Travel Journal 2024
Finally, after a long winter and an extremely wet spring, the time has come for us. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get to the boat until the end of June due to a renovation at our house, which—because of all the weather delays—ended up taking nearly two months longer than planned.
Car packed, Pandoer and Chester are with us again this year, though they’re each slowing down a bit more. Chester is almost 15, and Pandoer will turn 15 in October. This time we’re traveling through France and Belgium via the tunnel, as no dog cabins were available on the Stena Line. That’s a shame, as the night crossing has been ideal since 2022—when dogs were finally allowed to stay with us in special cabins instead of the kennel or the car.
We arrive early in Hoek van Holland, and as soon as we’re through customs, we immediately feel at home again. We first spend a few days at my mother’s, who is now 85 years old. She still finds it difficult that we live so far away—when we were still living in the Netherlands, we’d visit her every week for a cup of coffee.
After a few days with my mum, we head to Ossenzijl where our boat is ready and waiting for us. The boat had been used by the yard for a boat show (with our permission, of course), and when we arrive, it’s spotless inside. That saves us a whole day of cleaning and means we can immediately start unpacking. We find a place for everything, give the outside a good scrub—there was Saharan dust all over it—and then fill up the water tanks and head to the supermarket for all the fresh food.
Finally, the moment has come… we start the engine and our journey begins. Because it’s already mid-July, we’ve decided not to travel too far this year and stay in and around Friesland. This summer, we “only” have six weeks, and we’re exhausted from five months of having unfamiliar contractors in and around our house.
We head to port from Jachthaven Ossenzijl, where we have a summer berth and where the boat spent the winter in a covered water hall. We cruise toward the Driewegsluis and then on to Echtenerbrug. We spend the night there, and in the afternoon, we all went for a swim because it’s very warm. The dogs cooled off nicely and, despite their age, are still full of joy and enjoying life.
The next day we head toward the Tjeukemeer and continue on to Langweer, then to the mooring spots just outside Joure. Our friends are there too, so we can catch up again and enjoy some time together.
The Tjeukemeer is surprisingly quiet, even though it’s peak summer holiday season. We sail toward Langweer, and this time we wait for the bridge to open because we now have a new canopy on the boat. Even though we can lower it slightly, we’re not taking any chances—there’s only 10 centimeters of clearance.
After waiting about 20 minutes, the bridge opens, and we head toward Langweer, where we turn to starboard and continue toward Joure. We’re lucky—everything is packed, but we manage to find the first available spot, just a 5-minute walk from our friends.
After two days, we continue our journey—a short trip toward Joure. We haven’t been here in years, so it’s time for a visit. We sail through the open lock just outside Joure and after about fifteen minutes, we arrive at the harbor.
The weather is still beautiful, and it’s quite busy here as well, but we find a lovely spot along the grassy edge. The former owner of ABIM is also here with his beautiful yacht, and he greets us as we arrive.
Joure is a charming town, and a visit to the ice cream parlor—the ice cream factory—is an absolute MUST! During our stay here, we made several trips over to sample their delicious treats.
We checked the weather and saw that a cloudy day with possible rain is coming, but after that, it’s going to get really warm. So, we decide to use the cloudy day to find a spot that will be comfortable when the heat sets in.
We choose to head toward the Brandemeer, a small lake southeast of Sloten. It’s also a great opportunity to try out our new addition: a Walker Bay sailing dinghy.
We sail via the Langweerder Wielen to the PM canal, which we cross, and then head toward Heeg. From Heeg, we go south to Woudsend and cross the Slotermeer to reach Sloten.
After passing through Sloten and turning to port, we arrive at the Brandemeer. We discovered this spot last year and really enjoyed it. During the day, there are lots of kids sailing around, which is fun to watch too.
It’s the height of summer, and we’re making the most of it. Unexpectedly, a beautiful Pikmeerkruiser comes sailing by—one of those boats we both think is stunning and maybe, someday, could be our next boat, especially since they’re nice and low. As they pass and we greet the skippers, I get the feeling I know these people, but I can’t quite place them.
A little while later, someone calls out to us—and yes, it turns out to be a couple we met seven years ago on the Tjeukemeer. Back then, they had a Doerak and we had our Boarncruiser. Now, seven years later, they’ve moved on to a Pikmeer and we have an Abim. You can imagine the number of bottles of wine that evening as we caught up. It’s such a small world!
The next day is the moment—we’re going to try out the little (sailing) dinghy. We have no sailing experience, and today there’s a light breeze, so we watch how the kids are doing it and then decide to just give it a go. And wow—how much fun is this! First a round together with Carolyn, and then the dogs get to come along as well.
Since it’s obviously a bit more wobbly than the big boat, Pandoer finds it a bit nerve-racking, as he’s not a big fan of rocking.
When we’re finished, we notice a man with a very unusual surfboard. I go over for a chat, and he explains it’s a “foil wing surfboard.” I ask if he’s okay with me filming him using the drone, and he has no problem with that.
After about three days, we head out again, and the temperature drops slightly to a pleasant 23 degrees. Lemmer is our next destination, and we’re hoping to moor in the town basin, because it’s always such a cozy and lively spot. Lemmer is one of our favorite harbors—nice shops, an ice cream parlor, and lots of activity on the water.
You always end up with another boat moored alongside you here, so if you’re not into that, this isn’t the place for you—you’d be better off in one of the marinas just outside Lemmer. We’ve never had a problem with it, as long as it’s not a “booze cruise” with 12 people and sponsored by a brewery.
