EXPLORING EUROPE BY BOAT

We spent an enjoyable year throughout 2001 cruising up and down the Thames, confirming our view that it is a great river for boaters. However during the long winter months our thoughts turned to experiencing foreign waters once more and so this summer we are planning an extended visit to The Netherlands. We have heard from boating friends that it is an ideal place to visit by boat, as facilities are numerous and the people friendly and welcoming. We can hardly wait to be there.

Part of the pleasure in embarking on such a trip as this is to read up about the region in the preceding winter. Unfortunately there is not much in the way of published material about boating in The Netherlands. We have found only one book which covers the Dutch Waterways. This is "Cruising Guide to the Netherlands" by Brian Navin. Although first published in 1988, it has recently been updated (unfortunately just after we bought the older version!).

However, we have been lucky to make contact with Martin Paterson, an Englishman living in The Netherlands, who has provided us with lots of practical information about using the Dutch Canals, and also given us the URLs of some useful Websites. Also Peter Groen, a Dutchman was very helpful in setting up a Dutch I.S.P. for us. Many thanks, Martin and Peter.

Most of April was spent preparing the boat for the trip. We took the opportunity to thoroughly clean and polish the hull whilst it was on the hardstanding. It was also an ideal time to clear the limescale which had attached itself firmly to the shafts, propellers and rudders. The bottom was antifouled, the engines were serviced and Colin of Machoods made us a new canopy, tonneau cover and a see through cover for the instrument panel. If the weather is kind we hope to pack the canopy away, relying on the instrument cover to protect the instruments from the elements and use the tonneau at night.

We bought a few Dutch charts to cover the areas we will cruise first. The rest we will buy in Holland, as they are so much cheaper over there. It's alsways exciting studying the charts and planning where we shall go and what places we want to visit. Initially our plan is to travel down the Thames, following the coast down to Ramsgate. As soon as the conditions are right we will cross over to the French coast, heading for Calais and following the coastline until we reach Nieuepoort. This route, although longer, will provide us with several boltholes if the situation deteriorates. As we are not a fast boat, it seems the most sensible option.

We will refuel at Nieuwpoort, taking advantage of the duty free diesel, before heading into the Belgian Canals as we would like to visit Bruges and Gent. (We had planned but were unable to visit these two cities at the end of our French trip). From there we may go to Antwerp or we may head straight for Holland, entering at Terneuzen on the Westerschelde. The beauty of having so much time is that we don't have to have a rigid schedule.

PLANNING THE TRIP

THE SEA CROSSING
	The Macmillan Reeds Nautical Almanac		Admiralty Small Craft Charts & Folios: SC1185 River Thames-Sea Reach SC1607 Thames Estuary-Southern Part SC323 Dover Strait-Eastern Part SC5605 Ramsgate to Chichester - including Dover Straits

BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THE BELGIAN AND DUTCH WATERWAYS
	Itinéraires fluviaux de Belgique - Navicarte 23
	Nauticring Vaarkaart Nederland - an overall planning chart
	Dutch Small Crafts Charts Nos 1803, 1805, 1807
	ANWB/VVV Waterkaart -J- Grote Rivieren West
	ANWB WaterAlmanak 1 - It is a legal requirement to have this on board. It is however all in Dutch.
	ANWB WaterAlmanak 2 - Also in Dutch, however it contains the opening times of bridges and locks in each town.

USEFUL BOOKS TO READ
	Planning a Foreign Cruise Vol 1- RYA & Cruising Association A useful book for planning a cruise visiting European countries, providing the regulations and requirements for each.
	Cruising Guide to the Netherlands - Brian Navin A helpful book which covers 21 waterway routes with descriptions of features and facilities.
	The Green Guide - The Netherlands - Michelin. A general Tourist guide covering the main sights and attractions

REQUIRED READING
	'The RYA Book of EuroRegs for Inland Waterways - A pleasure boater's guide to CEVNI' - Marion Martin CEVNI (Code Européen des Voies de Navigation Intérieure) is a United Nations publication which unifies signs and signals and standardises navigational procedures on the European Inland Waterway System. We had to study this book in order to take the RYA test which then made our Certificate of Competence valid for use on continental inland waterways.

DOCUMENTATION
	There are several essential documents that are needed on the trip. They are:-
	The boat's Certificate of Registry ( in our case The Small Ships Register)
	Boat Insurance
	Ship's Radio Licence
	Radio Operators Certificate
	Proof of VAT paid
	International Certificate of Competence (ICC) + our Yachtmaster Shorebased completion certificate as we may sail on the Scheldt Estuary, Ijsselmeer, the Eems, the Dollard and the Waddenzee. An ICC on its own is not sufficient for these waterways.
	Copy of CEVNI Regulations
	Copy of ANWB WaterAlmanak Vol 1
	Passports
	E111 -for Medical Cover in the European community

ESSENTIAL ITEMS TO TAKE WITH US...
25 litre fuel can - just in case we have to fill up from a garage
Trolley - to carry shopping to the boat from the supermarkets
Flat hosepipe on a reel for drinking water
Various connectors for different size taps that we may encounter
Various electrical adaptors - so we can plug into the electricity supply at the marinas
Extra long rope - for deep locks
A red rectangular flag with a white rectangular centre, which has to be flown from a jack staff whilst underway in Belgium - we've made one of these as couldn't find one in the UK
Belgian and Dutch courtesy flag
Safety equipment - for sea passages
Folding bicycles - for trips to buy supplies when it is too far to walk
Dutch phrasebook - for those tricky moments of incomprehension
Laptop computer
Digital Camera
Mobile phone and Nokia Datasuite
We'll let you know if we've forgotten anything !

...AND DO WHEN WE GET THERE
Purchase an Inland Waterway Licence from the first lock in Belgium and from a Post Office in The Netherlands. It is required in The Netherlands if a boat is under 20 metres in length and can exceed 11 knots, for stays of over three weeks.
Fill up with diesel at Nieuwpoort. This should last us quite a while because keeping to the slow speeds required on the inland waterways, we won't use up much fuel.

As with our travels in the French Waterways, we hope to be able to keep friends and family informed of our adventures through e-mail and by updates in this section of our website. And of course we hope that we will receive e-mails as well !!

	Forward to Report One - Ramsgate to Vlissingen.
	Forward to Report Two - Ternheuzen to Biesbosch - Delta Region.
	Forward to Report Three - Biesbosch to Hattem - The Great Rivers.
	Forward to Report Four - Hattem to Heerenveen via Leeuwarden .
	Forward to Report Five - Heerenveen to Kampen .
	Forward to Report Six - Kampen to Gouda.
	Forward to Report Seven - Gouda to Reading.
	Back to THE NETHERLANDS Homepage
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