Returning to Netherlands

Noorderzon

We arrived in Medemblik on the 26th October 2014, at about 10.30, I had arranged to meet Hans our skipper for the trip to Harlingen on board Noorderzon, to check over the ship before the trip the following day.

Having checked into the Medemblik Hotel, I settled down for the evening to read my emails and Face Book.
The following day we were to cruise to  across the IIjsselmeer through the sea lock and up the coast Harlingen, so went to bed early.

Smoking

We started the engine at 9 am, it hadn't run for about 2 years, and was very smokey, we ran it for a while to make sure they were going to run OK, at 9.30 we cast off the lines and headed out onto the Ijsselmeer, it took us about 3.5 hours to reach the sea port, we had no problems with the engine, although it was still smoking a bit, we shared the Lock with a German yacht and a small tug.

Just left sea lock

 Waiting for the bridge to open

The rest of the trip took us about 1.5 hours to get to the shipyard where Noorderzon was to be lifted out for the survey on Friday

Jill drove to Harlingen, to meet us, we had agreed to take Hans & Mick back to Medemblik, but as we got onto the Afsluitdijk the traffic stopped, and we were stuck for about 45 minutes, because the bridge got stuck open.
We eventually got to Medemblik and dropped them off, we went back to the hotel, then took the dogs for a walk around town.
Tuesday morning we moved to a hotel in Harlingen, 't Heerenlogement, it was a very old hotel, and I had to carry Zac up & down the spiral staircase everytime we went out.
I have to say the hotel was like Faulty Towers meets 'ello 'ello, the restaurant manager was a very strainge guy indeed, he hovered around all the time.
The hotel manager was a great chap, he went out of his way to be helpful, and even when we checked out early, he said he would only charge us for one dog as they are small dogs.

Wednesday afternoon Jill and I went to the shipyard to meet Paul our surveyor, we were taking her for a short sea trial up the canal for a couple of miles, so Paul could assess the engine and also check how she handled, we had a skipper from the yard aboard, as I have not got my ICC Certificate yet so I couldn't take her out on my own.

I did get to steer her most of the trip, and turn her round in the canal.

Thursday we went to the yard again, this time to see her lifted out, all 116 tons of her.

The lift went without a hitch, and she was on the frame and the hull was being jet washed, 

Noorderzon was now ready for Paul to do the survey the next day, he couldn't get it all done on Friday, so had to finish it on Monday, we were having a pre-buyers survey, of the complete ship, as it is to be our home.

       On the Crane

Monday came and we had spent all weekend looking around Harlingen, and even went back to Medemblik for lunch in our favourite cafe de Kwikkel for pancakes.

Well that's all for now.