Royal Blockade

April 29 & 30, 2007

The stretch for today offers quite some more nice mooring places along the route, as the one of yesterday. First, after leaving Mook's Eldorado - needed to wait till 09:00 AM for taking our diesel - there is Grave with a nice little harbour adjacent to village center. Slightly before some sand-digging lakes, also with mooring possibilities, but still work going on. Quite som different mills alongside this stretch. Next recommendable mooring places are to be found at Maasbommel, both in the yachts-harbour as well as on the little lakes with good quays. Kerkdriel also offers mooring opportunity in (large) yachts harbour, but not much to do around. If time permits, one could go to 's Hertogenbosch, with mooring right in the middle of this major city - but be prepared to spend a day with the lady shopping around! Not for this beautiful Sunday, with lots of little yachts on the river and - unfortunately also abundant speedboats and Bayliners. Quite some stretches where they are allowed to go full speed - and even using full throttle where they aren't. Are aim for today however was Heusden, a terrific ancient town and a very nice mooring at WV Heusden, 5 to 10 minutes walk to the Markt right in the middle with abundant cosy little restaurants.

One definitely should stay here for a day, but we couldn't, going further our home route next Monday - Queens day (= banking holiday) in the Netherlands. Very early start this Monday, realising that - once we would have arrived at home port Maurik - I still had to do a few hours train to Maasbracht to collect my car at Linssen. Bringing up the hood again before departure - because of the growing East wind. Had we only realised this early start was in vain. Because of this banking holiday, lock Wilhelminasluis not be opened before 10:00 AM, so long waiting time. A first Royal Block (Wilhelmina is the name of current Queens grandmother). But we enjoyed this old lock, its surroundings and quite morning. Arriving at Woudrichem, we were in for another surprise.

Awaiting at Wilhelmina sluis

For years now, the Dutch Queen Beatrix visits 2 towns on the celebration of her birthday (which is by the way always celebrated on April 30, the birthday of the old Queen, not her own date which is January 31 but too cold and wet to have the public festivities). This year Woudrichem being one of the towns. That's why the waterfront being blocked, we were not allowed to pass - obviously for security reasons - until her leave we could not enter the Waal to cross to Gorinchem. At 11.30 AM we were allowed to pass, with a lot of other "Royal Watchers", also crossing the Waal to the Merwede lock in Gorinchem. Keen to get through the railway bridge just above this town - which is opening only once an hour - and by the minute we made it.

Though the Merwede-Rijn kanaal from Gorinchem to Vianen is indeed a canal and not a river - it is bad at all and still a bit winding with nice views on the (lower) sides. Lots of people walking and cycling along the small path & road. Quite some bridges to open, and another two locks to take. The Vianen lock - as usual - took quite some time (2 hours: one hour before and one in the lock!). For years now, lots of complaints about the Vianen-lock - obviously it is quite difficult for the lock-keeper to push the button. At lock Hagestein in the Lek we were a bit unlucky with a huge tanker with blue cones (keep distance!) going first.

Finally we arrived at 19:00 at Maurik, after a long day, but party wasn't over yet. Had to go by train to Maasbracht. After first stretch the 's Hertogenbosch - because of accident no train connection to Roermond, so having to take deviation via Tilburg. At 11:00 pm arriving at Maasbracht, car fortunately still there, and having a 2-hour drive home. A long travel day, but I rather prefer ship above train!