22 August
Dordrecht to Biesbosch

We had planned to be out of the harbour at Dordrecht with the 10 am opening of the bridge, but no-one appeared to open the small bridge dividing the harbour in half, until about a minute before 10 and by the time we arrived at the big bridge it was closing. So we tied up for another hour and left at the 11am opening. Not that it mattered. It was still raining.

A convoy of us left port with the 11am bridge.

The 5km down the Wantij went quickly as all 4 of the bridges were high enough for us to cruise through with the mast down. Through the lock, turn right into the huge Merwede river, left again 1km later, another lock and we were into the national park of the Biesbosch. In the rain and stiff breeze, it all looked uninviting, but we eventually found a small dock with only one boat on it and tucked ourselves up behind some trees.

There was just one boat on the small dock when we tied up.

Over the next hour or so the skies cleared, the wind died and the sun came out. What a difference! Absolutely gorgeous. Also the dock filled up and eventually 9 boats managed to squeeze in. Very peaceful.

Even though we were eventually 9 boats, it was still gloriously peaceful.

The dock is on a small island, with no shore access for bikes, so Skip spent the afternoon finishing off the installation of the water-level meter while I hand-langed.

"Let's have a braai ashore, this evening." Skip suggested, so we put our folding camp chair (comfy) and our hard folding chair from the aft deck (not so comfy) ashore together with the weber (luckily the gas pipe is long enough) and had a most enjoyable evening on the lawn next to the boat.

Enjoying the early evening air.

"Pity we don't have 2 of those camp chairs." said Skip, who was sitting bolt upright on the hard chair while I reclined.

"Have you ever got down on your tummy with the torch and scrabbled around in that locker under the dinette?", I asked. "You never know what might turn up way back in there."

Minutes later Skip returned triumphant, a second camp chair in hand. "LOOK!"

"Any other treasures in there?" I wondered ....

Skip, very pleased with himself and his camp chair.