Zeeland and Beyond. Prologue: A Wet Start

Three day weekend! The weather forecast is not brilliant, but at least the worst of the rain will be Friday evening. We are going out of the lock into the harsh world outside. The plan is to sail around the island of Goeree-Overflakee to the small town of Middelharnis. This will take us out of the Grevelingen, though the Krammer, Volkerak, Hollands Diep, and Haringvliet. Plenty of sailing but finishing less than 20km from the starting point by land route. It will also bring us out of Zeeland and into the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Zuid-Holland.

(click image for enlarged view)

On Friday afternoon, after preparing Mekicevica for the weekend, I planned to drive to Middelharnis to leave the car and return to Bruinisse on a little commuter bike. Easier said than done. The weather forecast was spot on and it was chucking down as I drove through unfamiliar roads. It didn't help that I also forgot to bring a map or a GPS. After what seemed like hours navigating the most complex one-way system ever conceived by human mind, I finally came to a long-term car park.

Finding the way back was not much easier. Judging from the indifferent looks of the local residents, it seems that a dude in oilskins and sailing boots riding a commuter bike in pouring down rain and passing the same street several times is nothing unusual around here.
I finally recognized the little harbour of Battenord, on the NE side of the Grevelingenmeer, and my troubles seemed over. Than I had a flat tyre. The last 6km were hard pedaling with a flat. Apparently, a dude in oilskins and sailing boots riding a commuter bike with a flat tyre in pouring down rain is also not unusual around here.