Monday 30 May 2016

Up and Down the Volkerak

First-Mate is travelling for work the whole week. No-way I am going to stay at home if the weather is any decent. Which it wasn't on Monday.

Tuesday, 24 of May: Preparing to go
Finally on Tuesday afternoon the rain cleared and I got on my motorbike and rode to Bruinisse.
The rest of the day was spent preparing Mekicevica, provisioning, and generally pottering about.
Drying-out, after a few, very rainy days.
Wednesday. 25 of May: Afternoon sail to Oude-Tongue
I feel sorry for the meteorologists, working all day with their supercomputers in windowless rooms. They must be windowless, because while they kept asserting "mostly dry weather with a very local patch of drizzle" it rained all morning. Finally just before noon it started to get a bit drier, so we are off for the first single-handed trip of the season. Destination: the Volkerak.
Middle of the week, middle of the day, it was very quiet at the Grevelingen lock. Instead of the many yachts we passed the lock with a cargo ship.
Sailing mid-week: little traffic of yachts but you come across more of the big guys.
Once past the lock, we hoisted full main and the big genoa, and peacefully sailed along the Kramer, with the light NW breeze aft of the beam pushing us towards the next lock.
This time we just went in without waiting, hoisted sails again, and resumed the relaxed sailing.
Initially I had the intention of getting to Dintelmond, or ever Ooltegenseplaat, but with the weak wind it became obvious we were not going to make it that far in any reasonable time. So we turned into Oude-Tongue.
The approach to the town is first through a bird reserve. It is usually very quiet, but much more so on this week-day afternoon. Mekicevica was gliding silently, close-hauled on the weak breeze. The only noise was from the birds. At one moment I realised I was holding my breath for fear of disturbing the peace. We managed to sail until the last pair of buoys before the lock leading to the town centre.
As I was tying-up at in our usual place, the only one sized for a small boat like Mekicevica, a guy who was fishing on the opposite side of the harbour, asked me (in German) if I would rent him my boat the next day. What a cheek! I strongly refused, but gave him the details of Aqua-Vitesse, fro which he was very grateful.
The beautiful harbour of Oude-Tongue.
Thursday. 26 of May: Long, slow beat up the Volkerak
The skies cleared in the early night, and the temperature dropped substantial. I was a bit cold sleeping in Mekicevica, even with two duvets on myself. In the morning there was a shy sunshine, and the wind had veered to the NE, exactly the direction I want to sail to.
Never mind, I thought, I need to practise beating single-handed and this weak wind offers the ideal opportunity. So I changed from the Bif Genny to the Small Jibby, and set off prepared for a long beat.
Encouraged from previous days' performance, I tried to hit sails in the tight space between the first two buoys. I did very well and in no time we had the main-sail full on a beam reach.. but weren't moving. We were aground. The bottom here is only soft sand and weed, so a tittle tug on the centre-plate was enough to get Mekicevica free.
As we started beating towards the east there was a moderate wind and I was happy with the progress and the way my single-handed takes were going. But the wind got progressive weaker and weaker, and our speed lower and lower. And then I was reminded why I don't like to sail on the fresh water of the Volkerak in summer with weak wind: as soon as the boat speed drops the terrible Volkerak midges come for you. They are not the biting type, but like to make straight flights onto your face, Kamikaze style. They are particularly fond of aiming at ears and nostrils. At one point, I saw a familiar, small boat (Katapult) motoring the opposite way while the crew made desperate swating gestures.
Soon I was playing cat and mouse with the wind: become becalmed, switch on the motor until ripples on the water give the impression the wind was returned; switch-off the motor, sail for a few seconds before the wind dies again. Repeat.
After a while I lost patience, and since I would have to motor across the shipping lane, anyway, decided to motor until there was clearly some wind. After a while I finally could see the wind turbines starting to move, and clear ripples on the water everywhere I looked. From then it was nice, relaxed sailing until Dintelmond, where we sailed past the break-waters. In total, seven hours sailing with only a short toilet break, hove-to.

