over four decades of sailing experience
They sail NOMAS, a Bavaria 42 Cruiser and have over four decades of sailing experience on a wide variety of vessels in a variety of areas.
In the mid-seventies, Ankie starts to learn how to sail with Cees. It’s not an immediate success, technically. Tacking, in particular, requires a level of craftsmanship that is still lacking at the time. Yet this experience is the foundation of a sailing career. This first meeting quickly leads to a small boat of their own and then a slightly larger one.
Soon after, the need arises for a cabin, and later an even larger one. Overnighting on board feels like the ultimate sailing experience. That boat arrives, and for a year, they work on preparing Zeurpiet, a classic riveted sailing sloop.
Every few years, the boats grow larger and the voyages longer. After the first crossing of the IJsselmeer, trips across the Wadden Sea follow. England, Belgium, Germany, and Denmark are added to the list. Ankie and Cees also explore the coasts of southern Italy and Turkey and visit several Greek islands.
In 2006, Ankie and Cees sail their brand-new NOMAS from the Netherlands to Portugal. From Portimão, the new home port, sailing trips to Spain and Morocco are on the agenda. The harbours and anchorages along the Algarve coast also receive visits from NOMAS. Culatra, an island south of the Algarve, remains one of their favourite destinations.
Ankie van Dijk
In the summer of 2011, Ankie sails NOMAS from Portugal back to the Netherlands, and Lelystad-Haven becomes the new home port. After a season in Dutch waters and a trip to Lowestoft, plans are made for an adventurous voyage along the English south coast and the shores of Brittany and Normandy. In the autumn of 2014, the boat and crew arrive back in Portimão.
Besides sailing, Ankie focuses on teaching swimming. She establishes a swimming school in South Africa and provides private lessons. Later, she travels regularly to Portugal to teach children to swim. In 2020, she officially ends her professional swimming activities but resumes them a year later.
Cees van Dijk
Following a career in the civil service, including a role at the Netherlands Coastguard, Cees changes course in 2000 to work as a freelancer for various media outlets. He contributes to publications such as Schuttevaer, Motorboot, Seaport, and Watersport Magazine. Additionally, he produces brochures and websites for Rijkswaterstaat and several water sports organisations.
Cargo ship becomes BB&B
He takes his first steps in sailing with Ankie. As a transitional phase in the mid-nineties, they purchase Speranza, a former cargo ship (a 39-metre barge), which they convert into a spacious floating home.
Upon completion of the renovation, they launch BB&B, Boat, Bed and Breakfast. Later, he lives with Ankie on board a sailing yacht, making trips to the Baltic Sea, Belgium, and England.
They subsequently sail to Portugal twice, visit Morocco, and navigate along the Spanish east coast to France. In 2020, NOMAS is placed on a low-loader in Port Napoleon and transported to Deko Marina in Lelystad.
Rudder breaks in Small Ships Race
For his work, Cees navigates Scandinavian waters, sails along the Greek, Croatian, and Turkish coasts, visits Italian and French ports, and crosses the waters around Malta.
He sails around the Canary Islands with the Eendracht and voyages from Suriname via Tobago and Bonaire to Curaçao. He also competes in the Round North Holland race, the 24-Hour Sailing Race, and the inaugural Small Ships Race in 2011.
During the latter event, the rudder of his 22-foot Bénéteau First breaks 52 miles west of IJmuiden. The two-man crew manages to reach IJmuiden safely using the small outboard motor.
Editor-in-Chief
As editor-in-chief of Zeilen, Motorjacht, and Botenbank, he combines his passions for sailing and writing. Regarding this, he notes that publishing about water sports during a time of significant media transition is exciting in every respect.
In early 2015, he steps down as the leader of the magazine he describes as the finest sailing publication in the Benelux. He then establishes himself as an independent content specialist. Currently, he works with an international network of creative specialists on diverse media projects.
Until late April 2020, he serves as content manager for Hydro International, a hydrographic trade journal, and contributes to the BDU, Pulse Media Group, and SRA. He is also responsible for the copy for WingX, an online marketplace for tourism activities. He remains active daily with text and imagery, closely following modern media developments.
Environmental impact
Particularly through his work for Hydro International, Cees sees daily reports on the enormous impact on the environment. Climate change, which is still underestimated or even denied by many, is a significant concern for him.
He notes that during his voyages, he witnesses the consequences of marine pollution, which motivates him to highlight these issues whenever possible. In addition to environmental aspects, Cees covers topics such as ship and sailing technology, as well as the tourist information he gathers during his travels. He believes that while nature must be protected, it is equally important to enjoy it.
The Netherlands for Ukraine
When the war in Ukraine breaks out in March 2022, Ankie and Cees organise the transport of Ukrainian refugees from Poland to the Netherlands, supported by a small team of volunteers and dozens of sponsors.
They arrange accommodation for refugees with Dutch host families. Ankie manages the planning and organisation, while Cees establishes a digital network and handles internal and external communications. These activities are later incorporated into the Stichting Nederland helpt Oekraïne.
End of sailing
In the autumn of 2022, Ankie and Cees’s sailing adventures come to an end after more than forty years. They sell NOMAS and acquire a motorhome to explore the European interior. Having seen many coastlines, they decide it is time to discover the beauty of the European mainland from the inside.
