Then we were on the wide and
open cruising to Antwerp,
bunkering gasoil and into the marina. We were lucky that the MAS, the Museum at
the Scheldt river, had it’s fifth anniversary,
celebrating it with a festival in and around the museum. The marina is situated
right next to the museum so we had ring seats watching the fireworks.
From Antwerp
onto Ghent
where we had arranged a mini rally with fellow bargees. It provided a nice
picture of nice looking boats on the Leie river and lots of fun as well.
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| In the centre of Ghent with your own house,special every time |
We then left Ghent
in keel line, joined by several other boats all en route for Oostend for the
Oostend-at-Anchor festival.
It is a yearly event and for us it was the third time we attended, once
every two years. Each time a very pleasant experience.
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| 't Majeur,with the red stripe in front of Oostendes station |
The festival was favoured with nice weather but on the
day we were leaving the weather was bleak, cold and a stormy wind. After the
first lock, onto open water, then passing through a lock entering a huge basin
closed of at the other end by a bridge. And there we had to stay, not permitted
through the bridge because a WWII bomb had been found that had to be dismantled
first. Problem was that there were no proper moorings and as the quay sides
were very high up we had problems getting of the ship.
For two days we had very little idea of what was going
on. Sirens and police cars was what we noticed. After two days we were informed
that the bridge would open just once and that we – there was six of us by that
time - had to go through in closed keel line, passing through the next three bridges
as well.
We expected to enter into a war zone, nothing of the kind! As soon as we
could see the surroundings we found people shopping, walking and biking and
life seemed to have continued as usual. We never heard what exactly had been
the matter.
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| awful weather, lee shore and very high quays, brrrrr |
|
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| in closed keel line through the bridge, but why????? |
|
We, that is ‘t Majeur and our
friends from Linquenda, arrived at the Merelbeke locks where we spent the
night, moored next to the big boys. Next day we entered the Scheldt
river with favourable tide. It was only when we were already in the lock that
the lock master told us to be aware of heavy mists on the river, a bit late.
Turning back
would be awkward and just after the lock it looked better so we carried on having limited view that got worse, not pleasant but yet
another experience.
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| Linquenda and 't Majeur at lock Merelbeke, good view |
|
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| Linquenda and 't Majeur after lock Merelbeke, different situation |
|
We then cruised directly to
Meerkerk where we could, for a longer period, moor on a spot
that was normally the mooring of friends of ours who were cruising. They
also had put their house at our disposal.
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| Lots of space to moor in Meerkerk |
It was fun, for once, having a fixed
abode in Holland
in summer. We had quite a schedule to meet, lots of work was planned and a bit
of barging. And, as long as the boat was in Meerkerk we could stay in our
friends house.
More or less what did we do:
All woodwork at the pilothouse
sanded and lacquered, just regular maintenance.
We could, not living on board,
sand and lacquer the floors.
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| despite the rain work must go on |
|
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| it shows after all these years |
|
Organising a family party in the garden because of
several special birthdays and, very appealing, staying in a house with a
garden.
All went according to plan except that last bit
because this years month of June was the coldest en wettest since long.
There was just one day we could spent outside entirely and that was the
day of the party, pheeeewwww, were we lucky.
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| everybody hafd fun, each in his own way |
|
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| the most senior en most junior of the family party |
|
From Meerkerk we went up and
down to Vreeswijk where we were on the slipway at the Museum-shipyard for the
seven-year inspection, a kind of MOT, and for regular maintenance.
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| 't Majeur on the slip |
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| we hoisted the crane of to polish it up |
|
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| putting it back caused the first damage right away |
|
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| Michel does the upper stuff and on ladders |
|
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| Rebecca works the sides and from the ground |
|
|
One important item was the spud pole that had gotten
stuck, the problem that had not been solved in April (see this link:spud pole)
The pole again was removed, but this time on dry land so we
could inspect the tube’s inside. NOTHING to be seen and nothing had dropped to
the ground whilst removing the pole.
Thorough inspection, lots of discussion, everyone had an opinion (all
different), so more inspection and discussion. Conclusion: the pole must be
a very tiny bit slightly bent but not so that it gets stuck. So, what is the matter? Then,
someone had a brilliant idea; fixed on the pole are nylon buttons that prevent
the pole from rattling. So if we plane them ever so slightly than – maybe! – this
fixes the problem. BINGO, problem solved.
Back to Meerkerk.
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| the pole is out, nothing to be seen except Michels face down there |
|
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| eureka they plane the plastic buds |
|
After our stay in Meerkerk we,
once again, moved to Vreeswijk, host to a rally of the LVBHB (Society for the
Preservation of Historical Barges).
Some two hundred barges were
moored on the quays of the Merwede canal and in the historical harbour and
there was a 3 day festival. The closure was a 50 ship parade through the
Koninginne lock followed by a naval review on the river Lek, watched by viewers
on the dike.
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| the Merwedecanal in Vreeswijk,around 200 barges |
|
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| naval review on the river Lek |
|
Meanwhile we had decided that
we would rather do a bit more of maintenance instead of cruising Holland (no fun in high
summer). We had arranged for a prolonged stay in Vreeswijk. By now the weather
turned into summer and we had a bit of a holiday feeling.
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| messing around with a pontoon to bring it over to our mooring place |
|
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| just like us Panache likes messing around with boats |
|
This gave us plenty of time
and we didn’t have to work long days, so we mixed the work with nicer things like visiting friends on their barge in Belgium and barging a while with them and making nice daytrips.
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| how nice, a bit of barging on the Sambre |
|
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| a day out and then our picture in the local paper, how do people protect themselfs from the sun |
|
And then back to hard work in order to
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| give the aft bathroom a make over |
|
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| put wheels under the garden because all decks need a proper painting |
|
So we could after that
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| go to Dordrecht for a few days and enjoy the musicfestival there |
Which was followed by
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| scraping the koekoek bare and put on new coats of lacquer |
|
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| and not only paint the decks but the bow aswell |
|
|
This is by far not a complete list of all we did and there is much more to be done. But we renewed our certificate, the barge looks spic and span and we are satisfied.
I said this was the last time I painted the hull but Michel says he might do it again, w'll see.
And of course the advantage to
being in Holland,
rather centrally placed, was meeting with friends and relatives and, not least,
being visited by the grandchildren
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| Quinten en Nathan |
And then we decided enough is enough, we had not done
all chores (there is always plenty left) but for now it was OK.
We still had some time to spare so we cruised a round over the Hollandse IJssel and back over the river Lek to Vreeswijk.
We had cruised the IJssel in 2010, still
remembering it fondly. We remembered correctly, it was fairly narrow requiring
lots of manoeuvring, not for us in high season with too many pleasure craft
about, but fine in September.
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| the Hollandse IJssel is narrow as it is but more so when ther are lots of tucks moored because of a reunion |
|
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| in the outer harbour of Schoonhoven |
|
Finally, by the river Vecht, back to our wintermooring in the Eemhaven Amersfoort.
We picked up our
winter activities and enjoy winters life to the full.
For instance, taking the car to the Moselle river in Germany, as we
have still not been there by boat. We really enjoyed the beautiful colours of
autumn and some very special castles.
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| beautiful clors, the grapes have been picked but leaves are still there |
|
|
We are now preparing for next seasons trip, buying
maps, planning the route and reading books. What we had in mind is actually
going to happen: going to Germany,
especially the lakes around Berlin and Berlin itself.
More on this subject in next years blogs, when I can report on a region
that is new territory to us.
For now, I wish all my
followers a happy New Year and see you then!
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