North Sea dash

With Covid and Brexit bureaucracy melting away, Saskia Groen-in’t-Woud enjoyed her first North Sea crossing – despite rough return weather

- Saskia Groen

Sailing from the Netherlands to the UK is a bucket list item for my sailing friend Wim and I – one, though, that has constantly been thwarted by Covid-19. With so much travel uncertainty we’d given up on the idea and instead had a week organised at the beginning of August 2021 to sail the Standing Mast Route of the Netherlands and then a little jaunt to Belgium.

Suddenly, though, two days before we left, good old Boris appeared advising that people could travel to the UK again! With a short diversion to pick up the Imray charts and get a PCR test, we followed the Standing Mast Route to Rotterdam and then, on 3 August, headed off on a glorious sail to the UK.

It was absolutely perfect and one of the best night sails I have ever done. Shooting stars left glittering vapour trails as they plummeted into our atmosphere and it was easy to spot constellations. We both got good sleep on our off watches as my Swan 38, Céleste, happily burbled along in a steady 10-15 knot southerly beam reach. Bliss!