Tidbit from Ken

Spaarndam has always been strongly connected to water. Now, besides the river and the fishing, it is now also famous because of a story within the 1865 American novel, Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates. The fictional story within the book is about an unnamed Dutch boy, "The Hero of Haarlem," who stuck his finger in a dike to prevent the town from flooding. The story became a popular legend in America, and in 1950 the local tourist bureau put a statue of this fictional character in Spaarndam

Enscripted on the statue:

"Opgedragen aan onze jeugd als een huldeblijk aan de knaap die het symbool werd van de eeuwigdurende strijd van Nederland tegen het water."

Or, in English
"Dedicated to our youth, to honor the boy who symbolizes the perpetual struggle of Holland against the water."

When we first entered the Holland Canal system, the Spaarndam was the first lock and bridge we entered, and first city on the canals we passed.

Grateful Red and the Staand Mast Route through Holland

Yes – the Grateful Red can sail in the Dutch canals!

The Dutch canal system included a couple of sails. On day two the Grateful red entered the Kagerplassen chain of five lakes. The five lakes together were about the size of Lake Mendota in Madison – maybe 10,000 acres. Yet the lakes were covered with boats – a number of boats the size of the Grateful Red. The lake varied in depth from six feet (we were scrapping the bottom) to thirty feet. In the 1800’s these lakes were “mined” for peat. The deep part of the lake was the most mined. The area was called Haarlemmermeerpolder (the name just rolls off the tongue). A polder being a low-lying tract of land enclosed by dikes that forms land that has no connection with outside water other than through pumping devices. I think that only the Dutch have polders.

Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport name is derived from Haarlemmermeerpolder which in the 1850’s was a large shallow lake which had sudden violent storms that would claim many sailing ships. This was the main reason for reclaiming the land. In English, Schiphol's name means "ship hole" or "ship's hell", a reference to the number of ships lost in Haarlemmermeerpolder. Kagerplassen was pretty tame when we sailed across including docking at the local lakeside bar/restaurant recommended by Leneke for wine, beer and food.

We had a little-low bridge problem and had to sail across the Kagerplassen chain of lakes twice - the stand-mast or mast-up canal route goes over the four lane highway bypassing opening a bridge and stopping traffic on the four lane highway . Kinda of neat going over a four lane highway in a forty foot ten ton sail boat mast up in a canal.

Finally we arrive at the Braassemermeer, known locally as the Braassem, a 425 acre lake (Kegonsa is approximately 3,000 acres) located in the town of Braassem Kaag, with Roelofarendsveen on the west and Rijnsaterwoude on the east bank. Remember those names Het meer is een restant van de Leidsche Meer en niet veroorzaakt door turfwinning . The lake is a remnant of the Leyden peat extraction. One enters the lake through a lock that closes for lunch as we and a number of other sailing vessels learned. Once through the lock all the boats put up their sails - we rolled out the genoa, had a couple cold beverages (well maybe one quick beer) and sailed across the lake plus more before again entering the stand mast canal route.

Our last sail for the season – after over 6,000 miles of sailing was in the Volkerak. Volkerak was previously saltwater, and now with Dutch dikes, pumping devices and sluices is all fresh water sailing. To get in and out of Volkerak we needed to go through a couple of sluices. A sluice is a type of lock (again probably only in the Netherlands) – a sluice lets water out of the polder in low tide and prevents saltwater from entering the polder at high tide. With a twenty meter mast we had to go through the commercial sluice with the BIG shipping vessels. Once in Volkerak, the Genoa went back out and we tried (the wind was looooooww) one last sail of the season.

Finally the crack canal crew of Larry, Ron, Janet and Kristine dropped the sail one last time for the season, folded the sail on the deck, broke out the rum and cokes and motored into Bruniesse harbor. Home of the Grateful Red for the winter.

Bruinesse Welcome Mussel!

Next Step - South Holland Canals

After reaching Ijmuiden and crew returning home, Grateful Red had its own 2 week vacation from the pounding seas and driving wind and rain. Nestled in Seaport marina, just off the coast of the North Sea in Ijmuiden, I remained on the boat to follow progress on boat repair and "regrouping". While Ken was back in the US for those days, I was visited by Shelly Meise, and together with Niki, Ken's oldest daughter, (who flew over from London for a weekend) we explored Amsterdam. One great night at Gerhards for a "blind" winetasting experience left us with a small sense of Bordeaux Rightbank verses Leftbank. Or, so we say! We did a local canal boat tour and were blessed with reasonable weather.

