Victoria goes to Holland (Sue Lewis) (You can also read Alison Cables blog of this trip here) http://elfreda-goes-to-veere.blogspot.com Click on any picture to enlarge The idea is to sail V to Holland to do some racing at Hellevoetsluis. She's been sailed across the Channel before but not, to our knowledge, the North Sea. Sun 17th July 2011 We had hoped to sail away today starting from St Osyth on the 2am high tide and getting at least as far as Ramsgate. But no, the forecast is 5 to 7, occasionally 8 so we stay in bed. We take the afternoon tide instead, in pouring rain, just to get off the mud and out of the creek. Moor up at Brightlingsea to await our opportunity. Evening forecast says 'SW gale 8 continuing' and Grib files tell a bleak story so Monday is not on either . Mike McCarthy is in a similar predicament with Elfreda so we enjoy a jolly supper with him and his crew Alison Cable (Robinetta). Monday 18th July 2011 It's still blowing a hoolie so we all kill time as profitably as we can. Forecasts today show it easing tomorrow so we'll go then. Alarms are set for 3.30am Tuesday 19th July 2011 Ideal forecast for a crossing! SW 3 to 4 occasionally 5. Too good to be true? Yes! Set off 04.00 (aka 'oh four heaven's sake', or worse) with reefs in. Soon shake those out as the brisk wind decreases. Use motor in the lulls to make best speed across the Sunk and through Foulger's Gat (latter no longer buoyed due to wind farm construction and its use discouraged by the Guard Boat). Then lose the wind almost completely and motor to Ostend. It's disappointing and in Victoria it's noisy and slow. But it's a lovely sunny day and at least we can get sunburnt (oops) as we motor into a flat glassy sea. Both boats have a scare to make us grateful that we CAN motor: Victoria drifts in the northbound shipping lane with a plastic bag round the prop and Elfreda has a small exploson after cooling system fails. Problems are overcome (sorry no detail, Blog not Book) and Ostend finally comes into sight. Even then it takes 4 hours. Mike motors back to deliver spare fuel to Victoria so we can afford to be even more noisy. Elfreda ties up 10pm, Victoria 11pm and we fall thankfully into RYCO bar. Wed 20th July 2011 Ostend is not good for fuelling up as you have to pre-book the bunkering service: no good for birds of passage like us and they wouldn't like our small quantities. The trick is to avoid Montgomery Dock and continue through the Voorhaven past the Royal North Sea YC without turning in, past all the shipping to the very end where the Royal Yacht Club of Ostend sits, with comfortable sheltered visitor moorings and a petrol station on the road behind. So that's where we came to and this morning we plod to and fro with fuel cans, calculating that Victoria's noisy North Sea crossing cost us just over 40 euros. Depart Ostend at 1pm when the tide is soon to start flowing our way and set sail for Holland. Wind NW 3 to 4 and for a couple of hours we sail along happily, making 4 to 5 knots with the cruising chute. Won't break any records but might make Breskens before dark. Can you see what's coming? Yes, by 4pm the wind has almost died and what there is is bang on the nose. Opposite Blankenberge we crank up the Vire, improvise earplugs and chug up the coast past Zeebrugge. It's a 30 mile trip but at no point along the coast do we lose sight of the cranes of Zeebrugge. We can't keep up with Elfreda but in the attempt we are making such good speed, sometimes 6 knots over the ground, that locking into Flushing and plugging on to Middelburg has become a possibility. Mike waits for us to fight the tide into the Westerschelde, we lock in at 8pm and in convoy motor up the canal, Elfreda towing a bucket to slow her to Victoria's pace. Waiting for bridges make it a slow trip but by 10.20 we are in the atmospheric Middelburg Yacht Club bar and they have kept the kitchen open for 4 x steak and frites. The noisy bells in Middelburg have been known to keep visitors awake but we don't even hear them... Thurs 21st July 2011 - Party! Mike McCarthy is 60 today and has planned his birthday party in Veere. There are more convenient places he could have chosen but even so quite a crowd of gaffer pals have congregated, with or without their boats. For us it is now only a short trip along the canal to Veere where Mike serves cold beers and fizz on Elfreda to get us all in the mood. Then we transfer to the Yacht Club for dinner, wine, silly birthday