We leave early to arrive in Lemmer between 10 and 11 a.m.—usually the time when most boats start to head out. We arrive at the perfect moment and get a lovely spot on the side with the shops, not the bars.
Twice, boats moor alongside us with very friendly people, and that’s exactly what makes boating so great—you always end up chatting with someone.
After spending a few days in Lemmer, we head back to the Brandemeer. The weather continues to be sunny and warm, and it’s wonderfully cool out on the lake. We go sailing again, take refreshing swims, and just relax—after all, we’re on vacation.
After spending a few more days at this fantastic spot, we head toward Sneek. No video recordings this time, as we’re cruising along the Prinses Margriet Canal, which isn’t particularly exciting to capture. On top of that, the weather is starting to turn, so the footage wouldn’t be that great anyway.
After two to three hours of sailing, we arrive in Sneek and find a lovely spot along the Haukesloot. It’s always fun and cozy to moor there, with supermarkets and the charming shops of Sneek close by. We don’t stay long in Sneek, as we’ve decided to head toward Workum. The journey is beautiful and varied, right through Sneek and then through IJlst, passing lovely houses along the waterfront. From there, we go on to Heeg and continue toward Gaastmeer. It’s incredibly busy everywhere—it’s the weekend, so double the number of boats, which is fun to see.
We arrive in Workum and spot a perfect mooring at Jachthaven de Haan, a lovely little marina with a very friendly harbor master/owner. The next day, we bike to Hindeloopen, just as the Sneekweek fleet has departed. We enjoy a wonderful lunch and a relaxing ride on our electric bikes.
The day after, I get a phone call from my best mate, Thom, who wants to drop by. He’s always welcome, so we decide to grab dinner together in Workum. It’s such a charming little town with a cozy center. Because it’s one of the main gateways into Friesland from the IJsselmeer, flotillas of boats are constantly passing through. Boat-watching remains one of our favourite pastimes!
We’re heading back to Sneek! Our daughter and son-in-law are flying over to the Netherlands and would love to join us for a week of cruising. Sounds like a great idea, and it’s a perfect opportunity to see how things go with four people on board.
Before heading to Sneek, we’ll make a stop in Bolsward—definitely worth a visit. In Bolsward, we find a beautiful mooring spot next to a small park, which is perfect for our two senior dogs who can’t manage long walks anymore.
We’ll be moving on tomorrow because there’s some rough weather coming—lots of wind—and Sneek is a well-sheltered spot with all the amenities close by, making it a good place to wait out the bad weather.
We depart around 10 a.m., and since the storm isn’t expected to hit the Netherlands for another two days, our initial plan is to moor just outside IJlst near the windmill. Unfortunately, the wind is already picking up and it’s starting to rain quite heavily.
Checking the Sneek dashcam, we see that there are still some spots available near the Waterpoort, so we decide to continue sailing straight there—better to arrive before everyone else starts looking for a sheltered place to ride out the wind and rain.
We’re currently moored in Sneek, and the weather is far from pleasant—cold, rainy, and very windy. Our daughter and son-in-law are on board too, but with this weather, we’re not going anywhere. Instead, we do some shopping in between the rain showers. It’s what the Dutch call “typical Dutch weather,” because between the downpours, the sun still manages to peek out regularly.
We end up staying for four days, and during that time, poor Pandoer falls ill. His stomach is upset, and that’s never convenient—especially not on a boat. Luckily, he’s a very clever dog and wakes us up at night to let us know he needs to go outside.
Since we’re concerned, we take him to the local pet store vet (DA), and they prescribe a course of antibiotics. Thankfully, it works quickly, and soon enough we’re all getting a good night’s sleep again!
We finally have some more stable weather, so it’s time for a nice trip. We’re doing a scenic loop from Sneek towards Terherne, through Akkrum via the Kromme Knilles to the Prinses Margriet Canal, passing Grou, and ending at Rengers Polle. We stay the night there because we want to show our guests more of the beauty Friesland has to offer.
The next day, we head to Grou—one of the most charming villages in Friesland, with a lovely harbour and plenty of activity. There’s a great ice cream parlour and a Chinese restaurant with really good food! We fill up the water tank, grab some groceries, and take a short stroll past the church, which is Grou’s most iconic landmark.
After a few hours, we set off again via the Pikmeer toward Akkrum. We pass the aqueduct and the railway bridge, which requires precise manoeuvring, as there’s not much space on either side. But by taking it slowly and with two spotters up front, everything goes smoothly.
We pass through Akkrum and along the large marina toward Terherne, where we find a spot at one of the Marrekrite moorings. There, we enjoy a beautiful sunset and take the little sailboat out for one more round—because sadly, the holiday is already nearing its end.
We’re sailing back toward Sneek to say goodbye to our guests. They’re heading to Amsterdam before flying back to England. With four people on board and the warm weather, we’re going through water more quickly, so we top up the tank one last time. A final round of shopping too, as we’re heading back toward Ossenzijl and have enough supplies on board for a week—so we won’t need to stop at a harbour to restock.
Our friends call us—they’re moored on the Sneekermeer, so we go and meet up with them one more time. The weather turns grey and wet again, so we don’t film much during these final days.
And then it’s time for the last leg of our journey. Via the Tjeukemeer and Echtenerbrug, we arrive back in Ossenzijl. We spend a few more days moored along the green strip to tidy up the boat, clean everything, and prepare her for winter storage.
That’s it… another season comes to an end. We’ll be overwintering back in England and are already looking forward to the next boating season. Hopefully, Pandoer and Chester will still be with us—they’ll both be nearing 16 in 2025. We truly hope so… until next year!
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