#seasthefuture Scotlands International Marine conference

 Hi everybody. We are well and heading for Amsterdam through Kliener sluise lock. They make gas platforms at Ijmoiden and there is a TA TA steel plant and huge cement factory we have to pass before we get to the lock. Loads of big ships .It was abit nervewracking but we got there. Radioed ahead to the lock . They started to open the doors and turn the bridge to let us in.
We did go in a bit fast and i struggled to get the loop over the stubby willie as Mark put it.. I did get it but the boat was moving to fast and my arm got dragged through the metal mast stays , before she finally slowed to a stop.
It hurt like hell but didn't cause much damage just took some skin of from my elbow to my hand.. We were lower and it seemed like ages before the water finally came up . But it was only a few minutes.
Lessons have been learned by both of us but that was our first lock EVER, We and Lal came out the other end fine and well and i am glad it was me that got the scratches . At least i will heal and won't need a paint job.

 It may see like we are in a large river but it is a canal. This bit was lovely and peaceful. We wanted to stop and check Lals engine but there were no mooring places and the sides of the canal are made of large rocks.
I get the feeling that the engine is going to be an on going thing we will have to be constantly aware of.
We were motoring into the wind but plenty of yachts were sailing back down. We had to keep a watchful eye out all the time for large barges and even huge container ships that were being tugged up and down.

 It was scary at times . The barges appear slow but they catch up quick. With so many ports for container ships all the way to Amsterdam we had to be careful of tug boats cutting in front of us to get to the ports. There was petrol refinarys and brewerys along the route and a huge septic plant , so we had some really interesting smells. I will have to take Marks word for it . I am still full of the cold and spent most of today with ack ack in my ears and not being able to smell
I took the tiller as much as Mark but i have to admit when it came to a tricky bit like trying to judge if i could get behind one ferry coming across before the other one sitting set off. i did defer to Mark And as for Amsterdam well it was chaos personified so i kept alookout for boats coming up from behind and small tiny boats cutting out infront as well as trying to find the entrance to the Marina

It was hell.. There was at one point four of us side by side going up the channel and i think the same amount coming down it. With motorised row boats ducking and diving between us to cut straight across

These three pictures are of the lock and our relief at getting through it. We were lucky with the weather as you can see. And it was a nice end to our stay in Ijmoiden. I did have to nip to the beach and grab a carrier bag of sand for the cats litter tray. The little shop at the marina was quite good and had loads of stuff for cats and dogs but no kitty litter.

 Our supply had got used up rather quicker than we thought , thanks to the repercussions of the sea voyage.
It has a lovely beach with cafes on the sand. It is well worth a few days here to enjoy . We wanted to leave on a sunday hoping that the canal to Amsterdam would be quieter than on a weekday and we found at 52 euros for two nights, Seaport to be rather an expensive Marina. it is still a young one and has good facilities but the price did put us of staying longer .
I dont really consider 10 metres to be a large boat so i dread to think how much some of the large yachts were paying.. It is a nice welcome into the Netherlands and a good resting point.

As you can probably tell , i hate having my photo taken. I only have this gormless look on my face when somebody says "smile" I can smile properly if i don't think about it.

 This tug was not there and then it was . When it was in the distance i could not tell if it was coming or going and then i understood why when it passed us in reverse. I waved but got no response . Some of the yachtys wave and the people in the lock tower waved back when i waved at them , so i am putting their grumpiness down to working on a sunday and they are forgiven..Been there and even if your sunday is a friday its still abit shit working on a weekend day.

 It is in the distance because look at the length of it. We thought it was to tugs one pushing one pulling . It came up really fast so we pulled in abit to let it past.

Amsterdam. Very very busy and everything is very big and rather chaotic.. this is where your wits have to be about you.Mark took over here and i became whats coming up behind infront and across watch person . While also trying to read a sketchy map and find the marina.

At this point we thought we had missed it and were looking for any group of masts that looked like a mooring place As you can see this big bugger restricted our view somewhat.
could really do with a huge big learner flag at this point.  and indicators and maybe paint the boat flourscent yellow. Its abit like a huge motor way but the lanes aren't marked all the way just in bits then all of a sudden with out any signs comes a bloody big roundabout.
Motorised rowing boats were like little sparrows flitting in and out just missing everything. Which was bad enough but when you looked at the helmsman he was so bloody laid back , he was just about a sleep.

