Zeeland and Back!

Gabrielle II, Summer Cruise 2010

Harry Sharp, January 2011

Preparations and Planning

We had a lot to do to get Gabrielle ready. Her insurance survey at the back end of 2009 was a mixture of good news and bad news. The good news was that there was nothing seriously wrong with her and indeed her hull was very dry, so the 19 year old osmosis treatment was holding out. The bad news was a series of seemingly small but very time consuming jobs which son Tom and I had to carry out as soon as we were out of that long hard winter. The worst one was to re-secure the top of the rudder shaft. The four securing bolts and bronze top bearing assembly were moving about and the bolts would not tighten, they proved to have sheared off. To get to see what was going on underneath the cockpit sole, where the nuts and washers should be, I had to form a new hatch in the bulkhead between the port locker and the back of the engine compartment above the prop shaft. After hacking away an amount of fibre glass, whilst lying upside down in the locker, I came to the conclusion that there never had been any nuts or washers to secure the holding down bolts. They must have been tapped into the GRP and plywood, and after 36 years had worked loose and sheared. With some considerable difficulty the GRP was repaired and re drilled, new nuts and bolts were inserted and the whole lot successfully reassembled.

Our cruise was planned to take us across to North Sea to Ostende, enter the Zeeland waterways at Vlisingen, passing through the Walcheren Canal into the Versemeer and up through the estuaries and waterways of Zeeland to meet Ernst van der Heijden and Nantucket R 52 K "Boekanier". We planned a crew change at Willemstad, then to retrace our path back to Vlissingen and cross back home to West Mersea. The crew was to be John, ex RNVR Commander and long time crew member over many miles on us, and Bob, a relative novice to Gabrielle and sailing having completed only one voyage with me the previous season to Harwich. Bob was to return to Blighty from Willemstad to be replaced by Tina from bonny Scotland, another of Gabrielle's "0ld Hands". Another exciting element of the plan was that we were to meet Wandering Star, a Westerley yawl, in Ostende, to cruise in company with us for part of our voyage.

An excellent plan in many elements, but Willemstad is in the middle of nowhere so we had to find somewhere else for the crew change with a main railway station. Dordrecht seemed good, if a bit further on than Willemstad, but Ernst said we would find it a bit busy with commercial traffic and quite industrial. We also lost Tina at the last minute due to a family emergency. Everything else was coming together however, Tom and I had taken Gabs out once to check everything worked and fill her with diesel, and I had loaded supplies, new charts, clean bedding and everything else I could think of. So ready for the off!

Parting and Crossing - Saturday 21/08/10 to Sunday 22/08/10

Friday 20th August saw the arrival of John and Bob and Bob's wife Christine to keep my wife Christine company for a week and then take Bob home to Darlington. Saturday morning, everyone down to West Mersea hammerhead, with luggage and loaded cool box, to take the club launch out to the mooring by Packing Marsh Island. The two Christines waved as we set off. Everything stowed and secured we dropped the mooring at 1136 and set off with a fair wind up the Wallet towards Harwich and Felixstowe, then out into the North Sea skirting round the south of the Sunk Inner Precautionary Area.

Watch on watch though the night and the shipping lanes we sailed through the big ship anchorage of the Belgian coast as the dawn was breaking, and got into Ostende's Montgomery Dock at 0448 to meet Wandering Star and her crew for breakfast. An excellent crossing, just over 16 hours, a record, S4 and SW3-4 and sailing all the way.

An Unplanned Stop - Monday 23/08/10

The "Wanderers" included Chris, Janet and Graham. Chris and Janet keep Wandering Star in Dover and Graham had agreed to help them get her to Ostende to meet us and them return home. Chris and Janet plan to sail Wandering Star in the Mediterranean, via the French Canals, for extended cruising in 2011. Their cruise with us was a practice run for them to get more experience with their fine vessel and get the hang of canals and locks. Chris was losing one of his crew in Graham so asked if he could borrow one of mine, ie John, who had sailed the Star before, till Janet built up her confidence. Well Bob had coped very well so far and John was up for it so why not? After comparing notes with Chris on the passage plan and the weather we set off in a brisk wind for Vlissingen.

Well brisk it was, S6-7, and getting brisker. We were reefed down and rolling, making good progress, but the weather looked quite threatening. We were down to half the genoa and Wandering Star to reefed main. We saw Janet on the helm coping well, but the wind kept rising and the sea was heading for rough. As Ostende dropped away behind us and the massive breakwaters of Zeebrugge approached decision time was upon us. Should we stay on course for Holland or go into the safety of Zeebrugge?

