We would have loved it to meet the Humpback whale (NL:bultrugwalvis)(Latin: Megaptera novaeangliae) navigating the Dutch waters these days: A whale which is very seldom seen in Holland.
We didn´t know anything about that it was navigating already there for a few days. But on our way back, from circumnavigating Noorderhaaks, Wieger heard on his radio there was a whale swimming near Huisduinen. So we crossed the Marsdiep in that direction, only to see, when we were halfway, a policeboat and a fast speedboat starting to cross the Marsdiep at full speed back to Texel. Afterwards we heard that the whale has been seen in the Mokbaai; with us crossing at about 2 miles from there without seeing. Grmpfffff....! 
Otherwise this already excellent day would have got a golden edge around it.
But having missed the whale, still the whole day (Sunday 13 Mai 2007) was a miracle. 
To begin with I fell from the stairs on Thursday getting both shoulders, two fingers and an elbow injured. However it recovered that quick that paddling, with some precautions, was possible.
Than there is the weather: the whole week strong westerly winds were blowing, making a circumnavigation of Noorderhaaks doubtful, regarding strong surf which can occur there. As the forecast for the next week was also windy, it was a miracle as well that there was this Sunday, with only a 3Bft-wind, in between .
Not to forget that you can expect "the wind being in the water" causing still quite a lot of waves and surf.
BUT: all waves were almost gone offering us a very relaxed trip in which we entertained ourselves by choosing the spots with most surf. Only Henk protested slightly than because this Burgundian "life-enjoyer" would have loved it just to sneak around the sandplates through a creek and go around the surfspots.
It is a miracle however that the waves calmed down in only a few hours, as the wind was still strong during the night.
Rob explained this by assuming that the wind has been SW during the whole week. The waves coming from the UK-part of the NorthSea can not build up to great height and speed and will thus slow down very quick. Would the waves have come from the NW, where they can build up much more height and speed in the deep ocean, the situation could have been completely different. It is not sure that, with a history of NW-winds, we could have done this circumnavigation today because NW of the sandplate the area is infamous for its severe and dangerous surf.
Probably we will investigate this area once after a NW-storm by carefully sneaking around the corner to learn what is happening in that area.
Probably the difference between these SW and NW-winds is knowledge we should remember when planning a tour.
Apart from al these miracles, the five of us had a very pleasant tour in enjoyable weather.
I enjoyed paddling the Capella; the P&H PE-seakayak I am testing currently. I got a good first impression concluding the Capella is very manoeuvrable which also means that it can be brought of course more easily. On the contrary the correction back to the original course is very easily as well. I prefer this way of paddling keeping in mind that it can be a learning curve for beginners who will have to master paddling a straight line.
Starting in the confused waters of the Marsdiep I used the skeg partially as we started. After getting more used to the Capella I just raised it without problems. With the wind coming from aside there was slight weathercocking which could be completely adjusted with the skeg; Although it should be mentioned that I could master this degree of weathercocking easily with sweepstrokes and edging. What I also enjoyed was the foottube I slid over the JR-footrests and the hip-padding that I used to adjust for hip width. Having done so I felt completely at home in the cockpit and I could control the Capella with the hips and by shifting weight without using my knees; just paddling with my knees next to each other as in a racing-kayak for optimal body rotation. Secondary- en end-stability were enough to make this possible.
After paddling some surf on the NW-part of Noorderhaaks we went for a small brake there. After some chatting we headed for a beach-restaurant on Texel.
This restaurant has the "original"-name "Paal 9" confusing us as it is located near "Paal 10" being the official landmark-name along the coast. However, we had a delicious meal (Hi Douglass; forgot to tell you that there are indeed some paddling-restaurants on the waterside over here; not as much in Scotland of course).
After the turning of the tide it was time to paddle home again, wondering about all the boats on the water. We only learned afterwards we missed the whale as described above.
Tour-details:
Route:
Paddlers; Wieger, Rob, Henk, Chris and myself
Distance 15 sm, , temp seawater 13°, temp 16°, waveheight max. 40cm ,surf max 60cm.
Wind 1-4Bft SW/N/NE/E
