Our forward weather planning had earmarked Wednesday as a day of lighter winds suitable for our return trip across the North Sea, so we left the sleepy sanctuary of Marken today bound for IJmuiden to prepare for the trip. The passage down the IJsselmeer gave a foretaste of what might be to come with a stiff easterly breeze giving us a bumpy ride and sending spray crashing against the windscreens. Despite being a Monday morning there was still an unseemly rush for the Oranjesluizen to the east of Amsterdam, with most boats reluctant to raft up in the smaller northern lock. We waited for the tannoyed instruction to use the "Zuider sluis" and led the next batch into the lock.

Making our way through the busy waters of Amsterdam's city centre we kept to a modest speed and outside or well to starboard of the channel as per the Almanak regulations. However, we still managed to attract the attention of the river police who zoomed up out of nowhere to tell us to slow down, or move over, or something, before zooming back the way they came. Once clear of the city there was just time for a last spell on the front deck before we arrived at the IJmuiden sea locks. A cruise ship was locking through the larger lock on the north side of the island as we approached the southern "kleine sluis". Another interminably long locking procedure with no apparent change of water level, before the gate was eventually opened onto the North Sea.

The last entrace on the port side is the huge Seaport Marina complex, where in addition to the endless moorings for visiting yachts on passage, the facilities include innumerable eating places, hotels, a gaming room and an incongruous beach resort. The marina also claims to offer free wifi internet, although the one page Dutch handout from the marina office stresses that no support can be provided in the event that it doesn't work - which it didn't.

Cruising Statistics

Distance: 32 nm

Total to date: 1447 nm

Avg Speed: 7 knots

Duration: 4:20 hours

Diesel: 104 litres, 477 litres at €0,99

Mooring: €26

Electricity: Included

Bridges

Schellingwouderbrug (7.5m)

Locks

Oranjesluizen

IJmuiden Kleine Sluis

Charts

1810.5

1810.3

1810.2

1801.8