Golden Hoorn

Our original plan for this trip was to pootle gently around the IJsselmeer. Plan B was to take the standing mast route south through Haarlem and make a shorter North Sea crossing from the Roompot or Breskens. During the windy few days we were in Amsterdam I changed my mind on which was better several times a day. But by Saturday the weather was looking better, and the long-term forecast for the following weekend was giving northerlies, in which case a crossing from further north would be better. 

So it looked like Plan A at last, and with all the delightful ports of the Markermeer and IJsselmeer to choose from, we decided on Hoorn, HQ of the Dutch East Indies Company in the Golden Age, which we had visited briefly in 2009. We picked our way through rain showers and out through the Oranjesluisen, sailing briefly before turning into the wind as we headed to Hoorn. We forgot to look out for enormous mats of floating weed, which are a menace in this part of the Markermeer, but didn’t encounter any. 

Normally we avoid town quays where you tend to raft three deep, but I had a good feeling about this one so we headed for the Binnenhaven. And indeed there was the perfect mooring under the trees, really easy to get Sam on and off, with electricity and even water, once we’d joined two hoses together. No need to raft either. 

Admittedly the bathroom facilities were limited with no accessible showers, but we did have a pretty good view. 

On Saturday evening we enjoyed kibbeling and chips from the little cafe at the end of the quay, on Sunday morning I went for a very nice run, and on Sunday afternoon Sam and I enjoyed the craft market, Dutch hippie guitarists and people walking the greasy pole.