A Weekend Trip to De Heen

After five years of cruising mostly in Zeeland, there are still harbours that Mekicevica has not visited. One of these is De Heen, a small village half-way down the Steenbergsche Vliet. Prompted by the fact that this season we spent enough nights in harbours on the Volkerak to get a free night, we decided to go to De Heen.

Saturday, 19th of September: Increasing winds and improving weather.
The weather has been very unstable and the forecasts equally so. We spent the night to Saturday aboard Mekicevica hoping for the best. But Saturday morning was still raining and we almost gave up. After changing head sail to the small jib and hanging around a bit hoping for better weather we decided to go. First on motor to the Grevelingen lock and then under full main and jib, up the Kramer with the weak northerly wind on the beam. Gradually the sun came out and, just as we were reaching the Kramer lock the wind made the fastest increase I have ever experienced. First a couple of warning gusts and then it turned into a 4 Bf as we were dousing the sails.

A detail of the Krammer lock, creating a Magritte-like effect.

After a slow passage through the lock we put use reef on the main, a couple of rolls on the small jib, and still we were moving really fast in the by now 5 Bf northerly. Crossing the shipping lane under sail required a few manoeuvres to avoid the ships and then we entered the Steenbergsche Vliet. Another long wait for the pedestrian bridge and then we motored to the Schappenput yacht harbour in De Heen. By then it was a glorious sunshine afternoon and in the shelter of the harbour it was nicely warm.
In the evening we treated ourselves to dinner out.

Sunday, 20th of September: Beating back to Bruinisse.
Sunday morning was sunny, and the wind was a 3 Bf from the West. First on motor out of the Steenbergshe Vliet, across the shipping lane and then started the long beating to the Krammer lock.
With full main and jib, first in short tacks along the narrow channel between the Nordplaat and Overflakkee, than in longer tacks, even crossing the quiet shipping lane.

The beautiful Dutch skies.

After a short break at the Kramer lock, we resumed the beating until the Grevelingen lock. In total took us more than five hours, beating all the way. But with the sun shining, and the wind speed just right it was really pleasant.