presents, cake and candles, music, dancing (yes, on the tables too) and much laughter. A good illustration of how Old Bermudans and Gaffers rub along! Weather forecast doesn't look good for those boats hoping to race across here from Harwich at the weekend. Gales on the way it seems:( Friday 22nd July 2011 - R & R Group photo outside Veere Yacht Club before we say some goodbyes. Alison has signed off, collected her papers and returns to Harwich by ferry today along with Phil-the-Rib and Wendy, and the Hills (Couple with Charm). They seem almost nonchalant about the north westerly force 7 which is forecast in the North Sea! The weather still isn't coming right for Saturday's North Sea race but Victoria and Elfreda sit snug, and perhaps a little smug, here in Veere for another day and night while their crews rest and recuperate. Saturday 23rd July 2011 We depart Veere 11.30am. Trying to keep tabs with the fleet in the UK we look at the forecasts: there are still 6s and 7s, even 8s in the north of their area, but it should drop off for them tomorrow. We hear that 5 east coast gaffers are preparing to come: Fanny, Gwenili, Kestrel, Random and Transcur. And there are 7 Dutch boats. For us it is a steady F3-4 and sunshine as we set the staysail to sail gently downwind in the Veerse Meer. It's an inland sea, about 8 miles long with a few bends and islands to make it interesting. Mainsail up for a long fast reach and then we lock through to the Oosterschelde. More wind out here so we blast around the corner and then motor up the canal to Goes. The sun has gone in now which is why the canal photos here are rather dark. Arrive Goes 5.30pm and are given the last tiny berth next to the mini lighthouse (which contains a toilet believe it or not). Honesty bar in the club house, all drinks 75 cents, so we sit for a while with compatriots from Elfreda and Clytie. Early night! Sunday 24th July 2011 Today's photos are of Clytie. I know this is Victoria's blog but it's impossible to get photos of her with my phone when we are aboard. Today's update from the UK is that they may set off from Levington at 9 or at noon depending on forecasts. There are still gales north of them and north of us here. We are sheltered in Goes but there's a 'yachtsman's gale' (F6) blowing from the west out in the Oosterschelde. Howard has been chatting to one interested local wooden boat owner and word has got around so 5 or 6 people gather to look at Victoria and ask questions. We have old photos with us and one showing her in slings with the plate down so when the language barrier gets in the way we use pictures. They are impressed that we have brought her across the North Sea - and that we are about to take her out in a 6. We leave for the 1pm opening of the town bridge and even in the shelter of the canal there is a stiff breeze, as you can see from Clytie's ensign. One local even follows us down the canal by car to watch us go out. It's only 6 miles across the Oosterschelde to the entrance of Zierikzee and it only takes just over an hour but it is a very lively hour! Again a picture of Clytie, a rather poor one, to try and show conditions. She, like Victoria, has 2 reefs in and is well heeled over. They rear up then slam into the sea, burying their bowsprits and soaking their crews with almost every wave. Highlight of this short trip is that we sail under one of the many (approx 50) spans of the Zeeland Bridge (2 and a half miles long) instead of having to wait for the lifting section as we do in taller Bonify. A fine reach, just missing some shallows, takes us into the entrance where we bear away, try to slow down a bit, drop the main and sail up the canal under staysail. We knew we wouldn't find the UK gaffers here (news is they have set off at last!) but where are the Belgians? We thought they'd be here. Other arrivals here are Dutch Galway hooker "Moorhen", the "Nancy Blackett", and a Renault Scenic, tender to "Avola". Monday 25th July 2011 Before leaving Zierikzee we hoist Josh (Yoga from Clytie - that's Young Old Gaffer to the uninitiated) up Victoria's mast to rig us a flag halyard. Dutch courtesy flag and club pennants looked scruffy tied to the stays at the best height we could stretch to (as in the first pic here) but now they flutter on high as they should. We wave goodbye to Elfreda who is heading home again, and set off. Howard has challenged Josh (who caught several mackerel on the crossing) to a fishing competition on the