We land on June 29 in the morning at London Gatwick and take the train to Southampton. Through the window we see Europe passing by: raked gardens without wrecked cars or other junk in them, good roads without potholes; everything looks very neat compared to the Caribbean. The transport ship appears to have sailed faster than expected and will also arrive in Southampton on the 29th. When we reach the quay they have just moored and are rolling out the gangway. We can board immediately to inspect the Pantera and prepare it for launch. That goes smoothly and we soon release the ropes. All in all, within 24 hours after we got out of our apartment in St. Maarten to go to the airport, we are already back on our own boat in a marina in Southampton. A tight schedule and luckily we had no delays or other problems with the flights or train, then it would have become problematic.
So, a quick transition, and a big one too: God, it’s cold, gray and wet here! We have to get used to the circumstances and the environment. Suddenly the toilet seat is cold when you sit on it, the floor in the boat is also cold on your bare feet, or you open a tap somewhere and a huge stream comes out, which is also hot or cold as you wish. And in the evening the windows in the boat mist up when you are cooking, and in the morning the deck is soaking wet with condensation. And the people are different too: nobody greets each other in the street and the people who walk through Southampton have not been at the forefront when handing out looks, so to speak.
We rig up the Pantera again and then sail along the coast to Newhaven and from there cross over to Dieppe in France. In the Solent we get a gusty wind force 6 over us (with a forecast of 4), but the days after we actually have beautiful sailing weather with a nice running wind and sun, perhaps only a bit cool in our opinion.
In Dieppe we meet my parents, who are on holiday there with their camper. Then we follow the French coast to the north. France is familiar territory again. We end up in the harbors between the holidaying sailboats. Many Dutch too. When they ask where we come from, we don’t really know what to say: we haven’t been on holiday for three weeks like most here. Here and there we also spot a “departure boat”. We recognize them now. Often, they have only just left and therefore on the outward journey for their sailing trip. That makes us a bit jealous now that it’s almost over for us.
We move along Belgium to the Netherlands. It still takes some getting used to: changing weather conditions, no dolphins, whales and pelicans but seals, porpoises and seagulls. At the supermarket we have to restrain ourselves not to stock up on all kinds of goodies that we have not been able to buy all this time. The summer holidays will start here, so it will also be busier on the water and in the ports. There is often little wind and mostly from the north to northeast. So, we sail small day trips so as not to have to beat against current and wind.
After stops in Zeeland, Scheveningen and IJmuiden, the lock at IJmuiden opens for us on Saturday 16 July 2022 to allow us to enter to fresh water again.
When we sail out of the lock into the North Sea Canal, the realization sinks in deeper: we are almost back home after being away for 13 months plus one week. That afternoon we arrive in Amsterdam where we are welcomed by family and friends. It’s finished…
