Prologue
Looking back on last sailingseason once more instability in the atmosphere was trump with suddenly and extreme alterations. It brought many a day heavy rainshowers, strong winds and across the board it was often too cold for the time of the year.
Climatechange is perceptible, no doubt about that. Queeste for mankind!
With weatherforecasts just like a jojo, smooth summercruising for a longer period with kind winds, really were more exception then rule. Plans to go far to the east or Baltic sea were cancelled for that reason for instance by Caecilia (came to Juist), Woest maar kalm (came to Baltrum) and Sayonara (stayed on West Frisian Islands).
Let’s hope next year will be a better one in many ways!

Caecilia onderweg van Borkum naar het Ra-wad met onheilspellende luchten, 3 augustus 2021

Announcement Wintermeeting 2022
We must accept corona-virus will stay among us. Let’s hope the booster shot will protect everyone soon against omikron. Not easy to free our mind in this bad times.
Let’s try to stay positive, making plans for a cozy Wintermeeting in romantic style.
If possible, we’ll organize a new one in Q1 2022.

It’s not that easy to equal with our last Winterrmeeting at landgoed De Kippenburg, almost two years ago, when pandemic still was far away!
Just only because we had by exceptional case 17 guests then (normaly 20-25), it was possible to hire that old house, more guests simply are not allowed by the lady.
But we have good news!

We found an equivalence in borg Ekenstein (anno 1648), located on Alberdaweg 70, 9901 TA Appingedam. In 1869 Ekenstein was totally rebuild in neoclassical style with some neogotic influence, surrounded by a beautiful park in English landscapestyle, in 1827 layed-out by the famous Dutch landscape gardener Lucas Pieter Roodbaard, who was loved in those days by the nobility, in particular in the Norh of the Netherlands.

Borg Ekenstein naastbij de stad Appingedam (provcincie Groningen)

Borg Ekenstein has a fine restaurant for dinner and hotel facilities*** with plain rooms for staying the night, so no one will be forced to drive a car at night to get home.
As usual we’ll do our very best to make a sharp package-deal for a tasteful warm and cold Alcyone-buffet with stay overnight and breakfast included on Sundaymorning.
Total costs person a head will be in the same range we’ve earlier paid for.

Long since board of Alcyone Circle exchanged the posh Apollo Hotel in old south of Amsterdam for characteristic locations with more intimacy, we’ve noticed members graceful appriciated new policy.
In the past twenty years we’ve had Wintermeetings in havezate Overcinge (Havelte), kasteel de Essenburg (Hierden) and landgoed De Kippenburg (Oudemirdum).
On and all unique historical locations where we’ve stayed in former times.
Borg Ekenstein has the same pleasant atmospfere we’re looking for.
Outstanding, informal, cozy and with a historical touch, just like and in style with our loved Gunning-yachts, in the meantime also sailing heritage.
To be sure, Bert & Janneke and Rienkje & I went to inspect borg Ekenstein for you on 18th of December: it earns our trustworthy rating ‘Alcyone Circle-proved’!
We’ve had a fine lunch there in the beautiful dinningroom with open fireplace.
Borg Ekenstein stole our hearts.

Borg Ekenstein, een verborgen parel, bezocht net voor de totale lockdown

Wintermeeting Saturday 12Th of March 2022
To avoid springholiday (also because prizes going up then) we suggest to organize our Wintermeeting on 12th of March at borg Ekenstein, arriving Saturday afternoon at 15.00 hours and leaving Sundaymorning in peace.
In good weather, we’ll start our Wintermeeting with a cultural-historic walking-tour for maximal one hour through the old city of Appingedam. Not just for passing all the highlights, but also to stretch our legs after a long car ride for most of us.
We’ll drive together from hotel to the old centre, parking our cars at Wijkstraat nearby museum Stad Appingedam, where we’ll start our walking-tour.

Hangende keukens in het middeleeuwse stadje Appingedam, ontstaan rond 1877 bij de ombouw
van pakhuizen tot woningen als gevolg van het wegvallen van de handel en bedrijvigheid

In case of rain -if possible then- an alternative could be visiting Museum Stad Appingedam, situated on Wijkstraat 25.
We’ve just heard in Holland all museums and galleries must close again after a very short period of revival till 17.00 hours. Packed football stadiums with supporters were allowed much to long while musea stayed closed.
Now they are the poor relation again.
Panem et circenses (bread and games), Julius Caesar knows so well!

This museum tells us all about the rich history of the old city. It has beautiful style-chambers and a curious and top-ranking silver collection, reminding the guild of silversmiths. Entrance-fee € 5 person a head.
If there are no Covid-restrictions then, by enough importance to vist the museum, we’ll arrange a groupsession on Saturday 12th of March from 15.30 till 17.00 hours.

Museum Stad Appingedam

History city of Appingedam in a nutshell
Appingedam is beside capital city Groningen the only city in province Groningen of the middle ages origin. It acquires his city rights in 1327! Because it was situated in that time on the river Delf (nowadays Damsterdiep) with an important open seaway, for a long time it was a prosperous city with his own guilds and trade unions.
In those days the main language was Frisian! Because it’s success, there were a lot of conflicts, resulting in robbery and siege through the much bigger city of Groningen.
On the end Appingedam has to capitulate. However, till 18th century it was an important commercial city for the region, but after that it collapsed and slowly falls into oblivion. A temporary revive with industrial activities along Damsterdiep on the end of 19th and till the middle of 20th century brought better times, but not for long.
Icon in last century was Brons Enginefactory, also famous by their marine engines.

Advertentie Brons Scheepsmotoren van omstreeks 1954

Please let us know you will join Wintermeeting 2022 with dinner only or dinner with stay overnight, so we can take an option for hotelreservation in time.
We assume our community and Borg Ekenstein will be open again in March
Arrival and check-in hotelroom on 15.00 hours; walking-tour old centre or visit museum from 15.30 till 16.30/17.00 hours, happy hour in the bar or laughter room from 17.00 till 18.00 hours and dinner from 18.30 p.m. in a kind-hearted atmosphere.

Looking forward meeting all of you in good health after such a long time.
See you soon, stay safe,

Arjen van Boekel & Joost van ’t Hull
Board of Alcyone Circle