Following months of preparation and anticipation, our beautiful Libra was ready to splash and we were more than ready to go. Hence, on Saturday, 8th July our trip towards the North began! We passed through the Stellendam lock and we were finally in the sea, awfully excited for our new adventure!
The weather was good, despite a bit cold for our liking and in total contrast to the fully blown summer in the Netherlands, so we spent the next few days dressed with multiple layers of clothing, scarfs, hats and gloves.
The wind was variable, so we had times of beautiful upwind sailing, where Libra just flew gracefully over the water, while other times, we simply had to rely on our motor.
The overall trip was amazing. Being so close to the sea and the marine life provides you with a sense of calmness and serenity but also humbleness, especially during some gusts of wind and high waves, where you can only be amazed by the power of the weather conditions and endure the changes.
We were very lucky with the scenery, as we witnessed incredible sunsets and sunrises, a whale, dolphins and seals! Jelle also managed to catch a mackerel which proved to be extremely delicious!
We had to stop midway in East England to get some rest and also wait for better wind direction -too much motoring is not good for our pockets!
However, the wind direction changed and the well-needed rest proved too much to ask for, as the anchorage was nothing but sheltered and it felt like we were in a washing machine!
Therefore, we cut our visit short and set sail towards Edinburgh after a day. Any wind angle and direction was better than that anchorage!
We arrived to Port Edgar, the closest port to Edinburgh on Thusday early afternoon, after passing through the well-known Forth brigdes; three brigdes, one from a different decade. After our arrival, we rested, did laundry, showered, filled up fuel and explored the nearby town of Queensferry.
Friday we explored the city of Edinburgh. I have visited Edinburgh many times before, and it is safe to say that is one of my favorite cities. A town stuck in time, full of haunting history, old buildings, savory whisky and friendly locals.
Today the plan is chores, chores and some more chores, as tomorrow we are leaving very early to catch the wind and current towards Iverness. Weather seems dry and warm, wind direction is perfect and we hope we will make good time.
Until next time, stay tuned!