With Dan & Iz safely installed in the guest cabin and all the sights and smells of Amsterdam fully experienced the night before, we set sail this morning for the peripheral lakes of the Randmeren. We returned eastwards along the River IJ, this time keeping to the small craft channel to the south of the main buoys. We were reminded of the difficulties in weekend cruising when we arrived at the Oranjesluizen locks to find 20 or so yachts already waiting, but with two enormous chambers working where was plenty of space for everyone to lock through. Our first stop was at Muiden, just beyond the breakwater of the Buiten IJ at the southern end of the IJsselmeer.

Here we were greeted like long lost friends by Richard and Margaret Baker, former owners of Lady Martina, now in Atlantic 444 Lady Ella, and their cruising companions Don & Jan in Blanche, a Broom 44 from Lowestoft. We spent a pleasant lunch at the clubhouse of the Royal Netherlands Sailing & Rowing Club, catching up on news and exchanging cruise stories, and then an afternoon looking round the attractive town. The lockside cafe's were a popular hangout for the many tourists and locals alike who enjoyed watching the steady stream of pleasure boats making their way inland. On this occasion we decided to forego a visit to the Muiderslot, a castle built as a defensive structure in 1280 by Floris V and later occupied in the 17th century by writers and poets.

An afternoon cruise took us under the Hollandse brug into the first of the peripheral lakes, the Gooimeer, and to the yacht haven at Naarden. This is a well-equipped and modern complex where a reporting pontoon is linked by intercom to the harbour office for the allocation of berths. There was plenty of space in the huge basin for visitors, and although the on-site facilities include a cafe-restaurant and chandlery, it is a half hour walk from the town.

Cruising Statistics

Distance: 13 nm

Total to date: 1319 nm

Avg Speed: 5.5 knots

Duration: 2:15 hours

Diesel: 32 litres

Mooring: €16

Electricity: SEP-key

Bridges

Schellingwouderbrug (7.5m)

Hollandse Brug (12.7m)

Locks

Oranjesluizen

Charts

1810.2

1810.3