Dordrecht, Zuid Holland 51:48.903N 004:39.636E
Pelagia
Frans & Sarah Toonen
Fri 5 May 2017 19:00
Friday 5 May 2017. 52.9nm. NE 3-4. Overcast and 8 degrees. 10.9 engine hours. A 12 hour day as we moved north through the inland seas of Zeeland, turned right at the Hollandsch Diep and left up river to the Oude Maas. The barge traffic was very interesting with all sorts of tankage and cargo. They sit so low in the water you have to be sure you spot the front of them when they are laden as with any wave action they are hard to spot. Many of the barges have lifting ‘bridge houses’ now so the crew can see over the cargo to steer. Nearly all have a car on the roof of the skippers house (lace curtains and plants Dutch style) at the stern and there are crane off points along the way at the ports and commercial traffic rest areas. We were hoping to reach Gouda today but stopped in Dordrecht when we saw, amongst the heavy river traffic, a tiny mooring place in an old basin right next to the Grote Kerk. A quick left and through a tiny bridge just wider than Pelagia and we were moored up. Although Dordrecht is the oldest town (1220) in Holland and full of mansions and warehouses from it’s heyday (1220 to 1550) as an inland port we were focused on dinner. We found a very busy Greek restaurant and that good sign panned out well - delicious. Pelagia is usually too big for the recreational locks and often find ourselves in with the big boys.  Often interesting traffic and interesting bridges on the way. Here a rising railway bridge and a bascule road bridge combination.  Dordrecht. As you can see not a lot of room to manoeuvre.  |