TripSailor.com® Sailing Blogs

Left Willemstad at midday to head up Hollandsdiep leaving Zeeland behind to head into the canal system proper.   After a long wait for the railway bridge outside Dordrecht to lift ( the bridge section and rails just go up vertically between high pillars just like a Meccano set) we made our way into the Nieuwehaven.  A nice canal marina entered by a small lifting bridge.  Suzie Too rafted next to us and  in for another cosy night. 

Friday 18th we headed to Gouda, only 20 miles but quite a few bridges and locks.  The Dordrecht/Rotterdam stretch is one of the busiest inland waterway routes in the world and every few minutes you are overtaken by a barge or cargo ship.  The junctions are interesting merging with fast commercial boats, it makes the Solent on Sunday look like a walk in the park.  At least the other boats know what they are doing unlke the Sunsail brigade.

After heading into Gouda centre via a number of small quaint canals and narrow locks and bridges (nobody seems to open up on time!) we finally wandered down the lovely Kattensingelgracht  with about 10-30cm under the keel and moored on the side of the treelined  bank.  The only trouble is that I was concentrating on the crew getting off and getting the lines on and forgot about the overhanging branches.  The mast and spreaders survived but we ended up covered in twigs and leaf buds. 

 A good Thai curry cooked by Helen and another episode of Howards Way!!  The girls (Helen and Cathie) decided to hit Gouda’sn ight spots – will they return before we cast off tomorrow?