After a hasty conversation on Channel 16 the decision was made and in we went into the safety of Zeebrugge, followed by Wandering Star, having to gybe in tough conditions to make the turn. We were not alone, what looked like a dredger was just inside the entrance and we were preceded by two other yachts and followed by several others, all the same thing in mind, safety!

A mine sweeper passed us outward bound at an extreme angle from the wind even in harbour, and we could see a large container ship just making way with tugs. Zeebrugge has changed completely since I was last here in the 1970s, so I had to pay great attention to where we were going in uncertain waters, with a high wind and ships on the move. We got south past the container ship and looked back to see Wandering Star far behind heading east, then out of sight. We jilled about a bit, worried. We were right by the entrance to the old fishing harbour but it's very hard to see until you're right by it. So we had to stay till Star was approaching and could see to follow us in.

Some 10 minutes later she was there and followed us in to moor alongside many other visitors blown in by the storm. Wandering Star had suffered an engine problem with air in the water pump.

The wind was blowing to such an extent that the next big containership on the berth we passed earlier had to be held in by two tugs pushing her starboard side all day and night.

The wind blew and blew for two days, time enough to explore what there is of Zeebrugge, do some shopping, cleaning, socialise with our Belgian neighbours, eat at the club. Chris' laptop could give us weather forecasts so we could see a weather window coming up, but in the mean time we had to wait. We kept Ernst in the picture but there was nothing we could do till the weather abated. I was concerned that we would have difficulty making our passage plan to Dordrecht. Ernst said not to worry, he would sort it all out, we didn't want to go there anyway, meet him in Brouwershaven and he'd make sure Bob got the Hook of Holland ferry on time!

To Green Versemere - Wednesday 25/08/10

At last the weather was good enough. Our Belgian friends were going to leave it another day. Their lovely 1940s Baltic yacht had a very low freeboard so they felt the chop would be too much for their return voyage up the Westerschelde to Antwerp. With steely determination we set off for Vlissingen and the Walcheren Canal into the Versemeer.

The passage was quick to the canal entrance but thereafter an exercise in patience. There is a control room for all the bridges and locks in Middleburg, so I understand. They monitor VHF 22 and have CCTV and clearly have the big picture, but for little us it was quite frustrating waiting for locks and bridges not knowing how long it would take. When the Schroebrug in Middleburg opened for a massive tanker coming the other way, followed by several small craft, we rushed forward, only for the bridge to start closing before we got there. Apparently the CCTV could not see us on the waiting pontoon. I was reminded of the Scotsman who couldn't get past the Pegasus Bridge when we were on the Caen Canal, and decided that I needed to be more philosophical and calm down. And as the afternoon found us in the green Versemere, with young and old enjoying their summer holiday on the water, Gabrielle's crew got that certain feeling that we'd made it. Don't worry, be happy.

Onwards and Upwards - Thursday 26/08/10

We stayed overnight in the marina at Kortgene, which despite the rain was very nice. In the morning we had the delightful sight of a Dutch couple swimming in the remarkably clean water of the marina. By now we and Wandering Star's crew were getting to be quite good at locks, so passing through Zandkreeksluise that morning was straightforward. Then we had to cross the Oosterschelde to head up to the Krammersluice lock at Bruinisse to enter the Grevelingenmeer. Ernst had warned us that there can be high waves and fast commercial traffic however we made it up to the lock without incident. You have to be quite careful of barges passing across your bows showing a blue board.

With the weather improving at last we waited patiently for the Krammersluice lock and bridge to open, to be approached by a beaming Dutchman and boy. Who should it be but Ernst and his son Maarten. They had just been to collect their car and thought they spotted a Nantucket Clipper approaching so came down to have a look. Introductions made we agreed to meet in Brauwershaven where Boekanier already lay, with spaces reserved for us, in the centre of the old town. And by late afternoon there we were, two clippers in that delightful town's inner harbour, pride of place. The following two days were very social, getting to know Ernst, Tanya, Maarten and Frank, meeting uncle, cousins and grandmothers, exploring the town and its eateries.

Ernst indeed had a plan to get Bob to the ferry on time. He and Maarten had sailed Boekanier from her home Dintelsas. Meanwhile the family had occupied a rented house in Scharendijke, just up the Grevelingenmeer from where we were, for the holiday. The plan was for us to sail together to Scharendijke, then Ernst would have the car to drive Bob to the Hook of Holland in plenty of time to catch the ferry.

