FOR MORE northerly parts of the Netherlands either use the system of inland waterways or head up the coast. It’s perfectly possible to get to Amsterdam, and beyond, by an inland route without taking your mast down, but unless your aim is to explore the towns along the way the number of locks and opening bridges makes for slow progress. For most people with limited time the coastal route is much more practical.

From the Westerschelde take the inshore channel along the southern side of the Walcheren peninsula and then from the east cardinal buoy OG-GR, head almost due north to the Middeldiep where you will find the starboard hand buoy MD3. From there you can shape a course of about 055º over the ground to Europoort and the Hoek van Holland which will take you safely outside the extensive sand banks lying off the Rhine delta area. Having carefully crossed the busy shipping lane in and out of Rotterdam on the approved route between the MV and MV-Noord buoys, the obvious stopping place is Scheveningen which is on a bearing of about 065º from the Industbank N north cardinal buoy.

The yacht harbour at Scheveningen is in an inner basin. About half a mile off you are requested to radio Traffic Centre Scheveningen on VHF ch 21 to ask permission to enter the harbour which has a certain amount of commercial traffic. Having negotiated the north-facing entrance, proceed into the Voorhaven (watching for any ships emerging from the commercial berths to your right) and then turn left into the fishing harbour. Inside the fishing harbour turn immediately right along the short waterway into Haven No. 2 where the marina is at the southern end on your starboard side (VHF ch 31 or T +31 (0)653 293137). Visitors lie against the pontoons on the further (east) side of the dock, but you will probably have to raft up. If all else fails there may be other berthing or rafting opportunities on the western side of the dock, but in that case you will have a long walk to the marina office and other outposts of civilisation which are all on the east side.

There’s quite a lively, and occasionally noisy, atmosphere along the quay with a wide range of restaurants from Argentinian to Indonesian. Good supermarket opposite the beginning of the Statenlaan two blocks inland from the marina. Further afield there is a casino, pier and beaches, though the immediate environs of the port have a fairly run-down feel. The Hague with its world famous art galleries and appurtenances of government is a tram ride away.

© 2008 Yachtpilot.