The End of the Krabbenkreek. 2. St.-Philipsland

Sunday morning was sunny, but a cold, moderate wind was blowing from the East, exactly the direction we want to go up the narrow Krabbenkreek. We put a reef in the main and started as early as decently possible on a Sunday. The tide was still flooding against the wind, which threw the characteristic choppy waves right onto Mekicevica's nose. So motoring it will have to be.
We arrived to Sint-Philipsland just before high-water, which meant we could tie-up at the quay. This as not that easy as the place is definitely not designed for small boats and the wind was blowing right into the quay.

Little Mekicevica on the uninspiring harbour of Sint-Philipsland.

The cruising guide describes the village as a place where time seems to have stopped, and that was certainly true on a sunny Sunday morning.

De Hoop, a landmark of Sint-Philipsland. 

The small church.

It has the typical structure of the mid-17th century towns, with a church at the centre, connected to the harbour by the wide Voorstraat. On the church square there is a memorial to the local victims of the 1953 floods.
We didn't hang around too long, otherwise we would have to take a long jump from the quay down to Mekicevoica's deck. The sailing on the return was absolutely delightful, now with the wind and the ebbing tide pushing us nicely. Under reefed main sail we glided effortlessly down the Krabbedkreek, jibed right in front of Sint-Annaland and gradually turned more upwind into the busy Keteen. Here we hoisted the river jib and kept good speed, always on port tack, until the Grevelingen lock. As we had discovered before, the combination of river-jib plus reefed main sail works wonderfully close-hauled on 4Bf wind.