Dordrecht-Antwerp

We left Dordrecht on Friday instead of Thursday, we had to wait for the paint we ordered  a little longer, we did not mind because Dordrecht is very nice. We liked it so much that we even have applied for a berth, we'll see what happens.
The water outlet on the side was broken in Dordrecht so espessially for us the waterboat came to the harbor water to fill up our tanks. They normally provide for the big boys who sail on the rivers and so their hose was a bit too big for us and the filling took very long.

the waterboat Dordrecht

The trip to the Biesbosch is very nice and you pass a few beautiful buildings on the edge of Dordrecht as well as the Ark of Noah. We had heard of it but never seen it before, the thing is really huge, we should look inside some other time.

Noah's Ark

Although we had the intention to stay a few days in the Biesbosch  we left after a night and decided to come back on the return journey. Than we go through the Biesbosch on the east side, where it is hopefully better sailing for us. The water was verry low, so we got stuck on the sand banks that 'walk' so you can not exactly see the depths on the map and moreover a berth was not so easy to find. it made the sailing was very restless here.
We did, with the small boat, make a trip to the Biesboschmuseum wich was rewarding.
Panache was thrilled that Edje (the name of the dinghy) was back into the water because this is his by far his favorite place.

Panache in Edje

After the Biesbosch we went to Willemstad, a small fortress town like Naarden. Because of the Easter day and beautiful weather it was very busy, so we left the next day.
Instead of going to Antwerp, we changed the route to the Grevelingenmeer.
We spent lots of holidays on Schouwen-so when the children where little so we were on familiar ground but now from the water.
There are many berths for large ships on the Grevellingen but in the working port of Bommenede in Zonnemaire we found a good place very convienend as we wanted to visit friends in Zonnemaire.

Bommenede

After the Easter we were there all alone, only occasionally did the fisherboat  Bru 6 drop off a few crates of oysters.

the Bru 6

Next to our ship, we could see some oysters grow in the midst of all the jellyfish that swim there. The water is so clear that even with our simple camera tI could take pictures of it.

Oyster from Zeeland

the jellyfish

We thought there were a lot of jellyfish around the ship (little ones), but were later in the lock were surrounded by large pink jellyfish clouds. Later the weed filter (where the engine cooling water passes through) proved completely clogged with a thick layer of jellyfish slime.

jellyfish clouds

Thursday the 28th we left direction Antwerp with a first stop in Tholen.
The time there was well spent because on the quay, I could repot all the flowerpots, the violets were really faded, especially after I had accidentally watered them with the brackish water from the Grevelingen, oops error!
Like the windows that I had cleaned and the next day you could not look through them because of the salt haze that covered them, oh well practice makes perfect -:)

Friday I had to watchTV to see all the dresses and hats in England, that was just enough so I skipped Queen's day on Saterday.

Saturday we went further and were soon on the Rhine-Scheldt canal, after the quiet in Zeeland where we big among the small boats were once again surrounded by the large commercial vessels.

Kreekrakloc

In the Kreekraksluis entered behind us a ship with the same size bunk strapped to it's side  so it fitted thight into the lock, scraping along the sides. The entire ship was packed with cars and asit  later passed us we realized how many trucks on the road that would have been, that calls for water transport.

What I found funny was the playground that was made on the back deck, a big cage with a play house a few chairs and a sandbox, so much for life on board with small children.

playground or prison?

And then there was the moment that we actually for the first time crossed the border with  't Majeur. Weird maybe, but we found it a really memorable moment, it is that we do not drink while boating otherwise we had surely popped the champagne.
It's nothing special really but it was a milestone for us and really really different from crossing the border by car.
The boundary is marked by a traffic light on both sides of the water and luckily they were both green otherwise we would have wondered what to do. We changed the Amsterdam pennant now by a Belgian and then later a French.

the border

In this blog I have already mentioned a few times that we are regularly impressed by the big guys around us, although we are getting a bit of used to them it is still exciting. Well, now we have really seen some!
In the port of Antwerp, that starts just after the border, we were surrounded by the real  seaships, all huge and piled with containers .
On the Waal were long, low ships with a few layers of containers, here are the ships themselves already very high and wide and then even those containers.

We are now in the Willemdok in Antwerp, a nice part near the center and very much in development. When we come back a few years down here will be very trendy. We were brought to the harbor master to a place where he wondered if we would fit in well, indeed we have no room to spare and the flagpole does not fit anymore. He asked me if my husband could sail and after my confirmation he said: "then we try it." Later we heard from someone else that he had said "he knows how to drive ". Michel was happy with that and I as proud as a peacock.

Willemdok in Antwerp

From our berth, we have a beautiful view on the MAS, Museum on the Stream, an entirely new museum building and unfortunately not open until next week. It's a beautiful building, I think, although in Antwerp controversial, but yeah I don't live here.
What I've read about it I think it is worthwhile to come back and go there.

Friday we leave here, considering the tide so we have the Scheldt downstream to the point where we go to Brussels.
The next blog will be after the inclined plane of Ronquieres and Strépy-Thieu, another milestone.

Katwijk to Dordrecht

Katwijk-Dordrecht

Longer than intended we stayed in Katwijk, partly because it was very pleasant and partly because Rebecca had to go to Amsterdam unexpectedly and came back a day later than planned because of a fire in the Schipholtunnel, so no trains running.