Friday, 27 of May: Great sailing back to Bruinisse... and back to Oude-Tongue again
The weather forecast for Friday called for sunny spells and moderate northerlies. I tried to start as soon as I could, that is as soon as the harbourmaster arrived and I could pay for the stay. At first it was cloudy and the north wind was a bit weak. But gradually the sun came out and the wind picked-up and we started moving faster. I could even use a lull in the traffic to sail across the shipping lane.
After the Nordplaat, it was a straight-line towards the Kramer lock on a beam-reach with main and jib nicely full. At some moment a motor boat came from behind getting really close. A nice-looking mob, by the way, not your average, revolting gin-palace. As I was getting annoyed that it was coming so close, I realised that the skipper wanted to compliment me on the way Mekicevica was sailing. "Beautiful sight" he sad. Mekicevica and skipper went pink with pride.
The delightful sailing continued on the Kramer and soon we were berthed back in Bruinisse. By than it was warm enough for shorts and T-shirt, while I had started the day in thermals and water-proofs.
I had thought of packing-up and going home, but First-Mate had returned home and was not going to miss the opportunity of doing some sailing. So she joined me in Bruinisse, and in the late afternoon we set-out again towards the Volkerak. I am glad First-Mate had this idea, because it was the most delightful evening sailing, even if it was against the wind all the way.

Saturday, 28 of May: Another return to Bruinisse
Saturday morning was sunny but the northerly wind was rather weak. Immediately out of the canal fro Oude-Tongue we hoisted Big Genny. Progress was a bit slow, not least because it seemed to be peak hour for the fishers to return home in their motor boats. Each time Big Genny was starting to fill with the weak breeze, one of those pests would come along and upset everything with their wake. One of them even made us drift out of the channel and run aground. We easily came free but that was it, we motored until open water where the wind was a bit stronger. Than it was great sailing for the short distance to the Kramer lock.

After the lock, on the Kramer the proximity of the North Sea became more noticeable, making the wind a bit more westerly. We still could make it to the Grevelingen lock always on starboard tack. And very nice sailing it was, especially since we don't sail close hauled with Big Genny very often.

Monday 23 May 2016

A Day-Trip to Bommenede Turns Into an Overnight-Trip to Brouwershaven

The weather continues to be miserable. The forecast gives hope of a dry and warm Saturday, but that is all we can expect.
Friday was rain, and more rain. I patiently waited for it to clear. Finally in the middle afternoon it stopped raining and I jumped on my motorbike and got to Bruinisse. First-Mate was in Leiden for work and joined me in the evening for a drink at the Veerhuis and dinner aboard.

Saturday, 21 of May
After a very calm night we woke up to a shy sunshine and a weak south-westerly wind. Soon we were getting out of the harbour and hoisting main-sail and jib to sail up the Grevelingen on a beam to broad reach. The wind gradually picked-up to just the strength Mekicevica likes and she was flying. It was barely noon when we pulled into the small Bommenede piers.
There are still corners of the Grevelingen new to Mekicevica, like Bommenede.
From there we went for a walk towards Zonnemaire, through typical, rural-Zeeland landscape.
Typical Zeeland landscape: 100% artificial, but pleasant none-the-less.
After a light lunch we returned to the boat with the intention to return back to Bruinisse before the weather window shut. We found that the wind was a bit more southerly and had picked-up a lot. It was now a good 5 Bf and against us. With a few rolls in the jib and a reef in the main we prepared for a hard fight... which we lost.
Mekicevica was still heeling a lot and often I had to ease the main-sheet, which made progress upwind slow. It became obvious we would have to do several tacks. In these conditions, to avoid having First-Mate leaning over the low side of a crazily heeling boat, I bring the boat level during the tacks. In the narrow space we had here that would make progress even slower. We gave-up. Turned around, rolled the jib, sailed down-wind past Bommenede again, and finished with a cowardly motoring to the shelter of Brouwershaven.
To make the best of it, we finished the day with a delicious fish dinner at a local restaurant.

Sunday, 22 of May
As forecast, the rain returned during the night, topped-up with occasional showers and wind gusts. But in the well sheltered harbour of Brouwershaven Mekicevica and crew slept peacefully. And long. There was no hurry, since we needed to wait for the squalls to pass.
Eventually they did, and we had a light westerly breeze pushing us on a run along the Geul van Bommenede, than on a broad reach down the Grevelingen that turned again into a run as the wind veered more northerly. Unfortunately we had only the briefest glimpse of sunshine and occasional light rain.
As we were settling Mekicevica in Bruinisse, the rain became heavier and more persistent. I had a very wet motorbike ride back home and has I write this, Monday mid-morning it is still raining uninterruptedly.

Wednesday 18 May 2016

Cold Day Trip to Stavenisse

After a wonderful spell of good weather last weekend, the winter made a comeback. Whit Sunday was colder than on Christmas day, with a strong NW wind. Not a pleasant weather to sail. Instead we took our bikes to Bruinisse and went for a short ride to Zonnemaire  and after a break with a hot drink returned to Bruinisse.

