Last Leg
After two days of waiting windyty promises good winds from E and later N. We seize that opportunity and before dawn we sail along the Danish coast towards Vlieland. The lull between the E and N wind takes longer than expected, and since we cannot repair the autopilot and the wind vane needs wind, there is little choice but to steer by hand. When the N wind finally comes, it does not appear strong enough for the vane to keep Luci running with the wind (voor de wind). We do not make a lot of speed, but are glad we don’t need to use the engine any longer. Such a quiet crossing is still tiring. After 2.5 days sailing we arrive in IJmuiden in the evening, where our friend Erwin takes photos of us from the pier. My mother and her partner wait for us at the locks, what a warm welcome! It’s already 22:00h when we pass the locks, but we stop briefly for an arrival drink on board. Via the North Sea channel we arrive in the Amsterdam marina early in the night, tired but satisfied.
We’ll be Back
Luci has gloriously endured the test run, despite two technical issues. I’ve learned that sailing for several days will become routine. We enjoyed Norway so much that we even changed our travel plans for next year. There is still so much beauty and inspirational sustainable solutions to discover in Scandinavia, so we will begin our journey in the North; the South will have to wait.