Een club voor liefhebbers en/of bezitters van een zeiljacht van het Oostzeejol type Midget.
A week of "England"
Midgetsong 1998
Affliction or virus
German Sands
Razzle Dazzle
"The
Passage" 2003
From
Greetsiel to..
2350 seamiles against the
clock
With
the 20ft Midget -KLEINE BEER-
(Little Bear) to the German Sands.
Translated by Bill Hart
(the “Sands”, an area of sandy shallows North of f the Northsea coasts of Holland and Germany. I am borrowing this term from Erskine Childer’s pre WW1 intriguing novel THE RIDDLE OF THE SANDS in which he describes this area as “the great wastes of sands, the fogs and the muddy channels which lead -if one can catch the tide or afford to wait- to tiny harbors” Translator’s note)Initially, a brief explanation why anyone would want to undertake such a venture.
If one is smitten by Denmark and in possession of an “Oostzeejol” (Baltic Cruiser), one cannot but be consumed by the desire to make a journey to the Baltic in this Baltic cruiser. When, after the 1980 reunion, we spent our holidays in Zeeland together with the “Maartje” a number of things were discussed. They also had been considering such a journey, but, like ourselves, they were taken aback by the distance. If it would be possible to make this trip together, it appeared less risky. In case of trouble you can depend on each other, knowledge can be shared and the cruise becomes more enjoyable with two vessels.
The following winter the plan was further developed. It had to be possible to make this trip in 4 weeks, the limit of our vacation. German acquaintances gave us the opportunity to copy sections of nautical guides to the cruising grounds under consideration. Routes were planned with the aid of charts they no longer had any need for. The arrangement was to meet at Delfzijl, then continue the cruise together. At Delfzijl we also ordered the required charts, to be collected at time of departure. One week before the holidays the “Kleine Beer” was sailed from Brielle to Delfzijl in four days. (inside passage)
On Tuesday, July21 ’81 we drive to the boat. We arrive at Delfzij, in a downpour. In the afternoon we shop for supplies and in the evening the “Maartje” arrives crewed by the Muiser family.
Wednesday, July 22. Compared to yesterday the weather has improved. There is a light S.E. breeze, which strengthens later on. After breakfast we catch up on the latest gossip, then we cast off. The high tide is still running up the Eems and because of the light winds we are not making much progress. We arrive too late to head for Norderneij after the Norddeicher Wattfahr passage.We therefore decide to fall off to Borkum. The wind is increasing and with the help of returning ebbtide, we are making good progress. At about six o’clock we enter Borkum harbor, where we tie up to a floating pontoon. On the shore there are toilets and showers, courtesey yachtclub Borkana. There’s not much happening in the neighborhood of the harbour , the village is pretty far away and it’s getting too late (for the kids) to go sightseeing. A few thunderheads threaten, causing some showers .
Thursday July 23. This morning we don’t need to rise too early, after breakfast, docking fee (paid DM 3,75) and coffee we leave. In Fisherbalje we encounter a strong riptide, via Ranzel and Euishornrenne, behind Borkum we enter the Osterems, were the current is again against us and we call upon the motor, otherwise we arrive too late at the sands behind the island of Juist. In the Memmert Balje the current is tolerable, our Dutch chart (1812) stops and we transfer to the German chart (89) With high tide we traverse the sands and it is not long before the ebb current pulls us along nicely into the direction of Norderney. So far we have had fair weather today, but behind us the sky has been threatening for several hours. The sun disappears and it looks like thunder is upon us. We don our wetsuits and the lifejackets are put at the ready, a light rain starts, just before the shower lets loose in full force, we have turned into the Busetief. Here we have lots of room, and the wind, which follows the shower, can not harm us. At full speed the two Midgets are flying into the Riffgat, towards the Norderney harbor. Just at the harbor entrance the wind drops off and the sun re-appears, so we tie up at the dock and dry our things. After a meal we go ashore for a walk. For tomorrow a strong wind (force 6-7) is predicted, we discover that, in order to make time, we took the wrong channel. To return, this time through the canals makes little sense at this point, so there rests us little but to wait for better weather.
Friday July 24. We are waiting for a good opportunity to sail non-stop through to Elbemonding , but the weather prediction is unfavorable. First a strong S.W.wind, turning later to the N.W. Today we stay in Norderney, where there is a good harbor with showers and a restaurant , docking fees set us back 6,75 DM. Now we have the time to further explore the countryside, and the provisions and fuel are topped of. In the evening a few rain showers pass overhead. For tomorrow the weather is expected to be a little better, but we find it still blows too hard to take the outside passage. So we decide that tomorrow we will go on in an Easterly direction over the sands.
Saturday July 25 We depart at six thirty, so that the tide is with us behind Norderney, near Baltrum we anchor outside the harbor entrance and wait for the water to rise again, two hours after low tide we try to go on. We run aground and bounce a couple of times on a rock hard shoal. An hour later there’s enough water and things go better, stared at by several seals, we sail behind Baltrum, together with various boats. Once over the sands we set sail and with high tide we enter the Acummer Ee. We also want to traverse the sands behind Langeoog, for this we quickly use the motor. At eight thirty in the evening we tie up in port of Neuherlingen Siel. This a tiny fisherman’s wharf with few amenities for pleasure craft. But at that time we do not know that we are going to be here till Tuesday.
