Finally, we went off. At 5.50 in the morning (Dutch time), we started our engine and sett off for the English shore. Our main target: reaching at least Harwich. Our second target: to sail up the river Orwell and drink a beer, or two, at the Butt and Oyster inn in Pinn Mill.

But we are very unlucky this morning, there isn't any wind at all. To avoid stranding on one of the numerous sandbanks out of the Dutch coast, we use our engine. Behind us, the sun was rising above the storm surge barrier, just before the shoreline dissapears into clouds and fog. Not before long, we are surrounded by fog and clouds. Around us, nothing but grey water and grey clouds, we can't even see the horizon! All we see is a single seagull that follows us, hoping for some food. It cirkles around the boat and than lands a few hundred metres in front of us, when we pass by, it takes off, makes a half cirkle aroud the boat and lands again, a few hundred metres in front of us, to repeat this little trick again and again. With the clouds, there comes wind, so we switch off our engine and set sail, finally. 

At 11.00 o'clock, I decide to take a little nap, just to be awaken by our roaring engine, two hours later. When I get on deck, I can see why my dad has switched on the engine. Two huge cargo vessels are passing by, less than one nautical mile behind us. Our first close encounter with the big ships.

The rest of the afternoon is quiet. The clouds and fogs are muting every noise, so all we hear and see are wind and water. That gives us the nice feeling of being a real sailor, all alone on the ocean, but it's also very tricky. Visabilaty is reduced to just a few miles. Even the huge container vessels will be invisible untill they are nearby.

It's almoast dinnertime when we reach the 'shipping lane'. The highway for cargo vessels. The crews on the bridge of such a vessel will hardly see a small boat like ours on their radars, let alone make visual contact. Also, they won't stop to let you pass. It's up to us to watch out and avoid a deadly collision. The shippig lane at the North Sea proves to be one of the busies shipping lanes in the world. We have to give way almost immediately when we enter the shipping lane and we have to do that again several times when we move further.  At one moment, I'am counting up to fifteen of theese cargo vessels at one time, dispite the foggy weather. Sometimes they get very close. One time we can see the crew of one ship standing at the bride! Also remarkable are four pigeons who suddenly appear and try to land on our boat, but they can't find any grip at our slippery aluminium mast.

We pass safely though the shippinglane and enter a part of the North sea that is as good as empty. For hours, all we can see is water. Even the birds have left us. I start to feel alone. The previous times that I was at sea, it was on a bigger ship, at least 38 metres long. Suddenly our eight metres seem to be nothing more than a wooden shoe with a sail on top, as they say in the Netherlands. It's a strange feeling, something that I have never felt during the forteen days trip I had made last summer, although that was a much longer journey... The sun sets when the clouds break. At the horizon we can see a tiny spot. As we come closer we can see a mast and sails. Even a Dutch flag at the stern of the ship. We're not alone. But when the other boat dissapears behind the horizon, we are all alone again.

The sun dissapears behind the horizon, I go to bed. My dad and uncle prepare for the night. The wind gets stronger when they set course for an area called 'South shipwash'.

More than half of the Netherlands lies below sea level. The Delta Works were built to keep everyone safe and to prevent a recurrence of the 1953 flood disaster. Neeltje Jans is an artificial island in the Netherlands in the province of Zeeland, halfway between Noord-Beveland and Schouwen-Duiveland in the Oosterschelde. It was constructed to facilitate the construction of the Oosterscheldedam. The island was named after a nearby sand bar. Come and visit the most fantastic water theme park in the Netherlands, Deltapark Neeltje Jans, where you can spend a fun day filled with amazing attractions. You can visit the Delta Works, walk through the inside of the storm surge barrier and enjoy a taste of some real Zeeland specialities or pancakes, if you prefer. Fancy a day out? Bring your friends and family for a day to remember!