We chose the Mistral 950 again this year because it’s a great boat. Last winter, Alexander gave it a makeover, and it’s now a bit lower to the water. It was a bit of a shame that the window had to be removed to reduce wind resistance, but now we were able to sail from Drachten all the way to Dokkum—and it’s absolutely beautiful passing under all those little bridges and through those charming little towns along the way. Leeuwarden was also pleasantly bustling for Liberation Day; there were lots of military vehicles—both amphibious and land-based—and they all paraded through the Prinsentuin. On the last day, we spent the night in Akkrum at a very small visitor marina for boats no longer than 10 meters; it was a bit cramped there, but everyone helps each other with mooring and unmooring, so that went just fine. We stopped there for a nightcap at a very cozy little pub where the bar looks like a sailboat. Once again this year, we had a great time sailing around, enjoyed beautiful weather, and had a delicious meal in Terherne.
Dates: May 2–May 9, 2011
Route: Terherne, Drachten, Dokkum, Leeuwarden, Akkrum, Terherne.
Boat: Aquanaut 950 Mistral
Gijs and Aartje van Bloemendaal.
