Le Bateau in Europe

But before you get too concerned this is all part of the plan to be a motor boat through Belgium and France. Sometime next year we will go through Bordeaux, pop out at La Rochelle and become a yacht again. Well that is plan A (#1). This year a lack of rain is blocking the potential route. But next year? Le Bateau trying to look like a motor boat after arriving in Strijensas Marina, Hollandsch Diep, South Netherlands But to go back to the end of our last blog Peter and Jane had left and we had a pleasant sail back to Germany and the Kiel canal from Naskov in Denmark. We came back through the German Friesan Islands using the tides and weather window which made it quite easy and comfortable. Our track on the plotter, the green bits are dry at low tide We met Kerry and Jenny in Delfzijl at one of our favourite yacht clubs, the Abel Tasman. Ants managed to sell the nearly new Danish charts to a local in the club coffee room. Cruised through Groningen province and Friesl...

Ants enjoying cream on his coffee Time is flying by and we are having an amazing time aboard Le Bateau. After meeting Kerry and Jenni, our friends from Adelaide, in the little town of Appingedam, we set off for Delfzijl, our last Dutch town for a while. We had picked out a smallish yacht club for the night (it was called after Abel Tasman as he came from the area). We have found the smaller, volunteer clubs are generally more friendly, cheaper and the members are so helpful and we found we were happy with our choice. Next day, Friday the 15th June, we set out for the German Friesan islands. "Riddle of the Sands" fans eat your heart out! We got out the rebuilt spinnaker for the downwind sail  (50km journey) and it performed really well.  Ended up the day with a short motor against 3 knots of tide into the pretty but rundown harbour of Borkum. Setting out for a walk from the Borkum Yacht Haven When we were motoring in the tide was dropping fast and by that evening...