Southwesterlies and Sunshine on the Grevelingen

The Royal Dutch Metereological Institute (KNMI) announced that the heat wave of recent days is over. It came to an end with a mighty Summer storm that we watched approaching from Mekicevica's cabin. First the sky turned darker and darker with weird stripes of lighter grey across the sky advancing painfully slowly from the south. At the some time we could see the distant lightning and feel the roaring of thunder. Than the wind freshened-up and turned 180 degrees from NE to SW as a light rain started. This developed gradually to a downpour with lightning all around and gusts of wind that reached 50 knots. We wouldn't have liked to be out sailing in these conditions. Good thing we checked the weather forecast and gave-up the idea of starting early to catch the ebbing tide down the Keteen.

The storm over Belgium, photo of the Royal Metereological Institute (KMI).

We nearly went home, but the promise of sunshine after the storm made us decide to stay. It was not until 1500 that we cast off in a light to moderate SW wind and sunshine, but still with suspiciously-looking clouds all around that we kept monitoring nervously. Fortunately they came to nothing and even a few showers we could see towards the West dissipated. It turned-out to be a lovely late afternoon with a gentle breeze from about the beam, filling the main sail and the genoa pushing us lazily up the Grevelingen. Now THIS is my idea of sailing, not the adrenaline-saturated ride I has a few weeks ago!

Interesting craft on the Grevelingen.

We had no more defined plans than heading NW until dinner time and hope by then to be near a harbour with a restaurant serving mussels (the season just started).
The wind decided to call it a day just as we were in front of Bommenrede, so the right thing to do was start our reliable but noisy outboard, know as Yoyo-Ma, and head for Brouwershaven old harbour.
We found a place rafting along a nice 20-something-foot family-cruiser with German flag, the restaurant did have a table for us that soon was decorated with mussels and white wine. The only inconvenience was that the harbourmaster had already gone home and although the restaurant usually keeps some keys for the shower building for late-comers, all had already been handed over.
During the night there was another storm, lighter than the previous. This time the strong winds persisted and I worried all night if we were going to have some epic adventure returning to Bruinisse, or even be pinned-down in Brouwershaven.
In the morning, although it was still blowing at about 5 Bf, the forecast was that the SW wind would weaken further and the sun would come out. We had a late start and caught the wind just right to get us going at 3 to 4 knots on a beam-reach, with some gusts that Mekicevica took in her stride with full main and  a shortened genoa. By 3 pm we were settled back in Bruinisse and could enjoy the rest of the afternoon in the warm sunshine.

Under a tyrant skipper, life is hard for Mekicevica's crew.

Bikini Crew

Returning from our equatorial trip, we found even higher temperatures in Zeeland.
Having arrived home late on Friday after a long trip, we had a really late start on Saturday. Moreover the NE wind was very light, so even sailing with the tide it soon became clear that we were too late to get anywhere in the Oosterschelde in time for dinner. It was also getting close to low water, so Stavenisse harbour was not accessible. So we turned around and made our way to Sint-Annaland... again. Not that it bother us. Sailing in the Krabbenkreek is always delightful, particularly in a quiet and warm evening like this.
We did get dinner in the club house and on Sunday woke up to a bright, warm morning. There was not much wind, so we motored up the Krabbenkreek just before low water, dropped the hook in shallow water and spent the day lazying in the sun, swimming and watching the birds and the shore moving away in the flooding tide. I also took the opportunity to give a good scrub to Mekicevica's bottom, which was starting to be covered in weed and barnacles.
Around 3pm, Mekicevica turned around the anchor to let us know that the tide had started to ebb. We hoisted the sails and leisured sailed down the Krabbenkreek, which was busy with anchored boats and people swimming. Unfortunatelly there were also a few annoying motor boats pulling idiots over the water on all sorts of devices and making a lot of noise and waves. Despite that we enjoyed the sailing in  the warm sunshine.

Finally, bikini sailing.

Once on the Keteen we had to turn against the tide and the little wind there was, so we motored all the way to the Grevelingen lock. On the way we encountered a couple of dolphins, which added to the Adriatic feeling of the day.