not that many foreigners turn arrive in Scotland as their first port of call - but some do, even the government owned Canal don’t seem to ask questions.