After the visits were over and Ken returned, we got the boat ready for the last leg of the 2009 travels. The Stand mast Route of South Holland. This route would take us through locks, bridges, flood barriers and wonderful Dutch countryside and villages. We would arrive in Bruinisse in Zeeland (South Holland) where Grateful Red would "rest" for the winter.

Last Crew of 2009, Ron Hausch, Janet and Larry Cunningham, Ken and Kristine.

We departed Thursday, September 10th, leaving Seaport Marina and taking a quick right hand turn out of the marina heading to the North Sea Canal Lock. A quick motor towards Amsterdam and taking a right turn at the Spaardam Lock and bridge entering the Zijkanaal C.

First Stop - Haarlem where we tied up just North of the Gravestenenbrug on the East Bank of the canal. Showers and toilets are in the old bridge keepers house at the Gravestenenbrug and access tokens were purchased at the harbor office. All within close walking distance to the boat. Truly a beautiful site, being tied up in the city center on the canal. Leneke and her daughter and boyfriend treated us to dinner at one of their local restaurants and by next morning, we were through the first swing bridge and heading off.

Leneke had discussed route planning with Ken with suggestions to take time to sail in the Kagerplassen. (small lake on the way).

This route led us to Leiden where we made plans to spend an entire day exploring. Docking at the Municipal harbor and "squeezing" into our box mooring, we were greeted by a local boater who explained where to go to pay for our mooring and showers.

Our departure the next day was a concern. The marina had filled up prior and we were not sure if getting the boat out of the mooring box would require us asking the boat on our port to leave its mooring in order for us to swing the stern to clear the pontoons. No problem in the end, as most boaters left early for their return home. (it was Sunday and the end of the weekend).

Rented a canal motor boat for a day cruise around the Dutch countrysides and the Leiden city canals. Extraordinary experience!

Discovered a wonderful Saturday Market that was open all day. Restocking of some great cheese and fish for dinner.

Lift Bridge on the way to Gouda.

Stopped and Inspected by the Dutch Coast Guard!

Six thousand miles of sailing from Key West to Oslo and back to Amsteredam – we were on our last leg with a slimming crew. Wendell had to jump off prior to the Kiel canal (again he allowed this work thing to interfere with a passion like sailing). Kristine, Dan Zarnstorff, his 16 year old daughter Hannah and I sailed on.

A stop in Cuxhaven, Germany - as the tide was running in providing a six knot current in the wrong direction – delayed our start. The Elbe river outlet of the Kiel canal to the North sea in Germany is a major shipping channel – again shipping lanes and mega cargo boats everywhere. As we turned West out of the Elbe river into the North sea the winds picked up to twenty plus from the West – rather then spend days tacking up wind in the North sea between shipping lanes we decided to motor. Added to the sauce were a number of larger storms – you know lightening, winds, rain and such. We used the radar to try to dodge the fronts and storms. After a night of storms, the sky cleared and the winds started to drop. By the time we arrived at the northwest corner of the Netherlands where we turn south towards Ijmuiden the winds were almost non existent, skies blue and we were out of diesel plus our plane home was leaving in less 48 hours …….. and we had a visitor!

At first a rather large impressive looking government boat circled around us a couple times from a distance. When you have neither wind nor any diesel circling is rather easy. Finally the Dutch ‘coast guard" sent out a smaller Zodiac with two personnel from the "mother" ship to board the Grateful Red.

We graciously accepted their invite to board our boat. The routine passport and paper check then the question I had been waiting on for the past two months …….. has anyone on board been certified for operation of the boat’s VHF radio? Ah ha, yes I have spent numerous wasted hours studying the rules of the global maritime distress safety system and taking the two FCC required exams to obtain a General Radio Operator License and be certified as a Section 7R operator. I immediately produced the license and certification – the two Dutch authorities check the box and ask if they can inspect the vessel. Of course – the crew never leaves the cockpit one individual does the vessel inspection. Checks some more boxes and declares that the Grateful Red and crew has passed the inspection. They offer us some diesel – we decline – why I am not sure. They return to the mother ship, we drift on.