way to Steenbergen. The only rule is that they aren't allowed to buy any! On Victoria we reef to sail slowly while we fish but catch nothing so after 2 hours we shake it out. For the record Clytie gives up on fishing even sooner so the result of the match is a no score draw. The first of the fleet from England passes us, Kestrel, and a text from Elfreda informs us that Random has made landfall in Ostend. We have to dodge a fair bit of commercial traffic emerging from the big Krammer ship lock then at 6pm we are into the canal and at 7pm safely tied up in Steenbergen. Distance logged over the ground is 22.4 miles. There are maybe 40 classic boats crammed into the town harbour (bird's eye view to follow later). Gwenili arrives fresh from the North Sea as do some Belgians who have been at Cowes Week and we hear that Transcur has locked in safely at the Rumpot and Fanny is at Zierikzee. All accounted for. Party in the evening in an old workshop on the quayside which causes an outbreak of 'shed envy' amongst the gaffers. Tuesday 26th July 2011 First pic is of Transcur entering the Volkerak lock just ahead of us. This is just the 'Sport' lock, there's another massive lock alongside it for ships, mostly very long wide commercial barges laden and low in the water, and also for the taller yachts needing more than the 18m clearance this road bridge gives. We log just over 13 miles from Steenbergen to Willemstadt, under sail, including tops'l, except for harbours, canal and lock where we fire up the noisy Vire and drop the sails. Second pic shows Fanny arriving at Willemstadt where we have all moored up. Red ensigns in foreground are on Black Rose and Good Intent who have joined us. Victoria is out of sight at the far end but I took the third pic from there so you can see her yellow decks and cabin sides on the left - and in the last pic Howard has hoisted main and tops'l to make subtle adjustments to the halyard position on the jackyard. Wed 27th July 2011 - Fun Race If today's passage race to Hellevoetsluis is a Fun Race does that mean we are supposed to take the rest of the racing seriously? Or maybe that it won't be fun? The start is at noon in something very close to a flat calm. Victoria has a large white 'tow' staysail, even though towing was never her thing, either a dredge or anything else that we know of. But if ever there was a day for it it is today. It sets outside all the stays including the back stays and when sheeted in reaches half way to the helm position. We don't know how it looks so hope someone else has a photo. Ours is nothing compared to the enormous new staysail which Fanny of Cowes is testing out today - it's poled out in the photo. Once started Howard hoists our cruising chute which we call 'Victoria's turquoise number' -we didn't choose the colour... Progress is slow as the light breeze comes and goes behind us. It's about 15 miles to Hellevoetsluis and the ETA on our GPS varies from midnight to 5am. There are some creative solutions to this frustrating problem: Moorhen puts his young crew on the helm, jumps into his little wooden tender, and rows himself to where there is more wind, Aloha sends 2 crew in for a swim and they give her a push and Gwenili has a go at rowing from the cockpit. And with 75 boats in the race, most of them ahead, those are only the examples within binocular range. On Victoria we rig the free Vetus sponsored plastic mac from our goody bag as a water sail and con ourselves it is making a difference. If he can't see where he's going Howard can stick his head through the hole in the middle and there's even a hood to keep his hair dry while he does so. Random joins us at last, (see pic) weary after the long trip from Ostend. Thankfully the committee boat motors to meet us and finishes the race after about two thirds of the course. So at about 5.30 we pack away our sails and motor on to tie up with a fleet now totalling 165 boats. All classes were together for this race, including the classic Bermudans, but gaffers are known to do better downwind - it's upwind that we lose out. So the top 3 are all gaffers, all Dutch, third Niels H, second Moorhen and first the little Cat boat Charlotte II who came to our Aug Cruise last year. Prize giving in the marquee is mercifully brief so we have plenty of time for the social side of things. Thursday 28th July 2011 - Racing 2 x 10 mile races in one day doesn't leave much time for blogging. Crew of Victoria can happily to sit