Makkum

We left Enkhuisen this morning and sailed north across the IJselmeer.  You have to go through a lock to get from the Markermeer to the IJselmeer but the water seems to be at the same level in both of these inland seas, and both are fresh water.  No doubt this is all part of the very sophisticated Dutch water management system.
It's tempting to think that moving the boat from salt to fresh water and back again will discourage the weed, barnacles, gribble worm, toredo and any other parasites that may have taken up residence in the old boat. The hope is that the sudden changes in salinity and the osmotic stress will persuade them to seek a quieter life somewhere else. Well, maybe it's a possibility. 

Today we started motoring against a light northerly wind, but when the strength increased we had a brisk sail. The picture shows Calismarde coming up astern of Bonita in the short choppy IJselmeer waves. 

This evening finds us in Makkum in the extreme NE corner of this inland lake.  Our separate courses across the IJselmeer are shown below - Bonita in purple, Calismarde in green. Over supper in a local bar we talked to Neil, a young English sailor who has sailed a 20 foot open boat single handed from Exmouth - and hopes to get to Norway.  We thought he was admirable and possibly slightly mad.  He was too polite to say what he thought of us.  Tomorrow we hope to return to tidal water sailing.