OGA Member, Mary Gibbs shares her reasons for joining the Dutch Cross Country Tour in 2014, having just become the owner of a 19 foot gaffer, ‘Molly Cobbler’.

As I became the owner of ‘Molly Cobbler’, 19 foot gaffer, last November, I heard about the OGA Netherlands Cross Country Tour and immediately wanted to go, with ‘Molly’. I realised it would sound like lunacy to many people, sailors or not, but, the more I thought about it, the more I could not see why ‘Molly’ could not do it. I thought I was more likely to be the weak link.

The more I sailed her, the more I wanted to take her to the Netherlands. Other OGA members were encouraging, and I found a volunteer crew for the North Sea passage. But the winds continued light and variable and his time ran out. I emailed and texted all and sundry, and was delighted when Jolyan Lumai, who I’d sailed with last year on the Round Britain Challenge on ‘Minstrel’, was able to come with me. That was decided on Thursday 26 June, then things moved fast. I headed for Harwich on Friday, Jolyan came up by train on Saturday and early Sunday morning we headed east.

We had, of course, to be careful of big shipping lanes. With a Force 3 northerly and all plain sail we made over four knots at first, following the port hand buoys along the south side of the shipping lane. When we had to turn southerly we lost some speed. The NNW got stronger while Jolyan was resting below, and when he came back up, we furled the staysail and reefed the main, turning east.

When I came up from my rest, I was pleased to hear we were maintaining a speed of over 4.5 knots. ‘Molly’ coped beautifully, though the seas were becoming gradually more ‘lumpy’, and waves splashed aboard from time to time. Once out of the Sunk TSS we turned southeast. Ahead was the long straight passage towards Belgium, which crossed the wide Noord Hinder South TSS, fortunately without a change of course.

The waves were still flashing in the sun, but we could see dark grey showers passing, though none came close. The wind continued steady between north and north-northwest, Force 4-5, though sometimes gusting Force 6. The only ship we came anywhere near was anchored, though it took us a while to be sure of that, from a distance!

We crossed the West Hinder TSS as the sun sank, then turned northeast along the coast with the tide against us, a long slow slog, on a rather rolly beam reach. We motored into Oostende harbour at 0315 BST (just under 21 hours for about 80 miles or so), and had a short sleep there before heading out again at 1245 ET, to catch the tide along the coast.

It was lovely sailing, still with a north-northwesterly, but lighter: after discussion, we decided to motorsail so as not to have to stop in Zeebrugge. We moored on the visitors’ pontoon in Breskens at 1730 ET; ‘Molly’ had made it to the Netherlands, between 110 and 120 miles, in 36 hours including rest.

Gouda, famous for cheese-making, makes a welcome haven for the OGA fleet on passage through the Netherlands.

The Museum Haven Cafe ‘t IJsselmeer House has a rich maritime history, having been built in 1912 as a guardhouse for skippers at Mallegat Luis. The waiting room is in the shape of a Greek cross, making a striking entrance to the city, both from the west side of the Schie Lands High Seawall, and from the river IJssel. It’s here that the 60-strong OGA fleet was made welcome during their ‘Cross Country Tour’, 29 – 30 July 2014.

The boatmen sometimes had to wait several days for the lock, so the guardroom became crowded, with many skippers having too much to drink.

The building served as a waiting room for local skippers until the new Juliana Luis was built in 1938. Since then, the building operated as a shop, selling refreshments to passers-by. The route over the Schie Lands High Seawall and Mallegat Bridge was then still the shortest route between Rotterdam and Utrecht, as the A20 and A12 were not completed until the 1960s. ?Later, the building was used by artist Rob Veenhof as a home and studio for his fashion creations.

The Museum Harbour purchased the building in 1992.

Gouda has been an important Dutch harbour since the 12th century, and became a key transit port in 1587, with the constuction of the first Mallegat Luis.

With its many canals and inland waterways, the early Dutch industrialists preferred to move their goods by ship, developing craft well-suited to the local geography and weather conditions, using horses and manpower to haul boats of pole them along with a ‘geboomd’.

The OGA fleet left Amsterdam for a short, leisurely passage to Durgerdam on Sunday 3 August. The historic Waterlandse Zeedijk at Durgerdam, originally constructed in the 13th century, rebuilt after a flood in 1421 and once again rebuilt after a fire in the 1687, was of major importance. It protected the hinterland, below sea-level, from the powerful waters of the Zuiderzee. In 1905 Durgerdam’s fishing fleet numbered 135 vessels and 256 fishermen.

The OGA fleet was made most welcome at the Yacht Harbour, with a party ashore and ferry service provided by Fred in his motor launch for those at anchor. The multi-coloured, wooden houses stretch along the dyke, making a picturesque backdrop to the 300-berth marina with anchorages just offshore. Several gaffers enjoyed an excellent evening meal at the only restaurant, de Oude Taveernein an idyllic setting overlooking the Ijsselmeer.

