There is a heavy mist hanging over the harbor on the island of Marken. There were 13 boats of the “de Schinkel” yacht club at the start of this bi-annual event, yesterday. Most of the boats are kept in marinas nearby because they are too big for the Schinkel marina. Several of these members keep a day sailer at the Schinkel, as well.
The other three boast I left with and I, last Thursday night arrived here on Marken in the early afternoon on Friday. We had a nice breeze once we were through the Oranje locks into the former Zuiderzee. I made a brief stop in the harbor of Volendam. Just before entering Marken my engine started acting up. I started losing power and could only move at minimal speed. It is either a problem with the injectors, valves or a leak in the head gasket. I will try sail to the Oranje locks and then rely on one of the members to tow me back to my moorage at the club. If it is just a matter of injectors then I might be able to repair this right here.
My crew showed up yesterday morning, Judith from the club, Dirk Jan and Lucas. There was hardly any wind at all at the start and it took the last boat over an hour to get across the starting line. I made good use of the old “Gemini”, my Ranger 29, drifter. Then the wind picked up and we set the 145% Mylar Genoa. I had not used this sail since 1993, except for a couple of the September 2004 GHYC in the harbor races. The mylar sails are too difficult to fold by myself. We had our moments of glory on one of the legs of the course but with the slow start we ended up 9th place. But we all had a blast. These Schinkelers know how to party. The weather was outstanding, in the seventies. Several power boats of the club joined in on the event and there were gatherings in the cockpits all around in the raft up in the beautiful setting of this historic fishing village. Saturday night we all had dinner together and it was warm enough to all sit as a group on the restaurant’s terrace.
There is no Catholic church on the island, the only Catholics around the Zuiderzee are in Volendam. I’ll be attending service with theDutch Reformed here.
It is now Sunday evening and I am moored in Durgerdam, very close to Amsterdam, on the Old Zuiderzee. I was able to sail here. Gorgeous sail. A diesel mechanic will come to-morrow to check the engine. It is late. I will have more to share with you to-morrow on the last day of this fabulous weekend. I will make up a slide show of this very special Dutch treat.
