Sailing Positive Waves

Amsterdam From the bucolic Dutch countryside, we threw ourselves into Amsterdam city life headfirst. (Wearing masks, of course, and our first time wearing masks on a daily basis in over a year.) Our base for the week was Amsterdam Marina which is located across the river from the city center, but only a 10 minute free ferry ride to the central train station. The marina is located in a rapidly developing part of town that is turning the post-industrial landscape into a rugged, urban decay/street art, hipster neighborhood. Cafes, ice cream stands, and bakeries are scattered in and around massive old industrial buildings, one of which houses a graffiti museum. We didn’t go, partly because they were charging almost 20 euro admission to see something which is, inherently, free and visible on any underpass, bridge, or side of a building. The museum influenced the neighborhood, or vice versa, as street art (graffiti) adorned nearly every surface.  Our impetus to stop over in Amsterdam wa...

  When we decided to traverse a large portion of the Netherlands via the inland canals, the Standing Mast Route, we honestly had no idea what we were doing. Of course, we know how to handle the boat under power, how to dock, how to wait for opening bridges, and how to go through locks, but we had zero reference sources for the route, correct VHF channels, where to dock, etc. etc. Transiting the canals was a last minute decision for us, whereas a lot of people spend months, if not years, preparing for the trip. I love planning. I love lists, I love researching new destinations, I love guidebooks. (Hans might remember an epic fight we had on the steps of a cathedral in Florence, Italy back in 2008 when I was panicking because we were visiting a famous, historic city without a guidebook and I was certain we were missing all the “must-see” sights. As a teenager, I was always the self-appointed tour guide whenever we were in a new place. Honestly, the way to my heart is to let me be in ...