In Katwijk we could walk along the beach and Panache has run up and down ten times what we walked and enjoyed himself tremendously. Although it was still rather cold and certainly in the water there were nevertheless surfers and canoërs who ventured out, brrrrrrrrr

Eventually Friday morning we barged to Delft via the Delftse Schie a beautiful typical Dutch countryside, pastures and mills and in between the A15 highway.

As you turn the bent and see Overschie, there is another typical picture of `towers' in Holland: mill, church, high tree and crane.

Delft was very busy along the quay, a typical student city on a Friday evening but the next day was such nice weather that we could enjoy, for the first time really, the renewed aftdeck, new deck, new chairs and new table.


the renewed aftdeck

Saturday we went on to Rotterdam and although we had expected that we would pass lots of industrial area the strech was very nice and with pastures and nice farms. Even going through Rotterdam was fun as you really go straight through the city.
We stayed the night in the Coolhaven with view on the Euromast.

the Euromast

Just for the Parklock so that we could lock first thing the next day (at 11 o'clock also lockkeepers enjoy Sunday).

waiting for the Parksluis, we are not that big

We had planned this part on Sunday morning, the stretch Rotterdam to Dordrecht is one of the busiest waterways of Europe. We were glad we did so, there was still more than enough movement and we could imagine how it will be on a weekday.
We could, however, make considerable speed witch is from time to time good for the engine, so we made waves at the bow such as we won’t frequently see.

Erasmus bridge

making waves while heading for the van Brieneoord bridge


For us it is quite special to pass under those bridges, we have crossed them frequently and said that we once would ....... and now it is that once.

Although we are not undivided happy with AIS system, it remains `big brother is watching’ it now proved its usefulness and service. The high-speed water buses, 50km p/u you can see moving on the screen, in reality all of a sudden they are in front or behind you.
Then as we got to the Merwede crossing to the port of Dordrecht, from the marifoon, the voice of the traffic leader sounded (that cross point is the busiest in Europe): Majeur what are your plans? Then we were informed what the other ships around us would do, where and how we had to pay attention and we could uncomplicated cross, by means of the AIS he had seen and identified us.

Dordrecht

Now we lie in the Wolwevershaven (wool weaver port) in Dordrecht in the historical centre of the city. A very nice spot with splendid view, where Rebecca’s birthday all of a sudden became very festive because Michel had organised (and it was really a surprise) that a lot of dear friends and family had come to Dordrecht.
Again the aftdeck proved it’s use.

Today Michel does something with the technique and Thursday we go to the Biesbosch where we will remain a couple days and then through the Hollands Diep and by the Volkeraklocks to Antwerp.

If all goes well the following blog comes from a foreign country, at last we cross the border with ‘t Majeur.

Haarlem-Katwijk

On the 4th of April we left Haarlem, the farewell flowers from our Australian friends we got to know this winter, are still in bloom,  and we were cheered out by an enthusiastic committee.


We have enjoyed our stay in Haarlem very much and are happy to know that we are coming back next winter.
After six months in the city it is wonderful to be back in nature and wake up in the morning with the sound od birds.

Although not so much in the, absolutely idyllic mooring that we had on the first day on the Kagerplassen. Opposite 't Majeur they were working with piles of the jetties to renew them, it seemed like they were playing mikado.

Since Tuesday and Wednesday the weather was not good so we stayed there.
Thursday we left and also decided on the first deviation from the planned route, we are now in Katwijk on the Sea.  It was a last minute change, just because we both have never been there.
It is great fun to lie almost at sea, between us and the sea is just this huge dam and the beach.

Luckely for us it is not yet tourist season because already now it is noticeable that here the summer is full and than in the village you can probably walk over the heads. Although now closed of from the sea in 1953 (there are wild plans to create a seaport again) you can see all over the place that once it was a thriving fishing village.
We do wonder about the way they are counting (see photo).

Probably we will stay here until after the weekend and then go to Rotterdam.

We took of on a good start and look forward to the rest of our journey. We will keep you posted on this blog and hope to see youre reactions

On the move again

It’s spring again, we had a wonderful holliday (New York and Iceland) and now its about time to leave Haarlem

the Welvaart turns round in the Spaarne

Our neighbours left already, they turned around to go North to Enkhuizen and we leave tomorrow (Sunday) to the south. The first day we’ll probably get to the Kagerplassen and find a nice spot there.
After that we go to Leiderdorp where we have an appointment with a sail maker to discuss the possibilities for a tent around the aft deck.

Michel scrubs

The last days we did some necessary work like completely hosing and scrubbing the ship, much needed after six months in the city

last work on the aft deck

Before we went on vacation Michel made a new wooden deck at the stern, it's less oblique and now the soup stays in the plates. It is very nice and also a good opportunity for new chairs and a new table.

Then of course we had to paint the deck before leaving.

This makes it impossible for a picture of the new deck in full regalia so that is for the next episode.

We are looking forward to our journey with great enthusiasm, we'll keep you informed and like to see your reactions to our posts.

New website

't Majeur on the Spaarne in Haarlem

The new blog season hasn't begun yet, I will start that again as we go barging in April.
We did launch a new website with lots of foto's and information, please come and have a  look. 
We are going to make a marvelous roundtrip this year - maps are on the website - and we  look forward to take off. There will surely be lots to blog about.