Floating through Holland (and Belgium)

Publisher: Self published, £5.95
Publication Date: 2008

Anyone expecting a guide to the waterways of Holland and Belgium would be disappointed. The author never intended to provide a guide to the many thousands of kilometres of rivers and canals in The Netherlands and Belgium. On the other hand, she has written a charming and homely record of purchasing a motor cruiser in Holland, learning to handle her for the first time and then taking her from the Dutch province of Gelderland to Pont-a-Bar at the junction of the Meuse and the Canal des Ardennes. It is written in a “chatty” style, which makes for very easy reading of its 103 pages. There are some limited descriptions of the facilities at some of the marinas at which “Liberty” and her crew of two paused as they meandered south, principally on the Maas/Meuse. A selection of fascinating facts and very potted histories are given for some of the villages, towns and cities they visited. Others receive only passing comments, notably the beautiful city of Dinant in Belgium. Overall, it is light and easy reading, but is not a required addition for a skipper seeking sources of information for his passage planning. Beginners on the other hand would derive great comfort from her descriptions of their early days on board. – IPAS