Dismasted in the South of the Netherlands

But before you get too concerned this is all part of the plan to be a motor boat through Belgium and France. Sometime next year we will go through Bordeaux, pop out at La Rochelle and become a yacht again. Well that is plan A (#1). This year a lack of rain is blocking the potential route. But next year?

Le Bateau trying to look like a motor boat after arriving in Strijensas Marina, Hollandsch Diep, South Netherlands

But to go back to the end of our last blog Peter and Jane had left and we had a pleasant sail back to Germany and the Kiel canal from Naskov in Denmark. We came back through the German Friesan Islands using the tides and weather window which made it quite easy and comfortable.

Our track on the plotter, the green bits are dry at low tide

We met Kerry and Jenny in Delfzijl at one of our favourite yacht clubs, the Abel Tasman. Ants managed to sell the nearly new Danish charts to a local in the club coffee room. Cruised through Groningen province and Friesland. At the town of Zoutkamp we managed to buy a length of big mooring rope from someone's front yard which we will use as a full boat length fender for French Ecluses (Locks).

The boys with our new rope fender

Sunset on a quiet Friesian canal

The "watergate" to Sneek

After leaving Friesland we had our last proper sail for the year across the Ijsselmeer and Markermeer to the island of Marken. On one of our last cool days had a good look around and dropped into the warm pub for beer and chips.

Anchored off the beautiful Marken island overlooking these terps, small clusters of houses built on artificially elavated ground

The posts and rails are to break up ice that might threaten the little "terp"

And not all the buildings are square or straight!

From Marken Island we sailed down to Amsterdam and traversed the city at night. This was done in a convoy of 6 boats starting around 01.00hrs and for 3 hours we motored through a succession of bridges and a lock whilst the city slept. A bit of fun for all four of us.

Ants trying on stretchy shorts for Jane (Jane was just a touch embarrassed)

As we headed South the weather over all of Europe started to heat up and we have had three weeks of hot dry weather. Even for us Aussies it has been uncomfortable. As the heat continues the Dutch and Belgians are saying it is unprecedented.

Flood control gates on the Rijn (Rhine up further)

Showing the start of the Mast Up Route right through inland Netherlands

Near the end of our time with Kerry and Jenny we had a visit for two nights of their Dutch friends Dirk and Jose. Luckily we had the hot weather so swimming for all was in order. Sleeping 6 worked out fine if a little congested. A great couple of days to farewell Kerry and Jenny from Le Bateau.

The heat was too much for these cows

And for us a choice of 31 beers on tap!

A walk through the fields to an old Molen (Mill)

Now back to two of us on board we continued South on the Rijn and we think it was upstream on a distributary (we checked it out, it is the opposite of a tributary at the top of a river system)
We enjoyed a visit to Gouda which last year we visited by bicycle from a different canal system. Then we were on a large industrial river heading down to Dordrecht and our eventual "dismasting".

The Gouda Council hall, A magnificent building

The skipper sitting and contemplating on a fisherman's wharf

We found a great Jacht Havn at Strijensas with a self use mast crane and were able over 24 hours remove the furler, then the mast and make frame(crutch) to hold the mast comfortably above deck. A local, Jorgen, gave us a bit of manpower and one of the mast supports. Ants also tried to be superman and walk on air from the lower end of the self use crane. hmmm...he ended up with a very sore shoulder and bleeding and lots of scratches! It delayed proceedings for 90seconds or so. So now we are a motorboat for the trip through Belgium and France to the Atlantic coast.

A houseboat on the Maas River, compare to our River Murray monsters

The new look motor cruiser has taken a bit of getting use to but so far the sticky out bits haven't gotten too much in the way. We have had to mention now though when paying marina fees we are 10m long with a 12m mast and reasonably they let us pay the 10m rate. The weather has got really hot and humid (up in the mid 30s) as we moved south along the  Meuse/Maas navigation. Even in the deepest locks it gets hot along the starboard unshaded side. Most of the time we have found lovely anchoring spots alongside the Maas. There are lots of former quarry/sand pit lakes which are now used as recreational boating areas. Perfect for swimming and exploring. We also explored many of the old Vesting towns along the river, Heusden was a prime example, look at the aerial photo of that town below and you will understand. This is the medieval defence mechanism of moats and high spots.

We anchored between the S of WSV Heusden and the reflection of the tree to the north east of the S in this pretty little harbour

We were now moving along south through Limburg, Netherlands southerly most province. Its a bit like a leg than runs down to Maastricht (not surprisingly means crossing on the Maas river) with Germany on one side and Belgium on the other.
In Maastricht we stayed in t' Bassin (the harbour). The very efficient and friendly harbour master Nanni complained about all the river flotsam that comes from Belgium along part of the Mass the goes into Belgium when Ants pointed out that the Dutch always seem to complain about the messy Belgium people she announced but its true!! While in Maastricht we cycled UPHILL to the nearby Valkenburg for a touristy day wandering around their castle and cave (old limestone mine).

An old sculpture in the "Velvet cave" (marlstone mine) in Valkenburg 

An 11pm walk through Old Maastricht city

Leaving Maastricht the character of the river changed, a bigger canal more industrialised, deeper locks and we are definitely going uphill.

This deep lock took us up into Belgium

A dragonfly captured Jane's imagination

Arriving in Leige, Belgium was a surprise to us. A city we hadn't heard of, a population of 200,000 people, less pristine than the Netherlands, hills and very French. As part of the modernisation of the city they have concentrated on striking architecture but kept the old charm of a medieval town.

The front of Liege railway station (Belgium)

The striking glass roof of the train sation

The entrance to the Leige marina

So now we are heading upstream (south) along the Meuse/Maas towards France. We might even poke our nose across the border for a few days at Givet.
Til next time...