Cruise Reflections: photographs and memories.

I guess most, if not all cruising folk do this during the down time between cruising seasons and we're certainly no exception. Jointly, and separately, we've been spending time looking through the many photos taken of our time on Pirramimma over the year and a half since we first saw her. Although come to think of it, I don't remember doing it so much when we lived and did our boating/cruising in the same country. Then it was easy to zap down to the boat yard or marina and do some work or just check over the boat to make sure all was safe and sound. I think the longest journey I ever had between boat and home was when I lived in Hampshire (England) and kept my little yacht in Chichester marina on the Sussex coast. And that was only about 1 hour and 30 minutes journey either way. Easy.

This time around, it takes between 12 and 14 hours each way from the moment we leave our driveway until we pull up in the jachthaven in the Netherlands. Another country; an hour and a half from home to ferry port; a ferry ride of 7+ hours; the inevitable and tedious waiting to board/disembark; customs and security either side; a two hour drive minimum from the ferry on the other side. Hardly insurmountable but frankly, not cheap when you do that 6 or 7 times a year and as return journeys too. Of course this is nothing compared to many of our friends who live even further from their boats - many live in either the USA or Australia or New Zealand with their boats kept in France, Belgium or the Netherlands. Or other parts of Europe. Quite some journeys, time and expense to say the least. 

So yes, already this winter has found us looking at photos and asking each other: "What was your favourite moment of this year's cruising?"  The answer for each of us has been that there has been no particular *moment* that was a favourite. Rather that ALL of it has been great, interesting, a learning experience, fun and just plain enjoyable. We hug the memories and cherish the good times and smile at the so-called 'bad times': we learnt a lot from it all.

Photographs and memories - in no particular order, with a few right back to the beginning…

The warm, cosy glow and atmosphere of Pirramimma's forward dining area. Crew checking into social media. Photo taken March 2015, Blokzijl haven…

Two young swallow fledglings perched on one of Pirramimma's davits. Mother was catching insects and feeding them. They squeaked with delight every time she fed them. June 2015, De Boarnstream haven, Jirnsum…

Pirramimma starts her journey to becoming ours. Here she is on her survey day as the tractor begins to pull her out from the hall where she was stored. It's quite strange to see her previous name! We were impressed with the thoroughness of the survey and happily recommend our surveyor to all who ask. Jachtcenter Elburg, August 2014..

I still get a kick out of cruising over a motorway! Coming into Harderwijk on our first cruise. October 2014…

Spakenburg haven, October 2014. Again on our first cruise…

Sunset on the Sneekermeer. September 2015...

The inner courtyard garden at Elburg Museum. It was gloriously warm in the garden and those roses truly had an exquisite fragrance. September 2015...

How Pirramimma's aft deck used to look. We've changed the eating and relaxing arrangements by removing the little swing table and adding a lovely teak table that will, at a push, seat 6 and certainly 4 in comfort. Taken at Elburg on our first viewing August 2014… 

Same day, but later that afternoon and another boat. We saw this one in Sneek. In spite of the gritted teeth smile, it was not an auspicious viewing. The first thing I did when looking around the saloon was to open a locker (cupboard) door. It promptly fell off its hinges leaving me holding a useless door in my hand and feeling somewhat tetchy taken aback! But that turned out to be a pretty good indicator of the build/finish quality of the boat so we walked away with some relief. It was however, a very useful comparison to the superb build quality and finish of our beautiful girl. Still taking notes for my records…

Pirramimma still in the crane slings but about to head out for the water-based component of her survey day. Elburg August 2014…

Some of our happiest moments and certainly most peaceful moments, have been spent at 'nature' (i.e. no power/water/facilities) moorings. This was one of our first on the Veluwemeer. We've been twice to this particular one and on both occasions were the only boat/people here. October 2014…

Another blissfully calm evening. Again, at Elburg in the early days…

And of course, as someone who loves to cook, I'm blessed to have a great galley that works so well for me. It's a pleasure to cook on Pirramimma and it's no surprise to learn that I have many happy memories of lovely meals together, lovely evenings and lovely friends we've shared some laughter and good times with. The Galley Slave at work. Blokzijl March, 2015...

My view from the dining table looking aft up into the saloon. There have been a few, minor changes since the pic above. November 2015…

Another nature mooring earlier in the season, though this one is on the outskirts of a little village…

Still it was a delightfully peaceful evening with an absolutely stunning sunset later on…

Another glorious day in paradise! Urk haven, September, 2015…

The Skipper does a great job with the Cobb BBQ. Galley slave hurries to provide the necessary refreshments...

 

We cruised a total of 464 nautical miles between leaving Elburg in late March, 2015 and returning at the end of our cruise on Flevoland in late October, 2015. That's nearly 860 kilometres of relaxed and comfortable cruising. We are blessed and grateful for every moment.

Vxx