Arrived in Cuxhaven Germany Tuesday night lateish.

 

On departing the box berth in Den Helder which was relatively easy to get into but somewhat challenging to reverse out of as we got stuck between the large posts that were on the outer part of the berth. On eventually breaking out with plenty of engine power, we found out that we only had about 6” to spare to turn out of the box into the channel - with the the large post in front, and another yacht behind. We managed it with excessive use of the bow thruster and fortunately very light winds. It didn’t help that we have a 3’ bowsprit and a dingy on the davits making a 44’ yacht very close to a 50’!!  The Den Helder marina was small with an even smaller entrance. 

On exiting the marina along with Jubilare, the other Arc Baltic boat, we had to back track along the buoyed channel for some 15NM before we could start heading for Cuxhaven due to all the shallow sand banks. The winds were light at 10kn but from a north-easterly direction, so we motored for most of the day, eventually as promised, the winds backed round to northerlies and we were able to sail. It was good to be sailing and were making good progress until we realised that we needed to slow down so that we reached the river Elbe with the tide taking us up the river, (it an flow up to 5 kts).

Yesterday was spent doing the washing and cleaning

It looks as if we will be heading up through the Kiel Canal tomorrow.