I had made contact with Freddie, a really nice chap in the Tram Hafen, a retired physio with a passion for water and wind! I mentioned my plans to visit Antwerp and he thought that would be good so we decided to make a two boat regatta. Having set the alarm for 05:00 and missed it we headed down to the Goree Sluis at Stellendam arriving at 06:40, to late to pass through the lock and it’s associated lifting bridge. A delay until 09:35.
Much hilarity in the lock as a chap with a big sailboat and special sailing shorts made a spectacle of great interest by shouting a lot at his numerous crew, failing to get the vessel moored and ending up facing the wrong way! No damage that I could see just the usual droll Dutch round of applause. It’s difficult to negotiate locks if you get it wrong and I certainly have made my mistakes in the past but all the shouting made me think he must have lots of money, a curious thing.
Now in Michiel de Ruiter Hafen for two nights, possibly three. The port is named after the famous Dutch Admiral who was born here during the time of the Spanish occupation of the Netherlands.