Hannah kindly volunteers to drive in the low wind. As the day turns to evening the winds pick up from less then five knots to over ten knots. Hannah does a nice job driving as we move from drift to sail. By midnight the winds are good and rotating as we turn south, Kristine and I take over the night shift as we sail on to Den Helder – the former port for the Dutch navy – and diesel. Over 48 hours of sailing, two overnights from our last stop at Cuxhaven, Germany and less then six hours from Ijmuiden.

The last stretch gave us a early morning view of the Frisian Islands and Noord-Holland shorelines. We arrive in Ijmuiden at 3:30 Sunday afternoon. Dan and Hannah departed to Amsterdam early evening to be ready for their final leg (flight home to US) and Ken and Kristine made plans for the boats two week stay at the Seaport marina.

Heiliganhaven, Kiel Canal & Cuxhaven

Crew shot after Wendel departed.


Dinner Restaurant in Hieliganhaven.


Beautiful wood sailing vessel on the Kiel Haven prior to Canal opening.


Kiel Canal traffic.
Quiet anchorage we used on the Kiel Canal

Our new Russian friends in the Locks at the Kiel Canal

The last blog picture is of the Windmill farms just East of Copenhagen. This sight early in the morning encouraged some lively conversation. Picture of wonderful clifts of Denmark.
Our journey on Tuesday would only be a day sail. Hurrah! Klintholtz here we come. Hannah at the Helm.

A quick stop for lunch , we gourged on Herring at one of two restaurants there. A early decision that Klintholtz was not the place to spend much time at, we all decided to push on at 5pm, and departed for Germany. Ken looking his dapper best leaving the "herring-galore" restaurant.

With 80 miles to Heiligenhaven, we arrived early in the morning with plans to stay overnight.

The bridge leading to Heiliganhaven.

A lovely seaport resort area that reminded us of a bit like Door County with a European flair. Wendell made the decision that to make a prior scheduled event, he would have to jump ship and take a train back to Amsterdam. It was so great to have him with us for this part of the journey and we all were sad to see him go. So, next stop, Kiel Canal. A mere sail of 35 miles.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Arriving in Copenhagen Sunday afternoon was right out of the books. Beautiful old buildings and canals . Finding Christianshavn marina down a narrow canal, we tied up alongside another boat. Discussions followed with the other boaters as to who was leaving first, last, needing to be inside, outside. After a bit of "who's in charge" discussions, it was decided we would shift to the inside. (better for us).

Wendell in the "office". Only Wireless location the marina had.

Off we went in search of showers, bikes, internet and Dan's bakery! Found all with exception of bikes in no time. In our short time, we explored Copenhagens great shopping, center plaza's, the famous Icebar, Trivoli park and the Botanical Gardens past the City Center.

We enjoyed the short stop to Copenhagen and waved to the Little Mermaid along the shore as we motored out the Harbor on Monday, around 5AM.

Oslo and Beyond - New Crew, new adventure

Well, Our time in Oslo couldn't last. It was a wonderful, and will hold strong memories for all of us. We thank everyone who played a part in Grateful Reds cast and crew arriving safe and all partying well.

Wendell, Dan and Hannah all aboard, we set sail for Skagen Denmark. With wind in the Fjord blowing our way and a later start than planned we decide to sail directly to Skagen. No stops at along the Norway coastline as suggested by Harald. Let's start the new crew with an overnight sail.

Sailing overnight became tough as a storm appeared on the radar. We made a move to head into a big storm instead of have it hit us broadside. Wendell is the radar master but still we were wet. After about an hour of storm, things became better and we adjusted our course for Skagen. A major shipping lane runs between Oslo and and Skagen - we had to watch all night for BIG boat traffic. Finally as the sun rose Skagen appeared on the horizon - by six in the morning were at the Skagen "downtown" docks.

After Dans exploration and discovery of wonderful Danish pastries, Ken and I went to rent bikes. Our ride took us to the North Sea Side of Skagen where the dunes went for miles. Truly the most beautiful I have experienced.

One of the attractions in the Skagen-area is 'Den Tilsandede Kirke', ( the church buried in the sand,) the tower of which rises from the sand.This church was the largest medieval church in Denmark. It was closed by 1795because the sand kept blocking the doorway and finally the villagers gave uptrying to dig the sand out.

We stayed 24 lovely hours, made Copenhagen our next destination and left around 9am Saturday morning. Our sail encountered high winds and rain again, but we finally rafted up in Copenhagen Sunday around 1pm.