July 25-28 These days the wind blows briskly from the N.W. That one should not venture outside under these conditions if obvious from the fact that on Sunday a sailing yacht is pulled off the shoals by the Coast Guard. Behind Spikeroog she was slightly off course when entering and ran aground. Fortunately this event has a happy ending, little damage to the boat but everything is thoroughly soaked. We make the best of it and pass our time with walks, reading and games. If this kind of weather persists, we can forget about our Baltic cruise. Tuesday evening we sail to Langeoog with the tide, just before dark we exit from this minnow creek into a buoyed and lighted main channel. It is a little late when we moor in the Langeoog harbor, there are floating docks, showers and a cozy clubhouse, where a tasty meal is served. It is even possible to order fresh buns for the next morning. Docking fee DM 8,- per day.
July 29 & 30 These days also strong winds from the N.W., opportunity to see the island, the village is 4 km from the harbor. Whoever is not able, nor wishes to walk that far, can take the train that runs from the ferry to the village. There are no cars on the island (except 1 ambulance), the rest of the traffic consists of horse and buggy and bikes, really relaxing; in spite of our forced stay here, it pleases us greatly to be on Langeoog . When the wind abates on Thursdaynight, we (on the “Kleine Beer”) have decided not to go on. On “Maartje” they have another two weeks of holidays and with fine weather they are going to head for the Elbe via Helgoland.
Friday July 31 Having said goodbye to “Maartje” and her crew we depart in the direction of Baltrum., against the tide the Honda can really be put to work. Behind Baltrum the current is in our favor, after the sands: against. At high tide considerable wave action enters between the islands, it is a breathtaking sight to see these swells break on the sandbanks at a distance of approximately 25meter, if you stay in the channels there’s no problem and you rock gently to and fro. Behind Norderney we set sail and float behind the island with high tide. In the Busetief narrows we motor further. We want to reach Norderney to exchange money and to do some shopping. We dock in a nice yacht basin, here too showers, washrooms and the opportunity to have a simple meal in the clubhouse. Docking fee DM 6,-. Norderney also has a good sized fishermen harbor and the ferries to Just-Norderney and Baltrum dock there, there is a station for tourists who visit the islands.
Saturday August 1 Wen we awake it is raining cat and dogs, during coffee it clears and we prepare to leave. At one thirty the tide will be up at Greetsiel and that is our target for today. In the Nordeicher Wattfahrwasser we take it easy, on the jib we drift toward the sand. We float over it without hitting bottom and we add the mainsail, there is a nice breeze and so we head for Bautsbalje, quite a current is running here. To avoid getting into trouble we add the motor until the Greetsieler ledge, after which the current is favorable again. Just before the Greetsieler-Aussentief we take down the sails because of the many bends in the channels. It is impossible to sail here, as the current (it is almost high tide) runs squarely across the gullies. At one thirty we are cruising the last piece between pastures and then a fishermen’s village magically appears, as in a fairytale. We tie off in a box of the floating dock at the Greetsiel yachtclub, daily fee DM 4,-, there are no showers. At night, with low tide, we stand rock solid in the mud, we go for a walk and enjoy the tranquility on the sands and the gorgeous sunset. Back on board a gurgling is heard under the boat, indication that the water is rising.
Sunday August 2 After breakfast we take another walk through Greetsiel, we can’t seem to get enough of this beautiful village. After lunch the water has risen so far that we are able to leave, following the fishing fleet we leave the harbor. When the worst of the riptide has diminished we set sail, via Leijbucht and Osterems we head for Eemshaven. At 16.00 we turn into the Eemshornrunne, so that the ebb current is with us to sail to Borkum. At 17.00 was arrive at Fisherbalje. At that point there still runs an approximate 3.5 knot current, and it takes us another hour before we can turn into the Borkum harbor, plenty of time to eat in the meantime. We had good weather, sun and wind.
Monday August 3 After breakfast we leave with low tide, there is a southerly wind, tacking with the current, up the Randzel is a breeze. We meet quite a few Urk island kotters, who have spent the week-end at Delfzijl. Next time we will go through the bight of Watum, we pound and roll like crazy on their wake all the way to Delfzijl. The sails are furled, in the yacht harbor we rinse the salt from the boat, after that we do some more shopping, too bad Delfzijl has no showers, only a harbormaster in uniform, also no clean toilets. Otherwise no complaints, but I had to get this off my chest. Docking fee Fl 6,50 per day and so we are about 14 day sooner than expected back at our point of departure. In spite of the abandoned plans, we still carry with us pleasant memories of our vacation. We certainly will return to the German sands, there are many islands that we have not visited, especially Spikeroog is ( according to reports) supposed to be very beautiful. Although the Midget is not suited to falling dry on the sands, we have enjoyed good sailing. With high tide you easily clear the shallows. Don’t be tempted to start off too quickly after low tide, when the flatbottoms leave, we still have about another hour. The sands, however, are a beautiful nature area, certainly deserving of your vacation attention. From the west of the country it will take you several days to get there. The sands are only suitable as entrance to the Baltic if you have oodles of time, you are to dependent on the tides, the jump to the Elbe is considerable, unless you navigate the last piece over the sands. It is also possible to go, as did “Maartje” , via Helgoland, but that will have to be described by Gerard Muiser. If you are on a tight schedule, you’d be better off taking the canals, but about that next time. The urge, referred to at the outset, is still there and will stay. But to make an end to this story, via Groningen, Friesland, Ijsselmeer (where we had to put up with the protests by commercial skippers), Vecht, Merwedekanaal, Waal, Afgedamde and Bergse Maas, Amer, Hollands Diep, Haringvliet, and Oude Maas, the “Kleine Beer” finds her way home, and her crew can look back on a unforgettable vacation.
