Ellos - UK Leg 5: Cuxhaven - Den Helder (Holland) 26/9/23 187NM

We left Cuxhaven at 1100 the folowing day in an aramada of yachts who, like us, had been waiting for the tide and hoisted the sails in not much wind. But with a bit of help from the iron sail, Atom scythed though the water at 7.5kts plus and more than 9kts over the ground. A beautiful days motor sailng followed as we gently negotiated the TSS regulations of North Holland, dutifully flying our motorsailing cone!

As night fell the wind built from the NE and David and Judith were treated to four hours of absolutley tramping sailng. The wind decided not to play ball however, and less than an hour after the watch change it swung SW and died, so poor Donald and Julia motored for the next four hours. A beautiful morning dawned over the Fresian Island of Texel and the hours following breakfast (blueberry jam and cheese sandwiches for David, porridge or meusli for the others) were seeming endless! A morning was spent navigating the islands and shallow water against a direct headwind under motor to access the channel into Den Helder. As we turned North for the last hour we popped the sails up and Atom barreled into Den Helder with great alacrity avoiding a Dutch naval frigate that seemed to be training Midshipmen in the harbour entrance.

KMJC Marina in Den Helder in managed by the Royal Dutch Navy. The entrance was barely 6m wide between the piles and it looks very commercial, but KMJC is a truly fantastic marina. We had called ahead and the harbour master was waiting for us on the fuel dock and then again on our berth, it cost very little and the marina fee included unlimited laundry, hoses cut to length with blocks to keep them from falling in the water, the loan of a hoover and access to the officers club restaurant for supper.

We had a great dinner and then spent Thursday in Den Helder, hiding from the gale, provisioning the boat for what would be our longest leg, cleaning her and doing even more laundry! Thursday also provided an opportunity for Julia to jump ship so she could get to work without stress the following Monday. Just 310 miles left to go, and we planned to do it in one hop the following morning on a favourable tide when we hoped the slop from the gale might have died down a little.