Williamstad and South

 We anchored in Haringvliet for a couple of nights before going a couple of miles to the town of Hellevoetsluis which appeared on the maps to be interesting. It was mildly but we decided to move on the next day and go to Williamstad once again. There is one bridge that has to be negotiated which has one opening section. I didn’t realize that it didn’t open between 1500 and 1800 to stop the inevitable traffic jams on the motorway. So in the very light winds we sailed down wind sometimes making the dizzying speed of 2 knots. Anyway once we arrived we had to wait for an hour for the 1800 opening and then went to the free pontoon at the dam next to Williamstad for the night.

Williamstad is fantastic and we spent three days there looking around and enjoying the town for the third time. There is a really good chandlery there and I purchased spares and antifreeze at half the price of elsewhere.

 From Williamstad to Veerse Meere is 27 miles so we set off reasonably early to negotiate the two locks on the way. I had broken a tooth and found there is a dentist who could see me in a few days at Kortgene in Veerse Meere which is where the Trans Europe Delta marina is situated.

 At the second lock just as we were about to enter as the last boat in a convoy the lights went red. We didn’t know what to do but as other boats were still entering we did the same. The wind was blowing directly into the lock which made tying up difficult and as Ti Gitu swung around the wind generator contacted the wall and broke a blade. Another few hours of repairs but luckily we still had a couple of spare blades.

The bridge had broken and we all had to wait in the lock for 1½ hours while an engineer was sent for. Yachts and motor boats continued to arrive until the lock was totally jammed.

Eventually things were repaired and we passed through going to anchor in one of the small lakes off the mere before entering the marina for a couple of nights and getting the tooth fixed.

Our time in the EU is beginning to get short so we will spend time in Veerse Meere where there are lots of good mooring places and wait for a weather window to head along the coast to Blankenburg, Niewpoort and back across to Dover.