In 1959, as a lad of 15, I was privileged to be invited by my friends the Clark family to go on holiday to The Netherlands on a hired cruiser. In those days, holidays of this kind were almost unknown, and Jack the father of the family was allowed to hire in Holland because he was a Trinity House Pilot.
I apologise that the pictures are not very good, but they were captured from 8mm cine film, but I'm lucky that they survived. Sadly only David, the youngest son, and myself survive today, but this trip, sowed the seeds of my obsession with both cruising and Holland, and 40+ years on that affection lives on!

We check our ship       Of course we buy clogs!         Central Amssterdam            Dam square "Look no drugs!"
 
 

Hitch hikers note the            The Zomerzon                      At the shipyard             Note the modes
     dinghy's steel!                                                                  (We broke down)            of transport....

               Approaching Alkmaar                                                     We swim the fat one's me !

 David hopes for a bite                            Alkmaar cheese market                                The Carillon

    Street Organ        Cigars before breakfast - UGH  !        Stackie barge             Yes they are doing it
                                                                                                                                                      by hand !