Exploring the Oosterschelde. 3. Six Knots!

On Sunday morning there was a busy sky that let the sun shine at times. It was also rather windy. The anemometer on the yacht club showed 15 kn West wind, increasing. We definitely need to get going before high water. It would not be fun to have such wind blowing against the tide. I still had time to have a chat with the ex-owner of the Manta 19 nr. 1114. I had heard of him; he sailed from the Netherlands to England on his Manta. He now owns a Midget 20 that he keeps in an immaculate condition.
We left Colijnsplaat harbour and had just hoisted the sails when the church bells rung 10 o'clock. With both wind and tide pushing us, we were doing spectacular progress. Under main sail alone, Mekicevica was riding the waves like a dolphin.

Once into the Keeten, we had a slightly weaker wind on a port broad reach and hoisted the genoa to maintain the speed.
When we started maneuvering to douse sails in front of the Grevelingen lock, the bells were ringing noon. We had covered close to 12 NM in two hours!
The lock was busier than ever. Mekicevica squeezed in between a 100-year old Dutch barge (displacing 110 ton) and a 45 ft yacht.
For once we finished on time to clean ship without rush. Another wonderful weekend aboard Mekicevica.

Exploring the Oosterschelde. 2. Colijnsplaat

Colinsplaat is a typical "Zeeuwse" village, founded as part of the poldering of the mid-XVIIth century. It follows the traditional plan of the time, based around a main street running between the harbour and the church.

Happy sailor on the dike near Colinsplaat.

It stands on the site where in Roman times was a town called Ganuenta. As a reminder of those past times, a reconstruction of a temple dedicated to the goddess Nehalennia was erected. Once, the Batavian sea-going people used to ask Nehalennia for protection.

Image of the goddess Nehalennia, protector of the Batavian sea-going people.

Coming back to less spiritual matters, the main street provided abundant choice of places offering food freshly harvested out of the Oosterchelde waters.

Exploring the Oosterschelde. 1. Sailing Under the Zeelandbrug

We did a late start on a dull Saturday morning to face the usual mayhem of the Grevelingen lock. Skippers that want to push forward at any cost and boat owners that dread the prospect of the slightest scratch on their paintwork do not mix well.
The wind was indeed northerly... when there was any wind at all. It was again one of those situations of sailing a bit, waiting a bit with limp sails, loose patience and motor a bit, repeat.
At least there was not much shipping and most of the yachts were moving equally slow in the same direction. Even the skippers of the motor boats seemed to be in a lazy mood and passed respectfully slow.

One of the many interesting boats you come across in Zeeland.

Once out of the Keeten and on the Oosterschelde the wind picked up and we had an easy reach towards the bridge.

Approaching the bridge was much easier than last week. 

Remembering the previous week when the winds kept pushing Mekicevica off the bridge I was really afraid that a gust between the pylons would send us spinning out of control. We head for a gap between the pylons trying to sail not too close to the wind while keeping a good angle to the bridge. With hand sweating on the tiller and a feeling of dry mouth we get closer and closer... and we're trough! We passed the bridge under sail!

Sailing under the bridge....

...and on the other side. You can breathe now, Skipper.

Once, west of the bridge, the NW wind continued to pick-up, and the ebbing tide started to be noticeable, resulting in choppy waters. Luckily our destination, Colijnsplaat, was just 1 M away.

Exploring the Oosterschelde: Prologue

Great weather all week. The best part is the wind is forecast to be NW on Saturday, turning SW on Sunday.  On the Oosterschelde high water will around noon. Perfect conditions to sail to the Oosterschelde and back to Mekicevica's berth in Bruinisse.
Now the bad news: it will rain on Friday evening, and the rest of the weekend will be cool, but at least mostly dry.
At least the rain came down when we were already tucked in under the boom tent preparing for the trip.
This is what it looked like:

Oosterschelde At Last. 3. Adriatic Aan De Schelde

Very conveniently for lazy cruisers like us, low-water was around midday. No point in staring early, we'd have to go against the tide.
Late in the sunny morning we motor off along the channel leading back to the Oosterschelde. The SE wind was very light but we could see some sails out there. We exit the channel, hoist sails, switch-off the motor, and after a few seconds we were completely becalmed. Here we go, just like in the Adriatic last month.
Past the bridge we found some steady wind and could enjoy the Oosterschelde at its best: sun shimmering on calm waters and a breeze pushing us nicely along.

