Mekicevica's 2014 Sailing Adventure: Waddenzee

Friday 25th of July: First Passage on the Wad, Makkum to Vlieland (23 NM)
From now on we have to plan around the tides, so we had an early start to ride the ebbing tide to Vlietland. Moreover we would have to cross a shallow patch, only accessible until 1300. We motored the mile from Makkum marina to the Kornwerderzand lock in the grey early morning, and finally enter the Waddenzee.
At first we had little wind and from the wrong direction. We started to fear we would not make it across and would have turn back. Eventually the wind backed and picked-up in strength, so much so that for a while we had to reef the main.

Waddenzee sailing: a bit disconcerting when people walk past your boat while you sail.

We passed the shallow patch in good time sailed around the sandbank of Richel and entered the harbour of Oost-Vlieland. As we were to find out, the harbours on the Wad are spacious but usually crowded and rafting along other boats is the norm. Here we were directed to join a Leisure 17 crewed by a young Dutch couple.
That evening we celebrated our first Wad passage.

Saturday 26th of July: Vlieland, the jewel among the Wadded islands
We spent the day cycling around the island, visiting the town, taking the views from the lighthouse, and admiring the beautiful, wild beaches on the "outside". The charming town of Oost Vlieland was the home of Willem De Vlamingh, the leader of the first Europeans to discover Australia. (Although the Portuguese may have been there before but kept quiet about it.)

The main street of Oost Vlieland. Until recently the whole island was car-free, and bicycles are still the primary form of transport.

We went as far East on the island as the Dutch army would allow us, since they use that bit as firing drills area.

The wild, natural beauty of Vlieland.

From a map we learned that there was once a town os West Vlieland but it is now in the bottom of the North Sea. Erosion or a firing drill gone wrong?

Sunday 27th of July: Terscheling (8 NM)
We planned to cover only the short distance to the next island to the East, Terschelling, but because we need to cross a shallow bit we had to play with the tides and get up early, again.
The massive tidal race and the weak wind made it difficult to sail the marked channel and we ended-up motoring... like all the other boats. At high water there is a convoy of boats of the Bruine Vlotte rushing across the narrow, shallow channel.

Keeping N of the cardinal buoy under sail with strong tide and weak wind just was not going to happen.

After came a short beat and then on beam-reach towards the harbour of West Terschelling.
We arrived early enough to spend the rest of the day sight-seeing by bicycle.
Terschelling is much larger than Vlieland. The town of West Terschelling has had a lighthouse since the 14th century, named Brandaris. The modern successor is still the dominating building on the island and houses the control post for shipping on the Waddenzee.
Willem Barentsz, the 16th century Arctic navigator was born here.
Out of the town, sand dunes dominate the landscape, with the occasional village or group of holiday houses scattered around.

Colourful fishing gear in West Terschelling harbour.

Monday 28th of July: Long, windy and dramatic passage to Texel (30 NM)
The wind remains from E to NE, which explains the wonderful weather we are having. It is also ideal for the long passage we have planned for today. It will start moderate and will pick-up later to 5Bf, possibly 6Bf. We are going to sail with the big genoa only, started with the whole of it and probably reducing to handkerchief size by the afternoon.
There was no way to avoid a mile against the tide out of West Terschelling, and not even the full genoa was enough, so we had to get Yoyo-Ma to give an extra push.
After that was sailing with wind and tide. Except for a bit when we had to come closer to the wind and tack. That was when the starboard sheet was caught in a riding turn. A few minutes of panic followed when things were definitely not under control. Finally First-Mate suggested we turn into the wind, let the genoa flap, and use the moment to free the sheet. It worked.
With all this distraction we passed the point we needed to be at the turn of the tide spot on time. The wind continued to pipe up but now we were going downwind again and the waves here do not build-up as much as in the Ijsselmeer. At a point we were doing 7 to 8 kn over the ground we just about  quarter of the genoa out. Just as we moored in the spacious and modern harbour of Oudeschilde, the display was flicking between 5 and 6 Bf.

Tuesday 29th of July: English-like countryside and Costa del little Sol in Texel.
Morning entertainment was provided by a 52 ft, modern sailing yacht skippered by a moron whose idea of manoeuvring in a harbour is to keep moving downwind until the boat is stopped by hitting something. Why do people without sufficient experience charter or buy such large yachts?
For the rest of the day we went cycling around the island. This is the largest of the islands and in some places you cannot feel the presence of the sea. The slightly hilly landscape looks almost like rural England.

In some spots of Texel you can almost forget the sea.

Seaman's church in Oudeschilde.

After the wild beauty of Vlieland, the beaches in Texel are a bit disappointing: crowded, too civilised,  and near villages full of the tacky stuff you see often on seaside resources. For that type of beach, then why not go to costa del something where the weather is nicer?

Enjoying local produce in the old fish market of Oudeschilde.