Veere

Despite planning for Colinjsplaat, the mood took us upon waking to head towards Veere instead....This proved to be a good decision...Exiting Goes wasn't anywhere near as challenging as i'd suspected it would be, as the boats rafted in the spots in front of, and behind us, decided to ledave too, so we had a realtively simple departure.... getting out of the bridge and lock was nowhere near as straightforward... we waited for ages for the bridge... in a very narrow river with a group of 10 or so boats.... hard work keeping clear of each other.... and then again at the next bridge... the one that had threatened to close on us just the day previously... so we motored through nervously when it eventually opened... but it stayed open for a while... obviously not automated as I had previously suspected... and then finally the lock... wind straight up the chuff, and again, just bollards set into the lock sides... anyone who wants to brush up on their close quarters handling should come to Holland for a few days... its constant!We motored the 1.5nm to the entrance lock to the Veerse Meer (no wind at all - still no sailing), and then into the Veerse Meer itself.... it was an amazing sight when the locks opened to let us out.... at least 50 boats waiting, and all very tightly bunched, and pointing in completely different directions.... chaos reigned.... especially when we noticed that some of the boats were big, old, heavy and not very maneouverable!Up the Veerse Meer, the wind returned at just 5kts... but bang on the nose (still no sailing), and so we motored the 12.5nm to Veere.As we approached the entrance, it certainly looked pretty, with wooden piers jutting out from a castellated building marking the entrance channel... we passed through them, and an amazingly pretty little town emerged.... a very narrow channel though, and the harbour master was directing us to turn around before coming alongside a boat already on the quay.... oh dear... would we overcome the fear from the previous days disaster?.... yes... a perfect rotation in a slot not much wider than the boat is long, and alongside neatly and easily.... great!Veere is fabulous.... tree lined avenues, stuffed full of traditional Dutch gabled front architecture..... but only small.... we loved it, but decided that leaving the next morning was sensible, as there wasn't two days worth of sightseeing.... We went for a walk, and when we got back everywhere was 3 boats deep... we were in, and staying in.... a quick poll discovered happily, that everyone was also leaving the following morning however.The only downside we could find to Veere is that the Dutch clock chimes were rigth next to the quay, and rang out loudly for a good 30 seconds, every half hour... great during the afternoon, in fact added greatly to the atmosphere... but less appealing at 03h00!

Miles logged 14nm
Miles this trip 130nm
Miles this season 757nm
Miles since this blog started 2,554nm