LINGE 2 going to see the Linge! I have a volunteer companion: my friend Retired Political Philosopher Bert Kerkhof, whose work even made it to my academic web site, born Veendam, and who is NEVER tired to rub in I might be raised there but born in bloody Amsterdam. OK I agree it's a shame, but why tell me every day, and especially once good wines have decently been flowing?

... Starting point Jachthaven Stenhuis, North Westeinder tip of the 3 km long narrow Uiterweg peninsula ...
... solar-charging seriously while waiting for:
.. Retired Political Philosopher Bert Kerkhof (whose work even made it to my academic web site, born Veendam) ...

... our route: green is level-managed, still water, red is, apart from emergency locks, tidal water, subject to North Sea-tides and Rhine inflow  ...

... SH.... while waiting, the first casualty of a drop to my aluminum deck  ...

The first my friend etc. Bert told me on arrival that we should wash up by towing the dirty mess gear in a net behind us. I managed to talk him out of it but then his dirty trousers resolutely went on line.

... Gouda, not the cleanest canal ... Retired Political Philosopher Bert Kerkhof (born Veendam) observes his washed trousers centrifuged ...

... Hollandse IJssel locks, our tidal water flows in!! ...

... do not think lightly about anchoring for serious dining and sleep at Nieuwe Maas Rotterdam ...

Do not think lightly about anchoring for serious dining and sleep at Nieuwe Maas Rotterdam: before dawn starts the speed limit trespass time for hard working skippers. And these indecent lumps of metal they sail around make a wave or two. I now am for a total prohibition, Rotterdam should be cordoned off, harbour and all: as a trifle, Retired Political Philosopher Bert Kerkhof (born Veendam) got my sizeable screw box on his sleeping head (yes upside down and open). But look at our wine!  Those guys were lucky we carried no gun powder! "Then rather explode", our school teachers were proud to quote naval captain Jan van Speijk in his unselfish defense of the Dutch Kingdom's Belgian dominions, until they discovered that Jan was an Islamic fundamentalist in need of politically correct psychotherapy. At jumping up with my hangover to cope with the crisis, one of my vertebrae got upside down in the column and stayed that way for the entire remaining 2013.

... Rijkswaterstaat, the occupying power of Dutch waters. The wasps failed to find stickers missing on our vessel ...

Rijkswaterstaat, the occupying power of Dutch waters, came to politely explain us what is a boat, and asked whether in our opinion ours was one. Fortunately my shipyard boss had glued a sticker on the inside, for which they courteously ceded. Impressed by their politeness we continued to Dordrecht.

... Dordrecht, famous for its religious synods where they screwed it all up [details] ...

... South of Dordrecht, North edge of Biesbosch, the Kikvorskil ("Frog Creek") totally deserted between the main river arteries in rain and storm ...

... Kikvorskil. Bert in action. Actually you're not even supposed to see this ...

... Gorinchem: back through the locks into level-managed water. LINGE 2 turns out to safely pass locks SINGLE HANDED ...

LINGE 2  is aluminum, hence light. She is 3 meters high hence behaves like a sailing boat above water but unlike such has a 20 cm draft. I am lucky to be a sailor: at side wind gusts you have to see the gust coming as dark little waves and steer in beforehand, otherwise you will be too late and make a 10 m drift. No joke with heavy Rhine traffic. In locks however simply sail in then let yourself be blown to the lee quay. A decent number of fenders, and sternly silencing the bloody lock boss ordering you to the other side completes the trick.

... arrival at the Linge mooring site ...

... next day showing off in morning frost at our Geldermalsen harbour friends ...