A Weekend Cruise to Dintelmond

Friday 21st of August: Sailing the Kramer, motoring the Volkerak  
A weekend of easterlies! That means warm, sunny weather, with wind gradually increasing from close to nothing to a "helluvablow". Mekicevica and crew are going to try to make the most of it.
On Friday morning I get on my motorbike and ride to Bruinisse. After preparing Mekicevica, which included changing headsail to the Big Genny, I cast-off. First on motor to the Grevelingen lock and then sail the short distance to the Krammer lock. The wind was still southerly and very light, but as it was mostly calm we managed to make steady progress.

Leaving Bruinisse behind in light airs.

Until some 100 meters from the lock, when the wind totally vanished. On comes the motor and the timing was perfect because there was no wait and I could get into the lock immediately.
In the meanwhile I came up with a plan for the weekend. The forecast was for weak to moderate easterlies on Saturday, building-up to fresh or even strong breeze on Sunday. With no wind at the moment and a tank full of fuel, I decided to bite the bullet and motor all the way to Dintelmond yacht harbour, where First-Mate would join me for the downwind run back to Bruinisse. The motoring was not fun, but at least there was hardly any shipping and I could take a course straight to the harbour entrance. In the meanwhile the easterlies begun, but it was too late to start beating; I would never get to Dintelmond before First-Mate arrived. Even as it was she arrived just as I was coming out of the shower.

Saturday 22nd of August: Delightful sailing down the Volkerak
A beautiful morning: sunny, warm, with light ESE wind.
It was crowded at the lock to exit the inner harbour, but then we could hoist sails in the outer harbour and come out to the Volkerak under full main and genoa.
It was easy going down the Volkerak on a broad reach, while layers of clothing came out in the rising temperatures.

Sailing in the sunshine, just out of Dintelmond.

Clothes getting lighter...

...and lighter...

We decided to stop overnight at Oude-Tongue and brave the strong winds on Sunday. It was only a short distance, and going downwind. How difficult could that be?
We were enjoying the sailing so much that we decided to sail past Oude-Tongue, almost until the lock and then beat back. By then the wind had picked-up a bit, to about 3 Bf, so to keep the relaxed mood, we put a few rolls in the genoa. This made the beating much easier and certainly not much slower. Just in front of Oude-Tongue we doused the main and gybed to get as close to the Oude-Tongue lock as we dared under shortened head sail only. So much better when you can listen to the many birds that live here, instead of your outboard motor.
Eventually as we entered the winding canal that leads to the town the motor had to come on and power us while struggling with the many weeds that infest these waters. In the process of manoeuvring into our usual berth, I discovered how to get rid of weeds on the propeller: a short burst in reverse and they're gone. Another precious nugget of experience.
In the harbour sheltered from the wind, it was warm as I never thought it could be at these latitudes.

Sunday 23rd of August: Second-reef
Another bright morning. But it really was windy!
After breakfast and coffee, I prepared the second reef on the main sail and we motored out.
As soon as we were set for downwind sailing towards the Kramer lock, we hoisted our tiny sail that was enough to push us like a bullet-train towards the lock. We needed to gybe twice, but with the short sail it was not difficult. In fact manoeuvring in these conditions turned-out to be more challenging than sailing, but even some big yachts with powerful diesel engines were not fairing much better.
In front of the Kramer lock, our outboard motor didn't have power enough to turn the bow into the wind, and a few moments of panic ensued, as it seemed we were going to collide with a boat coming out of the lock. Even stopping the boat in the lock required full throttle in reverse and it took several boat lengths. But like everything about handling boats, once you know how the boat is going to react, you can anticipate and plan the manoeuvre, and from than on, it went much smoother. I am glad we were using Suzy-Q, with her 4 HP and reverse gear. With little Yoyo-Ma with 2.5 HP and no reverse, it would have been impossible.
After the Kramer lock we resumed the sailing under reduced main and with gained confidence it was really enjoyable.

We have rarely used the second reef, but as we always knew when we needed it, we were glad to have it ready.

When the kite-surfers are out in numbers you know it is windy.

Sheltered from the wind in Bruinisse harbour it felt again impossibly warm.
The weekend finished with my motorbike ride back home. Unfortunately the heavy squalls that were forecast came a bit too early and caught me on the way. I arrived home as soaked as if I had fallen overboard!