Whit Monday,  16 of May 2016
In the morning it was so cold we almost gave-up and returned home. But encouraged by the forecast of sunshine and perfect sailing wind, we decided to go.
After a leisurely start, hoping for temperatures to rise we headed for the Grevelingen lock, went straight in, and tied alongside a small and somewhat battered Jouet sailed by a very nice guy from Den Bosch. After the lock we hoisted sails as soon as the flotilla dispersed enough to give us some room to manoeuvre. I managed to impress First-Mate by hoisting first the jib on a downwind course, let the other boats pass on motor, and then briskly turn into the wind until the jib backed, quickly hoist the main, pass the jib to the other tack and sail away.
Then it was very pleasant sailing down the Keteen, mostly on beam reach to the weak-ish NW wind. We had open plans, and when we passed in front of the Krabbenkreek, decided to continue towards Stavenisse. With the harbour entrance already in sight, we got the more Westerly wind blowing from the Oosterschelde, on the spot where it always blows stronger. It took us a few tacks until we could enter the Stavenisse canal.
After a short break, we set on our way back to Bruinisse. Now we started with a moderate wind aft of the beam, but as we progressed it became a reach. Mekicevica was sailing beautifully. In the gusts she almost seemed to plan. The wind became gradually weaker and more northerly, but even with having to avoid some traffic we managed to make it to the end of the Keteen always on starboard tack.
Sailing past a traditional Dutch ship.

Waiting for the lock we came across two Germans and their cat who have been sailing their Ketch   Wonderwall since October and plan to head for South America.
If it had not been so cold, it would have been a perfect sailing day.

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Early Summer Cruise To Veere

A spell of unbelievably nice weather in early May: dry, warm, with light to moderate easterlies.
And falling on a long weekend, moreover!
After studying the tide tables, and wind forecast we decided to try to sail Mekicevica to Veere and back. This involves sailing a large bit of the Oosterschelde, almost the whole length of the Veerse Meer, and then return the same way.

Thursday, 5th of May: Sailing (Most of the Way) to Kats
All our trips out of the Grevelingen start with negotiating the lock. We were lucky to go in immediately, without waiting, but the lock was crowded as we have rarely seen it. After the stewards directed all the boats into place, there wasn't even space for a rubber duck in that lock.
Once on the other side we sailed along the Keteen, with a light easterly wind, enough to push Mekicevica against the weak tide. On the Oosterschlede it would be a different matter altogether, so we made a beak in Stavenisse to wait for high-water at 1540, so we could continue with the ebb.
Waiting for the tide in Stavenisse.
Sailing with wind and tide, we made good progress, until the point we had to turn south and against the tide. Now on a close reach, we were making good progress over the water... but soon we were moving backwards over the ground. No other option but continuing on motor. We still arrived in Kats in time for a stroll to the village and a delicious dinner of fish on the marina restaurant. 
The church in Kats. The pretty village was once an artists colony and the inhabitants retain a taste for arts.

Friday, 6th of May: The Veerse Meer Zig-Zags
On Friday we only had to do a short stretch in tidal waters, before getting into the Veerse Meer. Still, we didn't want to leave too early before low water, to avoid going against the tide. In the early morning there was a lot of activity in the harbour, as lots of boats were going the other way and were rushing to leave as early as their felt comfortable with. Once they left, everything was quiet, until low water when all the boats that were going the same way as us cast off almost at the same time. The southeasterly wind was very light and we were glad to have changed the head-sail from small jibby to the Big Genny. First we sailed away from the coast and then in a few tacks reached the Zandkreek.  From there was plain sailing with wind and tide to the lock. The only annoyance were the many stinkpots and their wakes.
The Veerse Meer has a strange zig-zag shape. Add to that shores that are either lined with trees or empty salt marches, a gusty wind, and heavy traffic and you get very eventful sailing. We made a break along the way to rest and eat something, and after that I managed to impress First-Mate by leaving the peer under sail without using the motor.
As in all the days during this cruise, in the early afternoon the wind veered, increased in strength and became gusty, so soon after the break we were close hauled in a rising wind. Seeing boats ahead of us heeling a lot, we put a few rolls in the genoa, which turned to be the right decision, because we were soon hit by strong gusts. Just before Veere we checked the marina but it was a sad affair: exposed to the wind and wake of boats, out of town, and no facilities. So we headed for the Stadshaven, where we were welcome by a very friendly harbour master who found us a nice, sheltered spot.
...
Veere Stadshaven, right in the historic centre.
The only surprise was that there are no food shops in Veere. Plenty of tourist souvenir shops, but no food shops. Not wanting to eat out again, we had to make do with what we had on board. But we did manage to buy a bottle of cheap wine at the clubhouse. And we had dinner outside, in Mekicevica's cockpit.

