I started at nine from Den Helder which is not ideal for the current, but I wanted to take advantage of the northeasterly that would turn more from the north during the day. To begin with I could hold a course not too much diverging from the coast, but soon the wind backed and I had to start tacking against it. Still I was making a descent speed in between 15 and 20 knots of wind. Atlantis had the railing below the water at times and it was a bit uncomfortable, I had the feeling some gusts were stronger than 20, but I still don't have any anemometer and reported wind on Windy said 21 at highest. Coming halfway I was approached by the Dutch Coastguard. They came alongside in a RIB and asked permission to come onboard. I had to go more downwind to make it easy for two of them to jump onboard. They searched the boat very thoroughly, for what I don't know, if it was refugees they didn't have to look in the drawers and cupboards. It took quite some time and when they were done I had lost almost one hour of sailing and also lost quite a bit of distance that I had to take back, I guess I lost about two hours. At least they were nice and polite.

I was worried that I would not be able to reach Den Helder before the current turned against me, but I was there exact at highwater.