Explore the waves in the Netherlands and book a holiday rental with a boat

Holiday in a holiday house with boat on the IJsselmeer

The IJsselmeer - a lake with charm

The IJsselmeer is, as the name suggests, not a sea, but the last artificial lake in the Netherlands. In 1932, the Cider Sea was sealed. About the ninety-meter-wide dam leads now the highway A7 / E22, which allows ships to access to the North Sea. The IJsselmeer itself has become a popular meeting place for water sports enthusiasts, because it’s a great place for sailing. It is possible to go on a variety of trips to various places on the IJsselmeer, for example to Lemmer.

One makes two - IJsselmeer and Markermeer

In the beginning, the Ijsselmeer consisted of one gigantic water surface, which was again divided internally by another dam, into the two internal waters of the IJsselmeer and Markermeer. The original plan to dry the significantly smaller marker sea, but this was never carried out. During your boat trip on the inland sea, you have to choose either the lock at Enkuizen or the lock at Lelystad between the waters. However, here too, as recommended in Germany, if you do not have a valid sailing license, you may only be able to sail and you cannot rent a boat or use your own on the lake. However, you can learn how to sail on the IJsselmeer at one of the local sailing schools and you do not have to limit yourself to the sails.

Around the IJsselmeer

Along the banks of the IJsselmeer you will find numerous, picturesque places, which invite you to stroll through the dreamy streets. In the pretty harbors, which can all be reached by boat within one day, you can easily take your boat to explore the peculiarities and sights of the town in peace. A special feature of the Ijsselmeer, which is only between two and four meters deep, are the so-called flat-bottomed vessels. These are larger ships without a large draft and a flattened wide keel, specially designed for sailing on this body of water.

Certainly, the Ijsselmeer is an excellent place to learn sailing and to deepen what you have learned, but you should not underestimate the harmless waters at first sight. The winds are similar to those of the Baltic Sea. Suddenly occurring changes in the weather, combined with changes in the flow conditions, have put some sailors in danger because they have presumed the water is safe.