A Bridge Too Low

In order to catch a nice favourable tide we didn’t leave until 2.30, so plenty of time for Lynn to have a nice long walk and for me to go back to bed for a couple of hours catchup.

Fantastic 💤💤💤

It was hot though

As we approached the big lock there were lots of boats coming the other way so I knew we had just missed an opening… as a result 45 minutes on the waiting pontoon!

I don’t know if it’s the hot weather or if it’s always like this, but there’s a jellyfish explosion 💥

People were swimming but they’re welcome to it!

After the lock it was all down wind and down tide to the Zeelandbrug and very long and impressive it is too!!

Now…. my careful tidal calculations said that there should be 13.2 metres clearance for the state of tide, and our air draft is 11 metres.

So no problem.

But as we approached the span, looking up, it all looked very different. There was another yacht waiting for the bridge to lift so with my recently, and expensively, installed radio aerial, windex, tricolour etc threatening to make bridge contact, we waited with them.

The bridges here never respond to radio calls. I’m not really sure why they bother to write their call channel on the wall. But actually the wait wasn’t too long and the traffic was stopped to let us through.

On the other side we found an electronic sign displaying the clearance. My calculations had been correct and we could have made it after all.

After that Zierikzee isn’t far at all.

But it’s rammed!!

Everywhere rafted 4 or 5 deep and I’m not a great fan of rafting.

At least we’re on the outside so we haven’t got the inevitable elephant clomping across the deck in the middle of the night.

At least there are no dangerous animals here, though I did see this warning on a shop window

I haven’t dared to try to translate the text on the sign but at least there isn’t a ‘bastaard’ in it this time. We’re rafted 3 out so hopefully whatever it is won’t get across during the night!

Proper look round tomorrow morning, but there are towers and lots of lively restaurants, so looks a nice place.