Overhere we want to built up an overview of interesting sailing routes for our ships out of Oostmahorn. When you are not as yet sure about yourself in handling and mastering the ship then the Lauwersmeer (Lauwerslake) is thé place to learn the ship first and to proceed thereafter to the shallows. If you have already a reasonable experience in sailing the shallows then its worthwhile to consider a trip to the eastern part of the Waddenzee . We distinguish in possibilities for "to and from" trips and "round-trips" which you can sail. The round-trips are more suitable for a longer rental-period and the "to and from" trips for making acquaintance. And/or weekend.

To and from:

The distances are estimates for a single trip

• Oostmahorn-Lauwersoog : 5 km and eating fish at the fish-market
• Oostmahorn-Zoutkamp : 11 km. Places of interest are the Fishery museum, a bicycle and moped museum and the 19th century House. On the way you will probably see Scottish Highlanders grazing on the shores.
• Oostmahorn-Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen : 7 km. On your way or near the old lock you will find some pubs and terraces from where you can enjoy the scenery.
• Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen-Dokkum : 14,5 km. This will be predominantly a trip on the engine, but still worthwhile to explore Dokkum from the waterside. Much hovers around Bishop Bonifatius who got murdered in Dokkum. Furthermore there is a local museum and the Nature museum as well as a subtropical swimming pool.
• Lauwersoog- Schiermonnikoog: 9km (5 mile) On this stretch you will get acquainted with many of the aspects of sailing the flats. As the port of Schieeermonnikoog has a bar one have to take the water level into account.
• The Drascombes can reach the port of Schiermonnikoog more often/easier, while the Cornish Crabbers can get in and out approximately from 2 hours prior to two hours after high-water. Of course you can also fall dry on the flats outside the port and explore the island during low water. You then will have to make sure that you will be back in time.
  When you leave Lauwersoog just before high water you can usually get through the tell-tale poled gully across Brakzand. Thereafter you through a similar poled winding gully over the Siegewal to the port , where there is this bar just before it.
  When you elect to sail off from Lauwersoog a few hours prior Low Water than you cannot go through the Brakzand gully and you will end up fairly near to the Engelsmanplaat where you can ground your boat for a while until the water rises enough to enter Schiermonnikoog. The course is than Zoutkamperlaag and thereafter the Gat van Schiermonnikoog and subsequently again over the Siegewal to the port.
• Lauwersoog-Noordpolderzijl (49km) With a departure from Lauwersoog a few hours after low water and then over the Lutjewad, the Hornhuizerwad you will get the over the "wantij" (this is the -undeepest- spot where the sea-arms come together behind an isle) the current against you in the Spruit. Over the Pieterburenwad the current runs again with you. Meanwhile the tide will have turned and for the last stretch you will have the ebb current against you. Noorpolderzijl is a port which dries up and you can enter it through a pole-marked gully.

Round-trips

 As we have not as yet tried out all of the following we base ourselves on the summary below of information we obtained from others:

• Oostmahorn-Harlingen -Terschelling-Ameland-Lauwersoog-Oostmahorn. Via the "fixed masts" route along Dokkum, Leeuwarden and Franeker.(65km)Harlingen-Terschelling preferably via the Mepen (ca 36km)Terschelling-Ameland (55km) via the Oost-Meep. Ameland-Lauwersoog via the Wierumerwad (40km) and then the last bit (5km) over the Lauwersmeer.
• Oostmahorn-Noordpolderzijl-Delfzijl-Groningen-Zoutkamp-Oostmahorn. This round-trip goes clock-wise as that is considering the tides somewhat better. Over the Waddenzee it is about 75 km to Delfzijl and via inland waterways about the same. Often one falls dry on your way or call at Noordpolderzijl (with her pub) . Once in Delfzijl skippers of Drascombes can choose to sail to Groningen via Termunterzijl and thereafter along the Westerwoldse Aa and the Winschoterdiep. The Drascombes can lower their masts for this. The other ships sail over the Eemskanaal to Groningen . In Groningen one follows the "fixed masts " route over the Reitdiep. The Reitdiep meanders magnificently through west Groningen along places like Garnwerd ( it's worth calling at the village-pub Hamming ), Aduarderzijl and Electra upto Zoutkamp. From Zoutkamp it's 11 km only over the Lauwersmeer back to Oostmahorn.
• Oostmahorn-Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen- Kollum-Gerkesklooster- Visvliet- Pieterzijl- Munnikezijl- Lauwerszijl-Zoutkamp-Oostmahorn. The distance is about 45km and for the better part of it the masts will have to be lowered a number of times . Therefore this route is only suitable for the Drascombes. Perhaps some skippers want to enjoy the tranquillity in this area that they opt for rowing when they have lowered the masts. That is certainly worthwhile.