It’s February 14th, valentines day and my crew (Stuart, Yvan & Sandi) join me aboard BAIA in Vejle. They unpack their stuff and get a look around the boat. We head over to the pontoon in front of the harbor office to fill up the water tank and after making a plan for the next day we go out for dinner at Enzo-C and go to sleep.
We depart early in the morning. It’s cold, dark, foggy and no wind so we have to motor.
The plan is to stay in the fjords as there are strong winds forecast so we motor past Fredericia and stop for fuel in Middelfart as the webasto is running 24/7 its nice to keep the tank full.
Visibility is around 50 to 100 meters so we take it slow, but there is no other traffic around.
As there is a depression on the North Sea we don’t feel the need to rush to so we arrive in Assens at night for a good rest.
Early in the morning we fill up the diesel again as we are moored on the fuel pontoon anyways. And we head out again in darkness and fog. Destination Holtenau. It’s motoring for a long time until the wind picks up and we can finally set sail.
Visibility is a bit better too: we are able to see about half a nautical mile and we’re making good progress with the main and jib out. So we arrive in Holtenau with daylight and we stay the night at a wharf called Rathje. Not a fancy marina but nice shower and friendly service.
The berth that we got was very big so it was a bit challenging to tie BAIA up properly. Especially with the storm coming which would hit us next day. We went out for a nice dinner again and made our plan for the following day. The NOK (Nord-Ostsee Kanal).
We wake up to hauling winds and we get ready to motor to the lock. Its clear that it’s a busy day and we radio the lock master only to hear that its going to take a while and they don’t know how long. The sportboot waiting pontoon is a leeward the posts are protected with black rubber. Nice if you don’t care about your boat. But I don’t want black markings on the hull so we drift around in high winds until we get a spot in the lock and look at all the big ships entering and exiting the lock.
Then we get our radio call and are allowed in. And a while later when the lock door opens we get a strong headwind and realize that it’s going to be a longer day then expected. We motor all day and are passed by big vessels that have much more power to head into the wind. As the light begins to fade there is a fuel station along the route where we have planned to stop anyway. The wind was still gusting up to 35 knots and it was a leeward shore again. We try to dock for some fuel and some woman appears out of nowhere telling us that the fuel pontoon is closed for winter. (Maybe put a sign up somewhere along the channel entrance then?!)
So we abort and move on as there apparently is a fuel pontoon in Rendsburg, a little bit further. By now its dark and its still very challenging with the strong winds but we get her moored properly with help of a guy living on his boat. He came back from the toilet and saw us coming in, so decided to help. Very nice!
Sadly this fuel pontoon is closed too. So the next morning we use a marina cart to fill up the tank using Jerrycans as we’ll need more fuel to get to Brunsbuttel and on to Cuxhaven. BAIA’s tank is only 90 liters, but with the webasto still keeping us warm its a constant factor especially as there are little fuel stops in winter. Sandi sadly has to disembark as she’s got other things to do and Rendsburg apparently has a very good train connection for her to get back to Munich.
We say good bye to sandy and after getting some supplies we motor the rest of the NOK and arrive during daylight at the Brunsbuttel lock. We decide we need a good rest before moving on so we moor at the alternative sportboot dock as the normal ‘marina’ next to the lock is closed.
Its a nice place to watch the big ships come by and we enjoy a nice sunset. Finally able to see the sun after several days of bad weather! This alternative dock (53° 54.031’N / 9° 9.281’E) is a good place to wait in winter there is even shore power!
We enjoy some of Yvan’s cooking and make our plan for the next day to head to Cuxhaven. No need to rush as we can get the tide around mid day.
As we wake up and get ready we see a big ship dragging a tug to slow down and are impressed by what we see. For them its just a normal day at the ‘office’ and we are just happy to spectate.
We don’t have to wait for long and are allowed in the lock together with Active: an 88 meter general cargo ship which is small compared to what we’ve seen but still dwarfs us in the lock.
As we head out on the Elbe the weather is nice and we have the tide with us so we get to Cuxhaven very quickly. But not quick enough as we missed the bridge opportunity at 15:00 by arriving at 15:15. So we have a tour of all the tug boats until 16:00 and get past the bridge into the City Marina.
As there is another depression on the north sea we stay here for a day. This marina is well protected against the wind and we use the day off to rest and to get fuel and supplies for the rest of the trip.
But first it’s time for a beer and a good meal.
The next morning the winds are howling again and we have 21 knots of wind in this protected spot. So it was a good choice to stay here instead of trying to get to Helgoland.
We borrow one of the marina carts to get lots of diesel and supplies for this 200+Nm passage that we are doing the next day. The weather forecast shows westerly winds but decreasing. Not optimal if you want to go to the West but knowing BAIA can sail at speed on a 30° close reach we figure its okay to go anyways.
That evening we start working on our passage plan from Cuxhaven to IJmuiden. The idea is to sail non-stop as there are not many places we want to stop along the way and we need to be in IJmuiden before the next depression hits. We decide that Borkum and Vlieland are our ports of refuge and make our plan accordingly.
After confirming with the bridge we can leave at 06:00 the next day our Chef Yvan starts preparing the meals we will eat during this 40+ hour trip and Stuart and I tidy up the boat to get BAIA ready for sea.
