Late June 2015 – Hoorn and Enkhuizen

21st June – Sunday – To Hoorn

As usual our route follows to the next place with a nice marina and a large enough town to spend a few days.  So our journey to Hoorn started at 08:45 and took only 2 and a half hours to cover the 10 miles.  Unusually we set off in the rain and got pretty soaked, but it wasn’t far, so not too much hardship.

A bit of work was required on arrival to remove the mass of weed which had been caught on the rudders.  It was not as tough as the French stuff last year but put up a fair fight to remove it.  We were told that it only occurs in this area.

The sailing ship ‘Half Moon’ greets your arrival into Hoorn now.  It is a replica of a boat sailed by Henry Hudson for whom the Hudson River in New York is named.  The ship only arrived in Hoorn from America on the 23rd May 2015, but we believe this will be its home as the Americans could not justify its upkeep.

Today the crew was not keen to set off in the rain, but the journey proved worthwhile as our early arrival meant that we caught the tail end of the ‘Kaaphoorn 400’ celebrations.

A festival to celebrate the rounding of Cape Horn 400 years ago by sailors from Hoorn and therefore the town which ‘Cape Horn’ was named after.

There were several stages set up around town, playing different types of music on each stage, so the oldies did not have to listen to modern music and vice versa.

We spent 3 days in Hoorn and there are some lovely buildings to explore.

View of the harbour-side tower, which is a quirky, circular restaurant.

Beautifully decorated buildings.  Many of the buildings have plaques which represent the type of work carried out in them.

The ‘VVV’ tourist office is located in this elaborately decorated building in the main square.  They do seem to choose some of the best buildings for their offices.  The chap on the plinth is a local member of the Dutch East India Company who appears to have made his money by un-scrupulous means, and there is a plaque on the plinth stating that the man is not to be admired!  Wonder how long it will take for them to melt him down?

The Physical Performance Arts Theatre had a very eye catching statue on the roof.

Info:  Hoorn Marina ‘Stichting’ cost 19.80 euros per night, inc electricity.  The facilities were good but a little dated.  A shower costs 1 euro, with a machine on the wall indicating the shower number you had paid for.  Select the number before inserting your money.  We stayed on the visitor pontoon which was a walk to the facilities.  The wifi was excellent and free.  There is a small shop on site and a large ‘Albert Heijn’ at the other side of the railway station over the bridge on the left (20 mins walk).

Hoorn must be on the Lake Cruisers itinerary as a fresh set of tourists were deposited each day from the huge cruise boats, which must be good for the local economy and it is a lovely compact town to walk around.

24th June – Wednesday - To Enkhuizen

Only 12 miles to Enkhuizen, but we took our time.  It was a beautiful sunny and breezy day and we sailed, that’s Sailed most of the way.  09.30 to 15.00 lazy lovely sailing. 

Except, that an hour of that time was spent in the ‘Naviduct Enkhuizen’.  Normally a place of precision and punctuality, but the ‘lecky was off.  The Naviduct leads from the Markermeer to the Ijsselmeer.  There is a huge lock at each end of the dyke.  The delay meant that the spaces filled up pretty quickly and we all kept moving along until the waiting pontoon was full.  

That is why they need such a big control tower.  You can see this for miles and they can obviously see you.

Enkhuizen inner harbour, summer sighting of ‘Bondicus Shorticus’, a rare display of plumage.

As above.

Picturesque Enkhuizen.  The best Kebbelin shop is just over the bridge.  There are 2 excellent Ice-Cream shops too.  Only 1 Euro for 1 blob, cheapest yet (The pink shop on the main street).

Info: Enkhuizen Marina ‘Compagnieshaven’ 21.50 euros per night.  1 Euro per day for electricity.  Free wifi but this is a large marina and at weekends the signal is poor.  1 Euro for a shower.  Top tip: there are showers and toilets upstairs too.  There is a comprehensive site shop which sells fresh baked bread and pastries and a good chandlers.  The supermarkets are ‘Deen’ and ‘Aldi’ near Westerstraat and are not that easy to find, but are worth the search.

27th June – Saturday – Grand Day Out – Zuiderzee Museum Open Air and Indoor.

The museum is worth every cent of the 15 euro entrance fee.  It comprises 130+ traditional homes and businesses gathered together from around Holland to represent a town of 1905 or thereabouts in a fishing harbour setting.  There is also an indoor museum included in the price, opposite the Marina and a free ferry from the train station.

Tanning the fishing nets, to stop them rotting.

Children’s clogs lined up outside the classroom.

Traditional classroom.

These poorer houses had people ‘living’ in them, very well done.  It felt like you were intruding as they cooked their lunch on a paraffin stove.

It is so higgeldy-piggeldy, it is hard to take a good photo to do it justice.  The most curious people will get the most from the visit as there are gems to find round each corner.

These wooden carved heads are from a private collection and were used to identify Chemist shops when people could not read.  (There is one near the V&D shop in Haarlem too).

Goats getting out of the sun.

The indoor museum, which was very modern inside a traditional building.  There is something for everyone.

Marken Lace.

A sampler from 1617.  Don’t think my bears will last that long.

Amazing hall full of traditional boats.

Sunday 28th June

Enkhuizen ‘Haringparty’ a festival for the beloved Herring.

Young ladies traditionally dressed.

Fishermen singing on a boat.  Also many of the restaurants were handing out samples.

Got to love a festival.