First-Mate still has a few days of annual leave to use before it gets busy at work again. So off we go to a long weekend of sailing.
In terms of weather the late summer is making-up for the lousy start, and with a forecast of Northerlies till Friday and Southerlies on Saturday and Sunday, the conditions are just right for a trip to the unexplored bits of the Oosterschelde. Little we knew of how wrong this forecast was.
To spare First-Mate the boring bit I am bringing the boat to Sint-Annaland on Wednesday. It also gives me an excuse for a little extra sailing, which for me is never boring.
This time wind and tides were just right. Leaving Bruinisse around 12:30, I could down the Keteen on a broad reach and with the tide. The timing was perfect and I turned up into the Krabbenkreek at the turn of the tide. To make it even better, just then the N wind backed a bit, so I could continue on a beam reach. Feeling really lucky, I approached Sint-Annaland under the approving gaze of two seals who were sunbathing on the Northern shore. I barely resisted the temptation to sail into the harbour.
First-Mate joined me in the evening for dinner on board.
Thursday, 29th of August: Lazying in the Krabbenkreek, then beating to Stavenisse
During the night the wind died down, which made for good sleep. In the morning there was only the slightest breeze from the SW. So we went a bit up the Krabbenkreek to wait for the wind at anchor.
At first we managed to sail, but as the ebbing tide picked-up we found ourselves moving over the water but going backwards over the ground. No choice but to motor.
After a couple of hours of lazying in the sun watching the birds and the shore coming towards us, we decided to use the last of the tide to go just a couple of miles down to Stavenisse. By then the SW wind had picked-up enough to allow us to beat down the Keteen dodging the huge ships. As intended, we entered the harbour canal one hour after low water, with just enough water for Mekicevica to get in. It was a bit unnerving to motor along nothing more than a narrow water-stream.
Another dinner on board and a good night sleep in the sheltered and quiet Stavenisse harbour.
Friday, 30th of August: How did this all fit in one day?
The settled weather was due a feeble high pressure, the slightest shift of which can trick the meteorologists and cause the wind to change direction. In the morning the wind forecast had changed. It is now still SW on Friday, but N on Saturday and Sunday. To avoid more beating, we changed the plans and decided to head North for the Volkerak.
Once out on the Keteen we found ourselves in fog. Luckily, the light wind was such that we could keep out of the shipping lane. By the time we passed in front of Bruinisse the fog had cleared.
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| Approaching Bruinisse as the fog started to clear. |
Soon we could leave the shipping lane and sail towards the separate lock for yachts.
We hoisted the genoa immediately out of the Volkerak lock and slowly sailed towards the beautiful harbour of Willemstad, which is in the former moat of the 16th century star-shaped bastion.
In nine hour of sailing we sailed out of a quiet harbour in fog, then a mixture of cloud and sunshine, two locks, dodging shipping, and finally leisurely sailing towards a beautiful city. This deserved a celebration with dinner out!
Saturday, 31st of August: Beating into gusty winds on the Volkerak
Another trick of the weather: now the wind is not from the N but NW. And rather strong and gusty as well. Leaving Willemstad was much less peaceful than the arrival: motoring into a fresh breeze and choppy waters. We were not helped by a German stink pot than decided to pass as close to us at possible at full speed, making such a wake that we rocked from side to side and even had a wave breaking into the cockpit. Bastard! What for? When we tied up to wait for the lock he was motoring to and fro without tying up, so that he could rush in before everybody else. Is it my impression, or the further North we go into the Great Rivers, the more often we come across this sort of idiots?
Out of the lock we hoisted a reefed sail, unrolled a tiny bit of the jib and made fast progress down the Volkerak. We started thinking we would arrive too early at our next destination, Oude Tonge. Then the wind backed further to the West and became incredibly gusty and variable. It was hard work to beat in these conditions, while trying hard to keep out of the way of the ships.
Needless to say that with all this beating we did not arrive too early. We even had to motor the last bit to negotiate a narrow passage straight into the wind.
We got to the sheltered harbour of Oude Tonge just in time to catch the supermarket open.
Sunday, 1st of September: More beating and locks
After a proper Sunday lay-in we started the last, short day of our cruise: the return to Bruinisse. It was still blowing hard from the WNW and we had to beat, but at least here we can mostly keep out of the shipping lane. Moreover Mekicevica and crew are in great sailing shape and found the beating very enjoyable. We arrived back at our berth in Bruinisse smiling and thoroughly happy with our cruise.
