Países Baixos

We set off from Terschelling at around 8.30am to follow the long & winding channel. Captain's back has taken a turn for the worse and he is hardly able to move which is causing great concern given his understudy is far from the real deal.

It took us a really long time to motor just the 28nm with little sail assist to arrive in Nes on Ameland Island. We barely saw any other boats with just the beautiful 'Arks' passing us creating the perfect picture.
Our rest up on anchor (which I managed to successfully lower and pull up - albeit in a few metres of water) to allow for necessary tide flow gave us some respite from the engine noise and downtime from channel checking & depth obsession. Re-fuel for us & our engine we set off again at about 5pm.

The fiercely protected nature reserves around the archipelago (UNESCO World Heritage Site) influenced by the daily ebb and flood, sand and water are much bigger than I expected.
It means the islands are largely out of sight till closer approach. We have yet to see the apparently popular Wadlopen (mudflat walking).
As Ameland (population approx 4000 and land size 23sq miles) came further into view and the last of the remaining shallows were through we watched the 'bob' of seals soaking up the last of the sun on the large sandbanks on our approach with hundreds of birds there too.

Arrival 9.45pm and a still and calm berth in the small marina. The welcoming Dutch assist on arrival was appreciated as I jumped back and forth on nets to fend off a close landing!
The beautiful light and birdsong lifted spirits despite feeling exhausted & the usual pull to explore ashore led us up to the inviting bar for a warming drink and unwind. So good to be out of the persistent Northerly winds. 4°C tonight.
11.51pm and so to bed and the nightly mosi bash about the cabin to be done before I drift off to sleep to the unusual sound of the birds 😴.

Thursday - a stroll to get Ron up and moving & gentle bike tour. Ameland has an incredible cycle route all around the beautiful island. Endless miles of powderlike sand as far as the eye can see on the North side. The tractor pulling the 'express strand bus' arrived. We watched over a lunch stop as the tide went out and soon it was on its way along the beach!

Cycling amongst the dunes, dikes and wild ponies with the squeaking Oyster catchers was great fun. The twisting route around gentle dune hills reminded us of a ski run with the inevitable gathering of cyclists at signposts to check the route and wait for stragglers. Empty oyster shells strewn the path on our way back & the oyster catchers were 'Wadlopen' on the flats.
A relaxing day trying not to overdo things if we hope to move on tomorrow. Fingers crossed the Diazepam works or I'll have to start taking it!Leia mais