A torrential downpour woke Rex at 05:30. It continued until 10:30, then we made a break for it and headed out into the Markermeer. A Force 5 was howling across the vast expanse of water whipping spray up over the bows, with
Duonita pitching wildly.
Het Paard van Marken (The Horse Of Marken) Lighthouse on Marken
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In the distance, a fleet of racing yachts tilted their sails to the horizon as they sped away towards a mass of dark clouds. We altered course to clear the headland of Marken, its pretty Het Paard van Marken (The Horse Of Marken) Lighthouse on the promontory almost saluting us.
Only a few craft were on the water, with a couple of high speed rescue boats out on exercise. A tall three-masted ship passed our port side heading up the Markermeer. The tall towers of Almera Stad slipped by our port side, and the tall buildings of Amsterdam came into focus.
Vuurtoreneiland Lighthouse
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We were soon edging around the Vuurtoreneiland Lighthouse and motoring up to the Schellingwouderbrug and the Oranjeslizen locks. Here we met a young Dutchman with a crewman who seemed to be his granddad in the sluis. They had sailed down from their home port of Den Oever, and were heading across to Ijmuiden before sailing back home via Den Helder.
A flotilla of craft kept us company as we sailed past Amsterdam Centraal Station to the Amsterdam Marina, our marina of choice due to its abundance of berths and its convenient access to the city.
Amsterdam Centraal Station
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In the early evening we took the ferry to the city and found an old bar to sit outside of and people watch. An endless selection of characters paraded by: families, some with push-chairs, some with babes in arms, individuals, hen and stag parties, and even a couple of drunks - every nationality under the sun. All manner of clothing was worn, including totally inappropriate, a complete kaleidoscope of colour, almost akin to a circus. An elderly Dutch couple on the adjacent table found the procession amusing too.
We dined in a Portuguese restaurant in the city before returning to
Duonita.
