We set off from Felixstowe on Monday 23rd June reaching Ostend at around 11 pm local time. Although the weather was relatively calm when we set off it did pick up close to the Belgium coast with the gusts hitting 30 knots and relatively big sees. With these conditions it was Ocean Dancer did manage to peak at 12 knots surfing down the waves.
It was lovely to catch up with Derek and Lottie on Bernina at the Mercator marina where we stayed for two days. After this both boats set off for Middleburgh on the canal up to Veere.
A two day stop in Middleburgh in some very glorious weather allowed more recovery time before we headed over to Goes again accompanied by Bernina. While in Goes Pete and I hired Dutch bikes for the day and had a lovely 30km cycle ride around the island including along the ship canal to Antwerp.
After this we parted company with Bernina who were pressing on with their trip to Wesel we headed to Bruinisse and then the Gevilingen. For 25 euros you can stop here for the week, but we limited it to two days. Even so we met some lovely people at our stop including the vice commodore of the Moody Association, a chap from Ramsgate who knew my late father and another yacht from Suffolk Yacht Harbour who new Colin and Victoria Lister.
On the way back we stopped at Veere and were able to catch up with Jason Flynn on Pleoine and Paul and Caroline Gallacher on Isla. We had a lovely coffee in the town centre before we departed for Flushing and a last overnight stay before setting off for the UK.
The weather has been quite unsettled so far for this trip and we took what we thought was the best available weather window to head home. Even so the nice weather leaving Holland on Friday 4th July it transformed to strong winds and rough seas once we hit the Sunk light vessel making our trip into the Orwell very lumpy.
After a calm overnight on a mooring opposite Suffolk Yacht Harbour it was a pleasant motor sail into the Deben.