Young East Coast trainee boatbuilder, Abbey, joins the crew of ‘Gwenili’, arriving by train and taxi in the evening. Concerned at the likelihood of storms in the wake of Hurricane Bertha, ‘Lillibulero’, ‘Witch’ and ‘Cygnet of London’ leave the fleet at Durgerdam to make passage back to the English East Coast.

Tuesday 5 August is declared ‘Ladies day’ with every OGA vessel commanded by a lady. The hot sunshine and light fair winds provide excellent conditions for the race over the Hoornse Hop from Edam to Hoorn, with line honours going to ‘Gwenili’ and young helmswoman Abbey receiving the ‘exchange’ prize of a giant OGA cushion at the prizegiving in Enkhuisen on Wednesday night.

Once again, the fleet was made most welcome at the Yacht Harbour in Hoorn, taking over the restaurant for an evening meal and being provided with berths together, in a cosy corner of this historic town dating back to 1250, and an important port for the Dutch East India Company from the 16th century. A large group of skippers and crews took up the chance to sail on a botter during the early evening, a typical boat of the area, with a specially arranged visit to the small museum of historic vessels.

Wednesday dawns more cloudy and windy than the fleet has been accustomed to, as we begin to feel the effects of Hurricane Bertha’s tail end. Everyone sets sail for Enkhuisen, looking forward to the anniversary dinner and celebrations at the Zeevaartschool.

As they arrive into Enkhuisen, the fleet of around 40 boats causes quite a stir with a throng of enthusiastic onlookers. The bridge-master opens and closes the bridge, alternating access between the steady procession of OGA boats under motor, and groups of pedestrians and cyclists going about their daily business.

Enkhuisen was famous for it’s herring fleet, working into the 1930s when the closure of the Zuiderzee prevented herring coming into the lake. Alongside the fisheries, many farmers lived in Enkhuisen, rowing out to tend their meadows in the hinterland. Today, the city remains an important maritime centre and includes the only sailing school in Holland training professional officers for the sail trade. In the grounds of the school, there’s a replica square rigger used for training.

It’s here at the Zeevaartschool that skippers and crews are provided with a magnificent feast of fish soup on arrival, seafood in abundance, with fresh breads, meat and vegetarian options to keep everyone’s dietary preferences well-satisfied. The sailing school made us most welcome, with plenty of space for our large gathering of around a hundred gaffers.

Cees van Spierenburg, Dutch OGA President, gave an address, awardomg the Victoria Trophy to Keith and Julie on ‘Maryll’. After the speeches and prizegiving, everyone danced the night away to the jazz, jive and blues sounds from excellent band, Let’s jump!

As the forecast worsens, there’s concerns for smaller boats being unable to return if the fleet sails to Friesland as planned. After listening to an organ recital in the city church at Enkhuisen, the majority of the fleet made passage to Den Oever, a day earlier than planned, spending the last few days of the tour in Den Helder, where some boats remain, unable to make passage homeward.
Despite some sore heads from the Anniversary party, a good gathering of gaffers arrived at the church for an organ recital before the daily briefing, when the organisers decided to change the plan and sail straight to Den Oever.

After being towed into harbours since Durgerdam, but enjoying the opportunity to sail the Ijsselmeer, skipper and crew Mike and Dan Shaw of Solent boat ‘Susan J’ bade farewell to the fleet to await an engineer to repair the gearbox. Dirk Peeters and Florence Meganck, part of the organising team from Wemeldinge in the south had travelled up to join the anniversary party.

The forecast was beginning to look bad with storms brewing in the North Sea, making a passage across the Ijsselmeer to Friesland and returning a couple of days later unsuitable, particularly for the smaller boats. A few of the larger boats made the trip to Workum and thoroughly enjoyed both the sailing and the welcome at Wokum, but most of the fleet cruised to Den Oever in bright sunshine and light airs. The calm before the storm.

Friday dawned and some took part in the short race to Den Helder, passing through the salt and tidal waters of the Waddenzee and out into the North Sea, whilst others enjoyed the final cruise of the Cross Country Tour.

The fleet berth together in the marina, after passing through the numerous locks and bridges of the Dutch naval base, also important for servicing offshore gas and oil industries. As skippers study weather forecasts, ferry and train timetables in planning their homeward journeys there’s a few final activities the Dutch organisers have in store.

On Saturday afternoon, gaffers are invited to visit ‘Nordlys IV’, a restoration campaign based in Den Helder and managed by Fairtransport Shipping, operators of the engineless cargo ship ‘Tres Hombres’. There’s chocolate, rum and coffee to sample, all transported solely under sail.

The final presentations, awards and farewells are held in the NJoy restaurant and everyone starts to make plans for their departure.