Latest Adventures
North Netherlands Cruise Part 6 – Friesland – Our stay in Sneek
Shangri-La in Sneek To go to the previous Part 5 click here or to go back to the biginning of the trip click here I have finally got round to writing about this part of the trip. My blog content tends to be very much about the truly boating aspects of...
North Netherlands Cruise Part 5 – Leeuwarden to Sneek via Pikmeer and Sneekermeer
Slauerhoffbrug in Friesland - Netherlands To go to previous part click here or to go back to the beginning of the trip click here This leg of the trip took 2 days, with another of our favourite stops in the wild, on the Pikmeer. A total of 42...
North Netherlands Cruise Part 4 – Friesland – Dokkum to Leeuwarden
Shangri La at Leeuwarden To see Part 3 click here or to go to the beginning of the trip click here The trip from Dokkum to Leeuwarden was relatively short - 22 kilometres with only 6 bridges and no locks. We got going about 10.00, and were tied up in...
North Netherlands Cruise Part 3 – Rietdiep, sleeping wild and Dokkum
Rietdiep - Netherlands To read Part 2 click here or to go to the beginning of the trip click here As mentioned in the previous post, we had decided to take the scenic route, via Rietdiep towards Dokkum, rather than the more commercial Prinses Margriet...
North Netherlands cruise Part 2 – Groningen, Eeemskanaal and Appingedam
On the Eemskanaal To go to Part 1 click here The main reason for calling in at Groningen was to pop into IKEA and buy equipment for Shangri La. IKEA was about 15 mins walk from where we were berthed. 4 trips later, and several Euro lighter, we had bought most of...
North Holland waterway cruise Part 1 – Meppel to Groningen
Shangri La moored in Groningen at the Oosterhaven This part of the trip would be the first real test of Shangri La. We wanted to go to Groningen primarily to visit the IKEA shop. It took 3 days with the 2 overnight stops in open berths or moorings with no facilities....
Finding direction – Zwartsluis to Meppel
Exodus from Zwolle The trip back from Zwolle to Zwartsluis was pretty uneventful, except for the fact we left on a Sunday, and the bridge operator must have overslept, as us, and the 16 or so other boats trying to leave Zwolle had to hang about for nearly half an hour...
Zwolle, funfairs, fireworks and holes in the water
Shangri La berthed at Zwolle, Netherlands The trip down to Zwolle started off fine. I first took on 100 litres of diesel, mainly to help mix in the fuel additive which is necessary to prevent diesel bug. I particularly wanted this done, as the diesel on board has been...
Learning the ropes – Zwartsluis, Hasselt and Zwolle
Shangri La 2 at her berth in De Kranerweerd marina Another hectic but satisfying week! We haven't travelled very far, but we have achieved a lot. One of the most important projects achieved was to fit an automatic bilge bump - an essential, as far as I am concerned....
On the water at last
Camping on Shangri La 2 The last few days have been a roller coaster of emotions! We have owned Shangri La 2 for a full year, and yet have not actually done any cruising on her. If you have followed the blog to any degree, you will know that terrible weather, ie...
About Me
My love of boats goes back to my early years when I went on holiday with my parents to Knysna in the Cape.
We stayed at a hotel on stilts, and I played in rowing boats and little motor boats on the lagoon.