In spring, my sister offered me to use her twelve foot dinghy, a hundred year old design, still popular in Dutch sailing competitions. I did not delay to give it some bottom paint.

... spring preps for Dutch dinghy sailing competition ... 

... at the second event I already met my nephew namesake Bert Hamminga, who has one of the same ...

At the second event I already met my nephew namesake Bert Hamminga, who has one of the same. Some 45 years ago we competed against each other in the OK dinghy (my 337 inset right).

... the event celebrated the 100 years of the dinghy (I am the nr. 112, just passed by Great Britain in the middle) ...

The event celebrated the 100 years of the dinghy and had the exceptional amount of 160 or so competitors. My life was easy, of course, I only wanted to beat my nephew. For the final race there was a cut and we got split up in 80 boats "gold" and "silver"-races. I was first on the list to sail silver, he last at the list of gold, as if he had meticulously gone for the abyss to push me in. This dinghy is hard to sail. I got encouraged from several sides: if I would work hard, in five years I would be better. 

... this is how a twelve foot dinghy party goes ...

The amazing part of the event was the party: no boomboom! A singer (in the dinghy's class flag colour red yellow), accompanied by a harp! And a big band. Of course, I immediately decided to apply for full membership of the Royal Dutch Twelve Foot Dingy Association (if perchance not yet royal, it should become so at short notice, even if I have to convince the king in person). 

North!

But first came the competition sailing event for which I was peaking, the Snake (write: Snits) Week in Friesland, the Netherland's Northern little lake district.

... On the Utrecht Vecht river towards the IJssel Lake with my platform I met quite some sister ships ... 

... the platform's behaviour on front-incoming Beaufort 5 IJsselmeer waves was much better than I anticipated ...

The platform's behaviour on front-incoming Beaufort 5 IJsselmeer waves was much better than I anticipated. I steer in front, so I get wet, but the pumps have little work indeed. The platform has a closed double bottom and is self-draining, but this feature did not even have to come up and play its role.

... arrival Enkhuizen, the historical Southern Sea (now diked and called IJsselmeer) Museum on the background ...

... more frantic preps for the Snake Week, my nephew will also compete, you know ...

... my speed not yet prize winning but my trim and posture already looking more professional, Snake Week's Friesian photographer Eize Hoekstra at the mark to take us  ...

Let me confess I ended up in the middle of the ranking again, well behind my nephew. But I did thoroughly beat the bastard twice in the series.

Platform at Sea!

Time to have a go with the platform at sea. Between the Frisian coast and the islands is a tidal estuary "waddenzee", the sandbanks of which get dry at low tide. Even before the platform got built I already made an artist impression of being there.

... even before the platform got built I already made an artist impression of being at the waddenzee ...

...  first "wadden" trip, the outgoing harbour Makkum, my vessel got philosophically discussed by all experts ...

... good weather, salt water foams, very charming in the bright  sun ...

... no photoshop whatsoever!  ...

Of course on email I sent a different image, that at the low tide I had ample time to make:

... of course on email I sent a different image, that at the low tide I had ample time to make ...
... (sea pic - assumed - courtesy KNRM (sea rescue) internet site, in the original the middle sports a reflecting orange two-engine gigaHP monster) ...

... back in Hindeloopen (recommended restaurant, with good music, on the background) ...

Back in, at Hindeloopen harbour, a slight overdose of excellent Sauvignon in a good, and crammed, harbour restaurant made me, seeing the piano, apply as its player. Quickly after my start, the management requested to turn down the volume a bit, there was no applause, to my utter relief no requests, but I did not get chased off! A promising start of another brilliant career, I sense.

... Hindeloopen harbour master Onno Hoekstra ...

Of course Hindeloopen harbour master Onno Hoekstra appreciates quality cigars which, serious people know, only grow on far away islands, I had been out of stock and mail ordered them to his Sluishuis. Onno put four (!) pictures of the platform ("a remarkable vessel") on the facebook page Sluishuis Hindeloopen (there, decently scroll down, or Ctrl-Find: "BEDANKT BERT")... Onno also runs a foundation promoting innovative hexagon building blocks.

...  South over the IJssel Lake to Muiden, isn't nature beautiful, just like someone smokes a huge sigar back there ...

... a slightly ravaged historical ship, the famous Muiderslot (Muiden Castle) just to be seen behind  ...