With our summer cruise due to end later in the week, we had time for one more stop before heading back along the Nordzeekanaal to IJmuiden. We decided to make the short hop across the Gouwzee to Marken, arriving before lunch to have the best chance of a mooring spot. In fact, the small harbour has adequate space for visiting boats and, unusually for Holland, unmetered water and electricity. Although regular ferries operate from Volendam, a similar number go the other way and the village does not seem to be overwhelmed with trippers. Just a few metres from our mooring one of the Marken's small beaches provided a convenient spot for an afternoon dip on another beautiful day.

Marken's traditional cottages were built on artificial mounds, or "werfs", to protect them from flooding, and on the limited higher ground seem to huddle together from the elements. Others around the harbour used stilts to avoid the ingress of the sea, although with the tides now tamed these under-houses have been walled in to provide additional accommodation. A cycle path runs round the perimeter of the former island, providing fantastic views of the IJsselmeer. At the eastern tip the lighthouse, Het Paard, is a famous landmark equally notable from land as from sea. The narrow promontory forms another narrow strip of shell beach, popular with bathers who all arrive by bike.

In the evening after the trippers have left, the village regains more of its peace and identity. For such an attractive port, we couldn't understand why more boaters didn't visit. The causeway, built in 1957 to link the island to the mainland, does not seem to have altered the character of the place and facilities are limited to a single shop and a handful of cafes.

Cruising Statistics

Distance: 2 nm

Total to date: 1415 nm

Avg Speed: 3.3 knots

Duration: 0:43 hours

Diesel: 4 litres

Mooring: €14

Electricity: Included

Charts

1810.5