We wake up Feb 21st at 04:30 and get ready to radio the bridge at 05:50. We head out to sea with the tide and still make good progress even though we have to motorsail again. We planned to stay 1Nm south of the eastbound TSS inside the inshore traffic zone. Its motoring into a light breeze all during the day and the night. The next day we get some wind and we can sail a long distance. Which is good as we’re burning through diesel and we don’t want to run out. So during a calm moment Yvan and I refueled a bit and added 32 liters from our Jerrycans into BAIA’s tank.
Just so that we don’t need to do that when the wind picks up.
The night was pretty uneventful and we are adjusting to our 1.5 hour rotational schedule. During the summer it’s easier, but now its cold and wet and not very pleasant. But we’re out sailing which beats sitting at a desk. So we’re fine with it.
During the day the wind shifts into a favorable angle so we can sail a lot which makes a big difference in speed. Especially with the tide behind us we’re really flying and enjoying the ride. Then the wind drops a bit but we’re still doing good speed.
While at the helm I suddenly see something moving in the cockpit. What’s that? A little bird has landed on deck. It looks very tired and its looking for a comfortable place to sit. After looking around it decides that sitting below the sprayhood is the best spot.
We don’t want to scare it so we sail the boat with ease and move around slowly. The bird is all fine with this and we guess it just needs a rest.
I give it some water and bread crumbs which it happily eats. I don’t know much about birds but I later found out that its a Sparrow.
After a while he decides he is good to go again and flies away. So we continue sailing.
I’m down below as I hear Stuart saying that the sparrow has returned. I walk up and see it in front of the companionway door looking in.
I open the companion way door as I want to go out and while I do that the bird just hops in! What?
He stands on the stairs and looks around the saloon. And then decides that there is a nice cozy spot for him below the nav station. So he goes over there and settles in. If a bird is that desperate then he really needs our help so I decide that its fine and let him sleep and recover. I put some extra water and bread next to him and we left him alone.
It’s Thursday the 23rd as we arrive around 04:00 AM in IJmuiden. We have to find our berth in the dark and park her stern to.
We’re all really tired as this last leg was over 40 hours and with a 3 man crew in cold winter weather it really takes a toll. But we’re happy to have completed the journey.
We close the logbook and get the boat ready for bed. I peek below the nav table and see our guest still curled up and sleeping. So we leave the companionway hatch open so it can leave if he wants to.
The alarm clock is set at 6:30 as I need to bring my crew back to Schiphol. Stuart is flying back to Wales and Yvan is taking a train to Belgium. It was great having them on board for this trip and I couldn’t have done this trip without them. Many thanks!
I look down the nav table and still see the bird sleeping. He has its beak between his feathers and I can see its breathing. So I decide to lock up the boat as I will not be gone for long. I get a shower and drive back to the Marina. I get a call from the Animal Ambulance that they were on their way to collect the sparrow. As this species is protected they wanted to bring it to a bird hospital to get him checked out before releasing him again.
Then I discover I had left my keys back home. So I had to drive back and forth a second time. Stupid! As the bird probably had woken up I drove pretty quickly knowing that the Animal Ambulance were on their way too.
So it’s Just my luck that I get pulled over for speeding. That will probably cost a pretty penny but fortunately I was allowed to continue. And I’ll see what the fine will be. My concerns were with the bird being trapped and possibly hurting himself for getting out.
I finally get back to the marina and find the sparrow awake.
He had looked all over the boat trying to get out and its calm now. I get in clean up and feed it some more. I get a call from the Animal Ambulance that they have some high priority calls and are understaffed so it would take some more time before they got there.
So I just continue doing my own thing aboard and the sparrow did its thing. Looking around and starting to check out what I was doing.
It’s clear that it’s not scared of me and it actually was interacting with me.
I found the website of the Dutch “bird protection agency” and they had an audio clip online with sparrows singing. So I played that and the sparrow felt right at home and started singing too. When I opened the bathroom door he went inside and saw himself in the mirror and instantly started chirping. Probably thought there was another sparrow.
It kept coming closer to me. Not being scared and at some point I was able to pet it. It seemed to enjoy that and from then on he was fine with standing on my hand or sitting on my shoulder.
So we spent some hours like this until the Animal Ambulance finally showed up.
It was a friendly guy and he told me that this sparrow probably lost its group while flying north. So he’s lucky that we were sailing there as there was nothing out there.
He quickly grabbed the sparrow and but it in a box. I was a bit surprised by this as there was no need to treat the bird this ‘rough’. Apparently there was no time to say goodbye. I walked him to his van and he told me that the sparrow would be transferred to Vogelhospitaal Haarlem where he’ll be checked out and released if healthy and fit to fly. Which is obviously a better place than the industrial area of IJmuiden.
I sent an e-mail to the Vogelhospitaal so I hope I hear how he’s doing. For now I’ll just assume he’s fine.
So fare well my little friend. Hope you are well and happily continuing on your journey. It’s been a very special experience for me.
418 Nautical Miles (actually 438Nm if I add the Juelsminde – Vejle part) but BAIA is in here new home port.
And it’s been one awesome adventure and technically my first yacht delivery as a RYA Yachtmaster.
Many thanks to my crew: Stuart, Yvan and Sandi!
Now it’s time to focus on the next things in life. I’ll be flying to Lanzarote in March as I’m attending RYA Cruising Instructor course at Endeavour Sailing.
For now I’m happy to be home again and spend some time with my Norwegian Forest cats who are happy that I’m here again.
