We bought the boat in Antwerp in Belgium and have to bring it to Hoorn in The Netherlands. It will be an exciting trip over the Dutch rivers.
It's so many years ago that I motored/sailed on the Dutch waters. Last time was in the early eighties with Smitan, the ferrocement Colin Archer with which I sailed to Africa and Brasil with my German girlfriend Edith. See my Water Ocean Experience.
This time it will be Ineke, my boat partner and my best friends Anneke and Ton who join in the trip.
Coming back from Greece, I will prepare the boat with filling up with diesel and water.
On the 11th of March we will start and use 3-4 days, quiet and easy, to sail the 140 Nm. Speed is about 5-6 knots and we will have to deal with a number of locks and bridges.
In Hoorn we will do a thorough cleaning of the boat and go through all the items that are in the lockers. Some of the old equipment will be taken out and new (2nd hand) will be installed.
All together a preparation for the next trip from Hoorn to Caleta de Velez in Spain.
15th of May (if weather permits) we leave for IJmuiden with a nice crew. I found 3 people to join me in this escapade.
The first 2-3 days are used on the Markermeer (maybe IJsselmeer) to give the crew the possibility to get to know the boat.
After that the course is set for Amsterdam and IJmuiden where we will stay the night over, in Seaport Marina.
After breakfast is cleaned up, Zephyr motors out and hits the salty water of the North Sea, heading for the warmer region of the Mediterranean. Total length of the voyage is about 1.500Nm.
Falmouth and Leixoes Marina is the goal (both depending on circumstances). We stay there 1-2 days to have the posibility to visit the area.
Well rest and slept we continue to Caleta with a small celebration on the route.
Even though alcohol is a no-go on board of Zephyr while sailing, one glass is emptied when passing the most western cape of Europe, Cabo da Roca, Portugal.
We expect to arrive in Caleta de Velez around 2 weeks after departure in IJmuiden.
Thrilled and excited we (Ineke and me) drove to Antwerp on Saturday the 29thy of November.
The day before I had arrived from Greece where I was overwintering and where I read about this boat.
After we arrived and found Zephyr I got a good feeling: this was the type of boat I was looking for, the motorsailer that would allow me to live on and explore (some of) the 7 seas.
After driving around half of the year, visiting Spain, Italy, Croatia, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, I ended up in Greece.
My plan was to stay for some months in a small house that I rented in the Peloponesos. See the places I stayed on trhis map.
After all, the Peloponnesos is one of the warmer places in Europe and it gave me the possibility to invite some friends over to visit me.
In April I would start driving towards Italy and continue the vanlife as planned.
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