Monday 8 May
Tuesday 9 May
Wednesday 10 May
Thursday 11 May
Friday 12 May
Saturday 13 May
Sunday 14 May
Chatham
Chatham to Ramsgate
Ramsgate to Nieuwpoort (Belgium) VVW Marina
Nieuwpoort to Vlissingen (Michiel de Ruyter Haven)
Vlissingen (Michiel de Ruyter Haven) to Middelburg
Middelburg
Middelburg
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After a lie-in we got to grips with some boating chores while it rained and then went round to the new retail outlet mall ten minutes walk away for a little light retail therapy. Around five it stopped raining and we went for a long walk round the end of St Mary’s Island alongside the river. There was a good view of Upnor Castle and the sweeping bend of the river. (see picture below)
It was here in June 1667 during the five day invasion by the Dutch, that havoc was wreaked on the English fleet of 16 vessels anchored at this very spot. The Dutch had landed men on the Isles of Sheppey and Grain and then sailed their fleet up the Medway – quite daring. Apparently Upnor Castle was intended to protect the fleet, but the cannon balls were the wrong size for the cannon, some of the barrels were honeycombed, and all told only four guns worked! Not much changes!
The forecast for tomorrow doesn’t look too bad so we are pressing ahead to Ramsgate with an 07:30 am departure.
Chatham Maritime Marina with retail palace in background
We were up at 06:00 and greeted by more grey clag and some drizzle to wash it down with. By 07:00 the drizzle had stopped and we called the marina office to request a lock for 07:30. By 07:40 we were nosing out into the murk of the Medway. Several commercial vessels were already about their business and the chatter on the VTS channel was ongoing. It took about an hour and a half to reach Garrison Point at the entrance to the Medway and by this time there were a few small chinks of blue among the grey stuff.
Here our route took us initially eastwards towards the Cant and then on a bearing of 100deg for around 14 miles along the Four Fathoms Channel and the Overland Passage (which despite its name generally had over 7m of water). We spotted a seal here. It seemed quite interested in us and sort of sat up in the water to take a closer look. Next was Horse Channel and a dog leg between two drying sand banks and then we were passing Margate.
Just after Margate we turned to starboard in stages as we rounded North Foreland with its white light house. By now we were basking in sunshine and all the outer layers had been peeled off. As Broadstairs passed by we could see a cross channel ferry departing from Ramsgate.
Just before we reached the buoyed entrance channel to Ramsgate a yacht some 1 mile off called Ramsgate Port Control to request permission to enter. Port control could obviously see us crossing the channel and asked him if he was the vessel crossing the channel to which he replied (wrongly) yes! So we called immediately saying where we were and asking for permission to enter. After confirming our position, permission was duly given. They then had to re-contact the yacht, because in the mean time an inbound ferry was fast approaching and they wanted him to get out of the way! It just goes to show how careful you have to be in communications, taking nothing for granted.
As we entered the inner harbour we could see the ferry coming in behind us. We called the Marina and were invited to take any berth on Echo or Foxtrot pontoons. This involved squeezing in between the working dredger and the sea wall. By the time we had our ropes round their mooring cleats it was just on 14:15.
We have made a trip into town and visited the three main chandleries but there is clearly a national shortage of 1 yard sewn ensigns – too bad. Essential provisions to stave off scurvy have been obtained, as well as reasonable stocks of English cheese!
Tomorrow morning will be an earlier start as we will get some diesel on the way out at 07:00. Last chance to get the red stuff. We have also done the last fill up with good old English tap water!
Approaching the Ramsgate Royal Harbour
Safely installed on F pontoon (Starry Night is 3rd from left)
To start with our route was more or less South towards the South Goodwins and the sea was relatively calm. As soon as we turned onto a heading to cross the main shipping channels we were pretty much beam on to the wind which was over the tide, making for a very uncomfortable ride as Starry Night rocked and rolled for over 2 hours.
