Feels like the South... from Arnemuiden (NL) to Isle de Noirmoutier (FR) (2016)

After another long winter and some heavy storms (that hardly damaged the winter tent) we started the yearly work on the boat in the historic shipyard in Arnemuiden. The renovated slip was used to pull the 17 tons out of the water so that the underwater ship could be reviewed and the anti-fouling renewed. The backboard side of the hull was painted - the starboard didn't work due to bad weather conditions and furthermore the top sail which hasn't been in use for at least a dedicate was refurbished and pulled up for testing... :-)  

We left the lovely ship yard in Arnemuiden with all the nice and helpful people with more than just one teardrop in our eyes... but at least with some of their younger sail instructors as crew. We passed by Belgium without a stop - what good feeling for the Dutch crew - and arrived in France (Dunkerque). From there we sailed down the coast of Pays de Calais and the Normancie to the Bretagne. In the Channel we had an exceptional experience... no wind, no waves, no current... the boat was standing still in the water... when we experienced the "Flying Dutchman"... and not only one... the whole crew (except the mechanic) took a bath.... 

We passed by côte d'or, côte gris et côte rosé... and finally made it after a night sail to Guernsey. Very British.... On our first day of rest while most of crew was exploring the island, the locals and the pubs, the sail instructors tested our new dinghy - a real "Banana boat" (boat which can be folded)

Crew exchange back on the French coast after a "bumpy" ride.... and further on to the challenging caps of Bretagne Cap de la Hague and Pointe du Raz... amazing views and..lucky us... good weather conditions...

After leaving the Northern Sea and arriving in the Atlantic Ocean we got some visitors "playing" around the Spenner...

And out of sudden it stared to feel like arriving in the South. Everything changed... weather, landscape, sea, houses, people....

Also this year's highlight were the sailing impressions and the sunsets...   

And so we finally arrived on the Isle de Noirmoutier where the Spenner is for this winter resting in the traditional harbor well sheltered by our French friends of the Association La Chaloupe caring for the boat like it would be their own...