A Short Hop or Two - Saturday 28/08/10 - Monday 30/08/10

So off again, this voyage with three of us in company, for the short hop to Scharendijke. Ernst was very keen for us to see the Grevelingenmeer, and its easy to understand why. There is little or no commercial traffic, lots of islands with moorings, green and pleasant land, wildlife and clean water. A playground for the summer holidays.

I think that Boekanier is faster than Gabrielle and she certainly showed us a clean pair of heels for a short dash up the meer under full sail. A back of an envelope calculation revealed that we probably have ½ a tonne of gear and stores more that Boekanier. But it must be said Ernst and Maarten sail their vessel very well.

Next morning it was bye bye to Bob as Ernst and I took him to the ferry. Not a great distance as the seagull flies but quite a way by road, tunnel, motorways. Sad to see him go, he had been an excellent crew, we had got on famously. And news for John, he was a grandfather again, a son Jacob to Louise and Andrew, so celebrations in order!

After a couple more days in Ernst and Tanya's good company it was time for us to be wending our way back south. We had so much enjoyed meeting Ernst and his family we were very sorry to have to leave. However leave we must in order to get back to England on time.

John had told us we must see Vere on the Veersemere which we had rapidly passed by on the way up. Now I got John back as my crew. Chris and Janet were working as an efficient team on Wandering Star. The cruise had given them a lot of confidence.

Middleburg Via Vere - Tuesday 31/08/10 - Wednesday 01/09/10

Back through now familiar territory, down the Grevelingenmeer to the lock at Bruinisse, across the Oesterschelde and through the Zandkreeksluise into the Veersemere. And there were so many places to never got to see. Willemstad, Zierikzee, St ????. We must come back!

We did not attempt to enter Vere itself, it looked crowded and very narrow, but went into the marina a short way NW. John had a quiet day when Chris Jan and I went into Vere to see the sights and do some shopping. As John's knees were playing up it was decided we'd eat at the marina, however it's restaurant was shut, so Plan B was to eat aboard Wandering Star in its vast saloon. Small problem, we could buy souvenirs in Vere but not any food! Nearest supplies at Middleburg some 15 km away.

We hired bikes and off we went. I've never been a great cyclist and being way out of practice and not very fit made it a challenge. But Holland is well suited for bikes, it's flat and they always seem to have cycle lanes. My problem on the way back was that the shopping kept falling of the little rack on the back.

We were certainly ready for it when Chris served supper.

To the Sea Again - Thursday 02/09/10 to Saturday 04/09/10

With a little time in hand in our passage plan we passed through the Walcheren Canal with ease and arrived at Breskens Marina by mid afternoon. Excellent facilities and all weather and tide entry make this an excellent port of call. Resupplied we set off for our journeys home, John and I for a hopefully quick hop across the North Sea, and Chris and Jan a more leisurely return to Dover with whatever stop offs on the way they fancied.

The wind was fair as we parted company on the Dutch / Belgian sea border, in sight of Zeebrugge, they heading for Ostende, visible far off, and us for the big ship anchorage on the horizon and the shipping lanes beyond.

How small the North Sea seemed, or at least how full. Hardly had we lost sight of the land than we were in the shipping lanes. Halfway across, then in the dusk, we were in sight of the first of the British wind farms. John took the 2000 to 0000 watch, bringing us close to Sunk and its big ship roundabout. As he handed over to me he pointed out the lights and ships he had spotted, which I paid very close attention to for the next hour and more, this being a very busy place with vessels at all angles, moving and changing aspect. One was not changing aspect and approaching on a collision course from the south east. We were sailing so had right of way, I checked our nav lights and position, we were on course but could head south to avoid collision if we needed to. Always remember the first rule of the collision regs, avoid collisions. Leaving George to keep us on course for the while I grabbed a powerful torch and shone it on the approaching vessels wheelhouse. A workboat presumably related to the wind farm, with no one at the wheel! I shone the torch onto our sails then back at his wheelhouse, which at last prompted and change of course to the north, allowing us to proceed as before towards North East Gunfleet and the entry to the home waters of the Wallet and the lights of Clacton.

Home in good time, 22 hours, after sailing nearly all the way.

And after an excellent cruise.

The sights, the people, the friendship.

The memories, now as I write this on New Years Day 2011.

A delight.

Harry Sharp Skipper of Gabrielle II