We found the marina we thought we had missed . It looked huge on the map but was hidden behind houses and trees. We managed to avoid the ferries darting between the station and back found a gap and the mans got balls, went for it. Got to the otherside , couldn't see an entrance to the marina and it was pur luck another boat was going in and we folowed it. He moored up we went to do so as well . Both of us got yelled at and alot of whistling we stopped he stopped . The other guy was allowed to moor where he was . i was getting yelled at in dutch but couldn't get a word in to say i couldn't understand him.  Finally i got can you speak English i am so sorry . He deflated abit said yes he could asked us our length pointed to the tiniest of spaces and Mark did it. If you are reading this . He needs a clap on the back. The space was tiny , i had to push the fenders of the huge speedboat past ours and push of his boat while the people in the other boat on the other side pulled us over . It was a squeeze. And Lals engine is still not right and wasn't happy ticking over. You should see her dirty bum. Mark is as i write this trying to get part numbers and find out why she is so sooty. Getting ready for the 4 mile walk he has to do tomorrow to get the chandler that the boatyard guy at Ijmoiden thinks might be able to help us.
The marina master helped us moor up and was very good at explaining how we pay and what we get.
Thought we were mad going through to France. In a very grave voice he said lots of bridges lots of lock. Need lots of time. We said time we got and he went Yea well then good luck.
Ijmoiden was 52 euros for 2 nights a lovely place and a great rest stop but the price limited our stay. Six haven Marina in the middle of Amsterdam. 34 euros  for 2 nights. At Ijmoiden we had to pay for water and washing machines , free showers toilets  and power. At six haven it is the same but we also get to use the free ferry across to the amazing impressive central station .This gets us into the city itself.
WHAT A CITY
People who come for the weekend cant possibly do it justice . There is too much to see and do. We were met by a silvery sea of sparkling handlebars as far as the eye could see. They are everywhere and have priority over pedestrians at crossings . So always check to see if any are coming . Even if the wee manny is on green. They have a double cycle lane on each side of the road then there is a lane for cars on each side and then a tramline running up the middle. ALWAY'S USE THE CROSSING..
We walked and looked at the marvelous archetechture Modern mixed with the slender tall buildings associated with Amsterdam. Small canals are snuggled behind them with various craft in them. Beautiful dutch barges line the bigger canals with their masts up and their huge lee boards like beetle wings on the side.
Photos will be forthcoming when Marks phone charges .We found a chip shop tucked in beside a vegetarian shop and on the same side of the street as the huge swisse hotel. We got abit lost so i don't know what the street is called. He tosses his chips with salt in a blanket. Has won many awards and deserves to. Just look for a huge queue. the chips were 5 euros for a cone big enough for two. get your drinks elsewhere 2.50 euros for a bottle of coke.
We found a bench across the street to eat them . Many people will notice that the girls here ride there lovely old looking bikes in skirts. If you are sitting at a certain level you will also notice quite a few of them don't wear any knickers. I almost choked on my chips but it does explain why Mark had his eyes directed to the pavement. Nice and breezy , keeps everything nice and fresh.
Well tomorrow Mark does his long walk and i go on the hunt for supplies. Shops are scarce. Markets seem popular but there are none on the days we need . I did find a shop saying supermarket but it hd loads of drinks , sweets and even chinese noodles but no milk.
We have to get this engine sorted but it is a really nice place to wait and we have found some free moorings. No water or power but not far from the marina so we can get water there.So if push comes to shove we will go there..
To get our mast down we have found out we will have to go back down the canal to a marina there where they have a crane.
well i shall write tomorrow with more piccys and both of us will have sore feet.once i understand the ins and out of mad cycling mixed in with vespas i shall go forth on my foldy but i would like to get further than Amsterdam on our trip.So it may be a while good night and wishing everyone best health and happiness and PLEASE FOLLOW ME not that i am demanding but it would be nice when i look at my blogs stats to see a nice couple of digits instead of 0 sitting next to followers