As English Gaffers cross the North Sea, the Dutch OGA is making final preparations for the OGA20 NL Tour to celebrate their 20th Anniversary. In the last post we heard several English boats had arrived in the Netherlands, ready to join the party at Wemeldinge before moving on to Hellevoetsluis.
’Hussar’ arrived into Ostend from her home port in Harwich on Saturday 27 July, meeting with more challenging paperwork on entering Schengen than other English boats, but moved north to join the growing fleet. ‘Transcur’ also crossed from Harwich, arriving into Roompotsluis. Dutch OGA members offered help and advice to the English boats as they started their passage along the canal network, unfamiliar to some of the visitors. Waiting at Middelburg, Erik warns ‘Keep on moving this part to Middelburg; it’s a tight scheme! You need to do 5 knts minimum! And keep close to the fleet or they have to close the bridge in front of you!’ ‘Moon River’, ‘Molly of Mylor’, ‘Puffin Bach’ and ‘Plum’ passed the Keersluisbrug on their way to Middelburg. ‘Indian Runner’ met the fleet in Vlissingen on 28 July, having sailed up the coast from Dunkirk, preferring the tides and happy to deal with entry to Schengen in France.
On Monday 28 July East Coast Gaffers ‘Clytie’ and ‘Transcur’ met up with Dutch Gaffer ‘Cine-Mara’ in Goes while ‘Indian Runner’ joined ‘Moon River’, ‘Molly of Mylor’, ‘Puffin Bach’ and ‘Plum’ to motor-sail to the lock at Veere, only to be held up later at the Wilhaminadorp Bridge which was awaiting repairs. Having taken part in the 60th OGA East Coast Annual Race, ‘Lahloo’ left her home port in Mersea on 28 July reporting to be “en route to Vlissingen with, in true RBC60 tradition, a light breeze dead on the nose! We are expecting 22 hours of motoring!”
By Tuesday 31 July, most of the English boats, skippers and crews had reached Wemeldinge to join the Dutch OGA fleet. Trailer sailors ‘Satellite’, ‘Stardust’ and ‘Peggy’ arrived into Hoek van Holland on the ferry from Harwich, also used by foot passengers Joe and Tony.
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