Walking from main-land to Ameland, through the North Sea

Last week Saturday, on yet another work outing, we travelled up to the north of Holland, and went "wadlopen". Essentially, trudging through the mud, along the coast then across the sandbanks in the water (low tide) to the island, making about a 11km trip. It turned out to be much more fun and interesting then I expected. I realy enjoyed the nature, outdoors, and just atmosphere there.



-Friesland - the landscape in northern Holland close to the North Sea



-Ameland - the approximate route we did (I think) (on Google maps, if you turn it off satelite but on one of the other functions, it's just sea between mainland and the island)



-It Begins - To start, we walked away from the ferry terminal, in the opposite direction of the island (some of us were sceptical of the direction)



-Enter the mud - the is where the guide told us in the dutch expression that we're not walking on eggshells today, so you've just got get going in the mud and accept the fact you'll get dirty



-Beautiful day to walk on water - we had perfect weather



-Almost like glass (except if you were there, you'd be about ankle deep in mud here)



-Moses just parted it - but we walked through it, kinda looks like we're just marching out to sea



-Shallow water break - time for some food



-Sheeple - one of the large groups ahead of us



-Beautiful seabed?



-Flatbottom boat, stranded - (on purpose)



-Sea greens?



-Sand formations



-Perfect weather



-non buoyant buoy



-High ground to low ground



-Trying to keep the packs dry



-A river runs through it?



-wow



-And on the island - at last



-Challenge # 2 - for those that still had it left in them, the challenge was to run the 50m to the patches of grass in front of the rocks, grab a handfull, and run back with some green showing



-It was a challenge - this is where it got deep, and mobility was low, almost like quicksand, but not quite, the only way to get out or move anywhere was crawling on our bellies



-Winner - being the youngest might have had something to do with it (that and long legs may have helped)



-super enthusiastic (be thankful you can't smell what I smelt like from that black oily mud)



-2km to go? - wash up wasn't that close by, nor was the taxi



-Wash up - this is where everyone who wasn't as dirty just washed off their feet, I decided to try to wash more then that



-Stayokay Hostel



-Ah the beautiful sea - (the next day, on the north side of the island)



-At the beach - me and 2 of my colleagues



-Ameland landscape - lots of dunes and dune grass



-Lighthouse - oh so picturesque



-Landscape in motion - shot taken from the bus on the way back across the island, to the ferry

Good times.

Surfing

I'm really liking surfing, went last week Friday after work, and again last night. Lots of wind last week, not too many waves, but enough to play around a bit in the surf. Tonnes of kite surfers out whenever there's wind.



-Scheveningen - The surf place I got lessons from and rent stuff from in the fore ground, the North sea in the background, full of kite surfers.



-Free Architecture Surf Terrain - They set up, new this year, a little surfer village at the end of the beach by the pier using shipping containers. "The plan provides for a centre with showers and changing room facilities with lockers, sleeping accommodation, a small stage, a café with internet facilities and parking for surfers with campers." (DenHaag.com)



-Fireworks - So, as I was leaving on my rental bike, the whole fireworks show started, from a barge just off the beach in the water. Lots of spectators.

Last night went surfing again. This time, I didn't so much check the weather report as just what the waves would be like, and glanced at the beach webcams a few times through the day at work to see what it was like.
There were good waves, but there was also lots of rain, wind, hard rain, lightning, and chickpea size hail. So I managed to surf a bit when it let up and there was a clearing in the sky. At least the weather systems here don't really hang around too much, but switch up.
(no I didn't go out surfing on the water when there was hail or lightning, I'm not that hard core... yet).

Cycling fun

Not too much to post.
Things are going well over here, back again in the NL after another 3 week vacation in Canada.
Last weekend, when i decided to go surfing, I also decided since the weather was so beautiful to bike to the coast.
5 hours later I got there, much longer then it should have taken. I discovered later, it was a perfect day for sailing apparently (which I guess I noticed with a constant headwind, and averaging only 20km/h. Ugh.

Came across a today about bicycles and it made me happy: