Click on the map for an enlarged version:
With thanks to Arjen Meurs making this map.
This winter already belongs to the warmest during last centuries in Holland. A pity when you would like going skating. For Seakayakkers however, winterpaddling becomes a lesser extreme sport this winter. The temperature in Holland might be alright for paddling but the wind quite often exceeds force 7. This happens more than normal and you expect those windy days more in autumn.
Even last night the SW-wind was recorded having blown at force 9. Because it was predicted to decrease in the early morning, I didn't cancel the tour for today.
As the sea might be very rough after a night like that because, as the say in Scheveningen , "the wind is in the water", we went to the IJsselmeer to start our little tour in Monnickendam with destination Marken and Volendam. Quite a safe area to paddle with the availing SW-winds.
We were with 5: Peter, Gilbert, Wieger, Ajen from Bunnik and myself. Having started the wind was not decreased yet and was still blowing at force 5 with strong gusts.
Paddling in the direction of Marken we had a nasty following sea. For today I had decided to take my heavy weather kayak, the AnasAcuta, with me. Why? Just for the safety of my companions and also because I was suffering a light headache that could possibly become worse making paddling difficult.
Normally the AnasAcuta is difficult to tame when she wants to broach to left or right. I must say that I enjoyed paddling the AnasAcuta very much on this course today. :smile: This was the first serious tour I made with her since I had a variable skeg built in. And now she was a delight to paddle in a following sea; the intention to broach was diminished and while staying alert of course, I only had to perform sternrudders now and than.
After turning North the wind blew on my left cheek . Being used to work hard on correcting weathercocking, this again was a piece of cake today, for I could simply trim her with the skeg.
:wink: Probably I got old and lazy because I am enjoying the improvement so much. It is a pity but I have been thinking for 15 years weather I should have the skeg built in or not.
Why choose for YES after 15 years?
Probably because I have more kayaks today and when I need the storage capacity, that I have lost now in the back-compartment, I simply take another kayak.
Today I am in good company with 3 bright yellow NorthShore Mariners and an older model of Point65.Especially the point65 is dancing over the waves. The Bombproof Mariners don't show any trace of having problems either in the conditions of today.:angry:
Sometimes I regret my today's choice for the AA because she is not very fast in these short, steep waves. Alright, I can keep up with my companions but accelerating on them is out of the question today.
Having rounded the dam we let Gilbert choose the course that fits him best. Around midday we arrived at the lighthouse "The Horse" and paused there for lunch; comfortably seated in the sun in the lee of a small house.
The return trip we planned via Volendam for one of those fish-eating-stops there. The first idea was to paddle in a wide arc, going more to the open sea, to find us some nice waves. However the conditions of today didn't fit all of us so we chose for the shortest route to Volendam, which was OK for me. Having the wind on my bow at an angle of 10-20°, my kayak leecocked lightly as the wind grips the bow while gliding over waves. Most kayaks do so. But having paddled the Skim Distance for the last months it strikes me how easy the AnasAcuta is corrected and can be steered at the intended course again. Until two years ago I had never any problems with leecocking, as the correction for this more or less automatically happened in this manoeuvrable kayak.
Having tested last years 3 kayaks that weren't so easy to correct on this, I started to understand the cause and mechanism of leecocking in combination with the kayak design. The downside is that I realise now what is happening and what I am doing. Which is not to bad really.
In Volendam we mixed up in the sun-enjoying crowd there, looking for our fish-dinner.:tongue: Walking there in our PFD's seemed to be quite normal as I didn't meet any amused glances.
After a cosy time there we returned to the kayaks and headed for Monnickendam again. The wind now finally decreased t o force 4: Somewhat later than predicted you could say, but as it was pretty close I now still dare trust future predictions.
Monnickendam means the end of the tour and after un-and dressing this midwintertour was memory.