Oosterschelde sailing at its best.

Unfortunately, as we turned N into the Keeten the wind became weaker and weaker. All around us were boats with the sails hanging limp from their masts. It was then that two cargo ships appeared. The first took the reasonable course close to the middle of the channel, allowing the small boats to get out of the way to the sides. Then the second decided to go right on the starboard side, causing a frantic start of engines as the sailing boats tried to get out of the way.

Most of us decided to continue motoring the couple of miles left to the Grevelingen lock. A couple of attempts to sail ended up in nothing.

Just past the Krabbenkreek, we had the encounter that completed the Adriatic feeling: a dolphin, right next to Mekicevica.

Dolphin in the Keeten.

The rest of the return to Bruinisse was uneventful. We got used to the mess of the Grevelingen lock and the strange behavior of some skippers. While waiting we moored along side an elderly couple who were returning home after 10 years cruising in Scandinavia. They were a bit surprised to see such a crowd!

Oosterschelde At Last. 2. Zierikzee

I had only seen Zierikzee while passing-by on one of my long bike rides, but I marked it as an interesting town worth visiting. It turned-out to be much better than that.

Entering the beautiful town of Zierikzee.

This beautiful town excels at keeping a low profile, true to Calvinist values. The architecture betrays the affluence of this town during the Golden Age. Sadly, it was very hardly hit by the 1952 floods. Everyone in this town must understand the meaning of "The Lord giveth and the Lotd taketh away."

Zierikzee, A really beautiful town does not need to brag about it,

Sunset in  Zierikzee/

Apart from that, Zierikzee is a popular yachting destination. The gin-palaces around would not have been out of place in Hvar or St. Tropez. In the morning I was told-off by the harbour-master for being only the 4th on a raft, while bigger yachts had to raft seven-aside!

Oosterschelde At Last - 1. Sailing Against Wind and Tide

True to the forecast, Saturday started dry but cloudy, and several degrees colder than normal for the time of the year. Since we are not that experienced in sailing tidal waters we are not sure if it is better to sail on the Oosterschelde with the tide but in a wind-against-tide situation, or sail against both wind and tide. Finally,  we took laziness as our counselor and opted for the latter, otherwise we would have to start at an uncivilized time.
Past the Grevelingen lock, sailing down the Keteen on a broad reach was really smooth. There was some sort of event going on at Bruinisse, and part of it was a rowing competition. That was fun to watch.

That's hard work! Get some sails, lads!

Soon we reached the Oosterschelde and got the first glimpses of the Zeeland bridge. We knew that the hard bit was about to begin, but we didn't expect it to be this hard. We were going against spring tide and a gusty northerly wind that would not keep a constant strength or direction for more than 10 secs  It was also very busy and every time that the colregs dictated we had to give way, it set us back a couple of tacks.

Getting to the bridge was hard work, but passing it under sail was damn well impossible.

Eventually we reached the Zeeland bridge, but passing it under sail seemed impossible. We tried different angles  but always the wind under the bridge set the genoa back and sent |Mekicevica spinning around her keel. Finally we gave up and motored past the bridge and to Ziekikzee.

Oosterschelde At Last - Prologue

Since we returned from Croatia we have not had a day without rain. And it is cold as well.
However, according to the weather forecast, and reversing the usual "week-end effect" the rain will suddenly stop on Friday and it will start to get progressively brighter. The North wind will be light to moderate.
This is our chance: Mekicevica is going to the Oosterschelde and visit Zierikzee. We have been planning this trip since the early days, but the winds always turn unfavourable.
The Oosterschelde is a wide estuary with tides moderated by an artificial barrier. We cross it via the 5 km long Zeeland bridge whenever we drive to Mekicevica's berth in Bruinisse. In a sunny day with light winds it is a sail-crusier's dream, but with a stiff NW wind blowing against an ebbing tide it is scary. Not a place to be in a small boat.

Not something you want to see when planning to sail on the Oosterschelde. None of that this week-end.

I spent Friday afternoon preparing Mekicevica to sail and First-mate joined in the evening for a drink at the Sailor's Inn and dinner aboard. Inside! It is still unseasonably fresh.