Earth Pilgrim is in The Netherlands where Botter Boats are a great sight. The boats above are lining up for a Sunday morning race on  Sneekermeer in Friesland.

They were originally fishing boats that sailed the Zuider Zee when it was open to the North Sea. After the building of the Afsluitdijk, creating the Ijslmeer inside and the Waddenzee outside, the use of these boats for fishing all but disappeared. They are now used mainly for recreational purposes and are lovingly restored by enthusiasts.

They are beautiful, elegant looking boats with their distinctive ‘wings’ used for assisting with the steering.