tapping away on phone while we sail along but NOT if it's a race with course to follow, marks to identify from afar, windshifts to spot and sails to tweak constantly. Concentration is needed. Fanny and Kestrel battled it out at the front as usual. After the first leg of the first race Victoria was in third place behind them but not for long. First Transcur came past like a train, then Dutch gaffer Raven and here are the photos I managed to take as they passed. The light wasn't as good for pics after that and we were busy. Once the bigger boats had passed we had to tussle with smaller ones. Lots of overtaking then overtaking back between us and little Charlotte and Anemone (nick-named The Enemy) and also a newcomer to east coast gaffering called Step Back in Time, a Golant Gaffer. Sorry not to be able to provide results yet but during the prize giving I had to return to Victoria and hoist the mainsail so the handicapper could measure it. Luckily he was able to measure the tops'l without me having to hoist it! I do know that skippers of Fanny and Kestrel were both to be seen later clutching prizes. Kestrel's was alcoholic and I think was a first and Fanny's was a tin of varnish for second. Friday 29th July 2011 - More racing Howard has volunteered to serve breakfasts in the tent. It's free to crews so very well subscribed but as it starts at 7 we have to be up at 6.30. Pic shows Howard and Lorna on duty. 2 good races today and we sail 25 miles but the weather is overcast so the boat photos are no good. Victoria is doing quite well. We now have a handicap and after the first 4 races we are in 6th place out of 28 gaffers. Kestrel is still first with Fanny second. We find ourselves tussling in the races with Clytie and Step Back in Time from Grimsby and both are ahead of us overall. We have visitors from England who join us tonight: Howard's son, my Dad and some friends. We have rented a holiday house on the big marina here (see photo) so for 3 nights we have proper beds and shower and kitchen. Luxury! Saturday 30th July 2011. Racing - A Good Day Best day so far. There's a stiff breeze and a good 14 mile course. Howard's son and his friend are crewing on Gwenili and she is second over the finish line to their great glee. Fanny gets line honours but Kestrel has a bad day. First 2 pictures show Step Back in Time, Golant Gaffer from Grimsby. One taken racing today and one taken when almost becalmed in the Fun Race earlier in the week. She has a good day too. There are 2 separate results for the gaffers today, for the same race. One uses the Dutch Classic Yacht Regatta handicaps which are being used for this whole series and the other, for a special Old Gaffers Cup, uses our own OGA handicaps. Under DCYR handicaps first is Clytie, second Fanny and third Victoria. Entire crew of Clytie are understandably jubilant including Tony the duck who has been towed behind throughout, even getting his own hooter at the finish. Third picture shows the younger Clyties. Using OGA Handicaps the Old Gaffers Trophy, an engraved ice bucket complete with bottle of champagne, is won by Fanny. Victoria is second and Step Back in Time takes third. SBiT was only launched, built by skipper Tony, at the start of this season and already has taken 3 thirds: YOGAFF, Round the Island, and now here. Watch out on the Aug Cruise as no doubt he'll be looking to improve on this! Nigel shares out his champagne and we all celebrate our own triumphs as well as his. Still one more day to go with one more race and then the results of the series. Sunday 31st July 2011 - Final day of the Regatta Light airs, delayed start and a slow race. We have a better water sail now, using Victoria's usual staysail, but even so it's a long slow haul round the 7 mile course in the final race. In today's race Fanny is the winner again, with Kestrel second and Random third. It's a rather long prize-giving but we finally get to the overall results. In the gaffers class it is Kestrel who wins overall, having discarded her poor Saturday result, then Fanny is second and Step Back in Time gets third. Picture shows James (Kestrel) with the trophy and Nigel (Fanny) and Tony (SBiT). In fact English east coast gaffers have taken the top 5 places as Victoria is 4th overall and Random 5th. It's all over now. Victoria is tucked up in a small club marina in Hellevoetsluis to await our return in two weeks and after a night of celebrations we will catch tomorrow's ferry back to Harwich.