For those not familiar with the arrangements for crossing the traffic separation scheme, one must make a heading that is at right angles to the main shipping channel, letting the tide waft you a bit up or down as he case may be. This means you have no choice but sticking to the heading regardless of what the weather is throwing at you, until you are out of the other side of the TSS. So we had to grin and bear it. But we survived! And experienced some really violent rolls too that emptied one of the cupboards of its contents in short order, including a printer (which also survived to print another day). We only saw two large vessels on the TSS though we heard over the VHF the Dover Coastguard giving the third degree to each vessel that arrived on their patch.
Once across the TSS we turned North East and followed the coastline past Calais and Dunquerque with all its unsightly industry. Things calmed down from hereon, partly because we were no longer beam onto the wind, but also because the sea was calming down too. When the chart plotter told us that we had entered Belgian waters we deployed the courtesy ensign ensuring that it was on the starboard cross tree, as required by proper flag etiquette.
By the time we arrived off Nieuwpoort, the sea was almost smooth, with a bit of a swell. We followed various other craft up the channel and then followed the directions to the VVW marina. By the time we arrived the harbour master had gone home for the day but we were told by another official just to take any empty mooring. Most of the electricity boxes were locked up but we found one that was available.
The weather outlook for Friday is rain, but tomorrow should be good, so we are going to press on up to Vlissingen tomorrow instead of spending two nights at Nieuwpoort.
thinking it must be warmer in that ferry
white cliffs of Dover in the haze (honest)
South Goodwin light ship
approach to Nieuwpoort Harbour
Amazingly we remembered to adjust all the clocks on the boat last night before turning in - all seven of them by the time youv'e included three mobile phones and the time off-sets on two GPS sets. So it was up with the lark once more for an 08:30 departure. The harbour master turned up at 08:10, just in the nick of time to collect the fees for one night's stay - €19.00. He had been expecting us and had a copy of the e-mail that I had sent several weeks ago - shame he never replied to say he had received it!
There was clear blue sky and a chilly breeze from the North. So the wind was beam on again but not as strong as yesterday. Nevertheless we both clipped on again, as periodically there would be an extra large wave which would cause Starry Night to roll unexpectedly.
Once out of the harbour and on auto-pilot we were on the same track for nearly 4 hours. We punched the tide for the first two hours out of Nieuwpoort and to begin with only managed just over 5 knots (Speed Over the Ground). By the time we had passed Oostende and Zeebrugge and were entering the Westerschelde estuary we were zipping along at over 10 knots.
We crossed over the main shipping lanes to and from Antwerp, to the North side of the Westerschelde, opposite Vlissingen harbour entrance along the recommended track for small craft. Luckily our timing co-incided with a lull in large shipping, of which we saw plenty throughout the passage. We then turned West along the North side until we reached the old Fishing Harbour (Visserhaven) where there is a small marina which is in the town of Vlissingen.
We had phoned the harbour master before we arrived to check availability of space. When we got there we saw that there were lots of empty spaces. The two small bridges were swung open by the harbour master's assistant who directed us to our berth. The harbour is named after the admiral who had done for the British fleet at Chatham in June 1667, and who came from Vlissingen. (see Monday 8 May entry). The locals here are very friendly and we didn't mention Chatham!
The facilities are immaculate, though you do have to pay €0.50 for a shower which seems pretty pointless and very inconvenient! The harbour master also runs the cafe by the bridge (see red umbrella) as we discovered when searching for his office to pay him. We eventually found him behind the counter serving coffee and wearing a white coat. Tonight we are going too eat out in one of the numerous restaurants by the harbour.
Swinging the bridge at the entrance to Michiel de Ruyter Haven
Starry Night in berth 21
We left the Visserhaven just after 10:00. There was no sign of the harbour master / restaurant proprietor so we ignored the red signals at the bridge and headed out to sea (as it was low water there was plenty of room to fit under the bridge) .
It was a short hop round to the main harbour entrance. We made VHF contact with port control and were given clearance to enter the harbour. We then radioed lock control and were told we would have to wait about ten minutes (which was more like half an hour in the end) . We bobbed around in the harbour while a ferry from Breskens came and another one went; the commercial lock filled up with barges, tugs and two large trawlers leaving another one to wait for the next locking (see picture). Eventually the gates to the "sport" lock (leisure lock) opened and a large pilot boat emerged, after which the lights changed to green and we headed in.