Saturday, 7th of May: Long Beat Back, Confused Winds and Crew, and Evening Sail to Colijnsplaat
Having successfully reached our destination, we need to plan the return. Considering the tides and wind forecast, we would like to reach Stavenisse today, leaving the Veerse Meer shortly before the 1711 high water. That means a rather long day.
As we left Veere, in a light southeasterly, it was very quiet. But as we tacked towards Arnemuiden it became increasingly busy. At the narrowest point we had to tack in between several sailing and motorboats, a flotilla of lasers, and a cruise ship.
Leaving Veere in a quiet morning.
We zigzagged along the Veerse Meer to Wolphartsdijk, where we stopped briefly to re-provision and have a little break. We first tried to stop at the harbour of the Royal Belgian Yacht Club, but were very unfriendly shooed away to a pier reserved for short stops.
Around 3pm we set sail again towards the lock in very erratic winds. Although there was a lot of traffic coming in, there very few boats going out.
Then started the big struggle. In the original plan, we would have to sail against wind and tide for a bit, before turning and riding wind and tide to Stavenisse. The first problem was that the wind died and we couldn't make much progress. So, we motored until the turning point. Then a bit of wind came up... from the wrong direction: NE instead of SE. We soon realised we were never going to get to Stavenisse that day, so we turned around, sailed the stretch we had so painfully motored and headed towards Kats. At least now we had a light wind just aft of the beam and the tide helping us. Easy sailing in the falling light and quiet waters was pure bliss.
Delightful evening sailing on the Oosterschelde.
In fact, it was going so well, that we decided to continue past Kats and towards Colijnsplaat. The main reason being that the clubhouse there has better beer than the restaurant in Kats ;-)
The setting sun plays on the Zeeland bridge.

Sunday, 8th of May: Getting a Good Beating Back to Bruinisse
The reason we wanted to reach Stavenisse on Saturday was that the easterlies were forecast to increase in force, and we know from bitter experience that strong easterlies over a flood tide can create havoc in the Oosterschelde. With this is mind we left Colijnsplaat about one hour before low water. The SE wind was light and at first it was a bit of a struggle to make progress against the last bit of the ebb, but gradually the tide turned in our favour and we started approaching the east end of the Oosterschelde away from the water that become choppy in easterlies against flood-tide.
Easy sailing along the Oosterschelde, before all hell came lose.
As were approaching the end of the Keteen, what we usually call "the windy corner", the wind started backing and building-up; first in puffs, that as a moderate east wind with strong gusts. Soon we had to put a few rolls in the jib and a reef in the main. Even like that in some of the gusts I had to ease the main-sheet until the boom nearly touched the waves and Mekicevica dug the toe-rail in the water. Moreover, the narrow Keteen was incredibly busy with yachts and cargo ships. The first part of the Keteen was one of the most difficult things we have done with Mekicevica so far. But as we approached Bruinisse, the wind calmed from its fit of rage, we turned a bit more downwind and everything became peaceful.
Passing through the lock was uneventful and soon Mekicevica was clean and settled to wait for our next adventures.

Monday 2 May 2016

Opening of the Season



Finally a change in the weather forecast for this weekend! Still cold, but a bit less so on Sunday. The wind is expected to remain NW to N and weak to moderate. We can't wait anymore. We're going sailing.
On Saturday morning I rode my motorbike to Bruinisse, and despite the thermals arrived feeling really cold. A grog of ginger infusion with rum soon fixed that. The afternoon was spent making final preparations and in the evening First-Mate arrived for dinner out.
After a cold night we got up to a beautiful morning with weak wind. We were in no rush to start, waiting for the temperature and the wind to pick-up a bit. Finally just after 11 we were out of the harbour and hoisting sails. It was a beautiful day, but still a skiing clothes affair.
The woollen cap is still a must.

But the sun is shinning, so we're happy.
At first the wind was weak but we were moving along the SE side of the Grevelingen. Than a few inconsistent puffs came along, each one from a different direction. And finally it started blowing a consistent northerly 4 Bf. Sailing close-hauled to round the Mosselenbank, Mekicevica was heeling a lot, but still not really a case for reefing. What became apparent was that the tension of the rigging was not enough. When preparing Mekicevica, I tried to have a less dramatic tension of the shrouds than last year, finding that the mast might have been to bent. It turns-out that was the wrong decision, as the lee-side shrouds were too floppy and each tack made the whole thing shudder like crazy. It also showed that the Windex is a bit loose and I was afraid we might lose it. Given these technical problems and the fact that we were getting a bit cold, we headed back to Bruinisse to warm in the sunshine in the sheltered harbour.
Next weekend is a long one and the weather forecast looks good. But the rigging has to be tightened. As to the Windex, I'll either have to climb the mast or hope that it will hold.