August 1st, 2009

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August 1- “Fleetwood” returns to Jack’s old neighborhood

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

At 15.30 hrs UTC Im am at 44.19 N 11.57 W with 3995 miles to go. Only a 75 mile day. A near gale force wind piped up from the west at midnight. All sails went down and the building waves and clocking wind, to the North, slowed me down to about 2 knots and set me off course. With a slightly calmer morning the direction and speed improved to 3 1/2 knots with he storm jib. Just an hour ago I was able to rehoist the main with 3 reefs in it, doing better yet.

The polling of a number of Dutch sailing friends has resulted in a better than I could have hoped for mooring spot. John van Doorn, friend of Magda & Kees Scholten, managed to get me a spot at the WSV (Y.C.) “de Schinkel”. This is on the Southern edge of Amsterdam, near Schiphol, 10 minutes on the klapfiets to my sister’s home in Badhhoevedorp, 5 minutes from Evelyn in Amstelveen. My father’s younger brother, Fred van Ommen, was a member here for many years. John van Doorn remembers him. I used to do some of my earliest sailing from the “Schinkel” with my uncle and our long neighborhood friend Dick Hooijer’s parents were members and we used to sail with Dick from the “Schinkel”. Memory Lane……. I can live aboard. It is a 5 minute walk from a metro station. Sailing options are somewhat limited in the immediate vicinity but the Ijselmeer and the North Sea can be reached through two locks and opening bridges through the city of Amsterdam on restricted schedules. It fits me to a tee for the beginning of the Dutch visit and I will then get a chance to look for a possible move closer to the Ijselmeer or Friesland for the summer of 2010. I am hoping to organize a get together for family and friends shortly after the arrival to celebrate the return to my roots, hopefully at the “Schinkel” if facilities permit. Stay tuned.