The actual process of locking up was quite sedate. Several Thames locks spring to mind which can be quite a violent "ride" in comparison! (eg Culham, Marsh). When we emerged we found ourselves following a barge and pusher which was quite handy as it meant that all the bridges were opened for him as he arrived and we just followed through.
We arrived at Middelburg about 12:30 and moored up outside the harbour master's office. He was away for lunch. There was a quintessentially Dutch barrel organ painted in pale green with twirly bits playing by the bridge - we really felt we had arrived in the Netherlands!
The harbour master returned at 13:30, and after the formalities of payment (cash only please - €50 for 3 nights) we were directed to some alongside moorings in the harbour. No need to open the quaint little bridge for us - we just folded down the mast and squeezed under.
This afternoon we did some food shopping and checked out the facilities which are in the club house on the other side of the harbour - the building on the extreme right hand side in the photo. The boat was also scrubbed from stem to stern to get rid of the sticky salt deposits from the sea voyage.
Middelburg is a lovely Dutch small town. Despite having been completely rebuilt after being flattened in the war by German bombing (quite why is hard to imagine) and then flooded by the allies to cut off the enemy in Vlissingen, it has a very historic feel to it. We are looking forward to further exploration of the old ramparts tomorrow.
Everyone has been saying that the weather is going to change at the weekend. So we may be in for some rain.
Waiting to enter the lock at Vlissingen
Big buoy's nursery? Like the hats?
One of the five bridges on the way to Middelburg.
We are staying here for 3 nights
The promised rain hasn't arrived yet but it has turned quite a bit cooler. We made another trip into town to top up on provisions as there is a limit to what we can carry in one go. We also tracked down the local ANWB shop where we were able to pick up the six different inland waterways maps we need for the trip - they were around €11 each which is a lot less than we had been quoted in the UK. Most of the day was spent doing not much.
We had intended to visit the Abdijkerken (Abbey Churches) and their tower (Long John). But when we got there we found it surrounded by security people and there were masses of media trucks, camera crews etc all around. We then saw a bunch of small school children running to the barrier to have a look. It turned out that the Queen (of the Netherlands) was inside making a freedom award to Mohamed al Baradai. You could just see a little bit of what was going on inside, looking through the door. Most people in Middelburg seemed to be completely ignoring what was happening here. It's a bit vague as Maureen was told this by a random passer by! We will go back tomorrow after the fuss has died down.
We then revisited the market square to buy some fruit and veg. This is opposite the Stadhuis. It had taken 68 years to build during the late 15th early 16th centuries. Like the tower Long John, and the abbey churches it was destroyed in 1940. It was then rebuilt between 1945 and 1967 and is said to be the finest in Zeeland. It certainly looks imposing and the ornate carvings on the exterior are magnificent.
Mike made a quick visit to the nearby watersportwinkel which was doing a roaring trade and seemed very upmarket. The quest - a comprehensive dutch-english marine dictionary was not to be had.
Our neighbours, some English live-aboards who have been in the Netherlands since August of last year, have departed for Spain. Two more British flagged yachts have arrived since. All the visiting boats (just four - it's early in the season according to the harbour master) are flying the red ensign.
The ramparts are going to have to wait until tomorrow.
The Stadhuis
Middelburg shops, Abdijkerken Tower in background
We came back via the centre of town and the Abbey Churches. Again almost everything was closed except there was a service going on inside.
In the afternoon we did odd jobs, relaxed a little and did some route planning. Still finding it difficult to judge how long it will take to get anywhere, as the time taken to get through the numerous opening bridges is a big unknown for us at the moment. However we are not too fussed as long as we can tell our visitors where to find us!
The plastic GPS antenna mounting bracket decided to give up the ghost today under the duress of some cleaning! It was a classic fatigue failure at the weakest point; there was only about 10% of the original cross section left at the point where it fractured (read..... Mike broke it!). Good job it happened here and not mid channel. A temporary fix with epoxy adhesive has been made - we will see if it has held together in a few hours time. A flying visit to the watersportwinkel first thing tomorrow will be called for, before we depart for the Veersemeer.
View from the boat last night
Middelburg back street
The ramparts and moat - quite idylic
Copyright © 2006-2009 Mike Hawkridge