Jeez, what a lot has happened - or should I say, how slack have I been ? I have not written a word since we departed Cambrai just after the beginning of April. How slack. So, very briefly and before the details of our travel so far this year (it now being June 12) here is what we have done.

(April 5). We departed Cambrai to Antoing across the Belgian border where we bought 650 litres of cheap red fuel to send us on our way north as this is the year to explore Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, before returning to France through Strasbourg and Burgundy. So - through Belgium to Brussels, the Royal Yacht Club and an overheated water pump, then through Lier, Lommel, Helmond, and then to s=Hertogenbosch into the Netherlands.

(14 April) Den Bosch (the same place) for a few days before on to Werkendam for new batteries and then to Van Grevenstein=s shipyard at Krimpen aan de Lek for the survey of the hull and maintenance work before the short trip to Rotterdam and the Veerhaven, right in the middle of town. We spent a week with our Dutch friends Marcus and Else from our trip to France in 2001 at their lovely home in Dinterlord. Several days thereafter we were on our way to Delft, Den Haag, Leiden, Alsmeer and into Amsterdam where we met two couples who had previously owned Van Nelle !

(11 May) We managed to get the harbourmaster to give us a week in the centre of Amsterdam=s port in a quiet and lovely spot for just i 8 and spent the time exploring again and just enjoying, then on to Alkmaar where, at the yards of Nicholas Witsen - JF Stoel and Son, the boat was born. We met their archivist, Joop Zorn and we found a wealth of historic information. Then to Purmerand, Haarlem, Gouda and back to Rotterdam where we had an appointment with the Van Nelle company, their historian and the grand daughter of the second captain of Van Nelle. From there to Den Haag and across to Maastricht. Across the (non-existent) border into Belgium again (6 June), followed by Liege (horrible) and down to Huy and Namur before passing on to Dinant.

(12 June). We are currently in Dinant (still Belgium) before heading north again to Namur via Florelle. There is a barge >rally= where we expect to be among some 20 or more boats from all over Europe as part of the Dutch Barge Association=s annual events calendar.

So, the first couple of months have flown by, but we haven=t felt like we have been going too quickly. Now that we have slowed down a bit more, it=s time to provide some detail of the incidents, accidents and revelations that we have been happy to experience.

The key set of happenings have been the amazing set of coincidences and accidents leading to our discoveries about Van Nelle, but more on that later. First, lets get up to Amsterdam.

We headed north this year for three reasons. Van Nelle was born and is registered in the Netherlands and as its now 4 years (but 5 summers) since we bought the ship, it was time to have a survey and do some >out-of-the-water= maintenance. Our belief is that Holland is the best place to have that done. The second reason, like the first is the connection to the Netherlands, the place VN spent all her life before we took her south. It was obvious that we would discover more about her in Holland. The third reason was to explore the Low Countries, areas we had not spent time in except for Bruges, Gent and Brussels in 2004 briefly.

We made arrangements to have the boat surveyed and for any work required to be done at Van Grevenstein=s yard, just out of Rotterdam so first off we headed in that direction, through a number of small but interesting towns that lie along the canals and rivers in our path. Belgium supplies red diesel fuel to all ships at half the price of French white fuel, so filling up there is a priority and was done just north of Cambrai at Antoing. We stayed overnight and moved on through Halle via the amazing >ascenseurs= at Streppy-Thieu and Ronquieres. These are giant mechanical lifts that take boats up 50 metres at a time, by-passing dozens of old locks, now defunct.

Brussels has a great name but as a place for boaties it is a bit of a con as the only place one is allowed to stay is at the Brussels Royal Yacht Club, and they certainly know how to charge - about i35 per day. We advised we would stay one night and maybe another to be decided on the Sunday morning. As the office was closed on the weekend that (as it happened) gave us a second day free as the bar staff refused to charge us. It was as well as we heard some strange noises early in the morning and, passing them off as the next boat, ignored them until the smell of smoke made it imperative to investigate. We found to our horror that the water pump was melting and giving off dense smoke as the insulation immolated. A quick douse from the fire extinguisher by mate Maureen and the power cut by me and the situation was under control, although we were now sans water.

I keep spares of key items and one was a brand new water pump, so, after a couple of hours cleaning out the blue extinguisher powder, I installed the new pump and everything tested fine. We have no idea why the pump overheated. It is a very expensive, run dry, thermal protected piece of equipment and supposedly impervious the excess heat. A mystery.

We moved on after I explored at leisure the excellent aviation museum in Brussels which I had visited before but, arriving at 4.00 in the afternoon had not really had time to digest. Maureen went in the opposite direction the art gallery. Next stops were small towns along the way, Lier where they wanted i 14 for the night - we moved to the other side of the canal, Lommel which is a pretty town with a new port where no-one came to see us and about where we passed into the Netherlands. Arriving at the entry canal to town at Helmond, the lock was unattended, so we just tied up, ate, slept and left the next morning by the main canal into s=Hertogenbosch - or Den Bosch as it is commonly referred to.

At Den Bosch we found a good spot on the outskirts at no cost, un-shipped the scooter and spent a couple of days exploring the museums and general attractions of the city. Our stop here gave us time to get some funds transferred to our Dutch bank account and also arrange for 4 new batteries to be installed in Werkendam, the place they are made, just near the entry point to Rotterdam where we were heading for the shipyard nearby at Krimpen.

So, on to a tiny yacht club in Werkendam for the batteries. We perched precariously on the outside piles of the marina but had access to power and an easy access for the batteries and our bikes, used to explore the area and go shopping. A young chap arrived on the Monday morning and we proceeded to take off four old cells and replace them with the big, new ones. He did all the work of installing them which is a bugger of a job I have now done several times. I was grateful for his assistance.

Now it was time to mix it with the real ships, as, entering Rotterdam is entering one of the biggest ports in the world - and they come right into the city. We skirted the edges of the huge waterways on our way to the access canal to the ship yards and tied up across the two finger wharfs that give access to ships on the slipways. Here we stayed for several days before it was our turn to go up for survey and maintenance work. Once on the slip it was impossible to live properly on Van Nelle and we were very grateful for the offer of a bedroom, their company and a car - free - for the time we needed them, at Marcus and Else Leguit=s home in Dinterlord, about 35 minutes drive from the shipyard.

Up very early every morning for a week while the work was to be done so we could brave the tough Rotterdam traffic and supervise the activities on Van Nelle. The surveyor found a couple of places where the plates were thinning so we required two new plates to be welded on. We also had an electrician install a diode block to isolate the engine batteries from the >house= batteries, we had the stern gland re-packed, the rudder post and pintle reworked and a new roof built as the old one was de-laminating. We also had the hull re-painted and anti-fouled and did some other paint work on the superstructure.

Finally, after a short fight with the carpenter about the fact he had not painted the roof and rain threatened, we did that job ourselves while the carpenters on board fitted the wet sections and we were finished. I negotiated part cash part invoice payment terms and having parted with too much money, headed into Rotterdam and the Veerhaven, a marina right in the centre of town.

We had negotiated a reduced rate with Rudolf, the port captain so stayed here several times on the way through and back. Just 10 minutes to anywhere in town, this is a great way to have the time to explore the excellent maritime museum, the port areas and the loads of historic ships that litter the old working areas of the port. Spido is the name of a sightseeing company and we took the trip - and hour and a half of rubber-necking at just some of the huge number of maritime installations this very busy port comprises.

Some of the other attractions were the Hotel New York, built when the Holland-Amerika Line was busy transporting Dutch immigrants to the new world and now an art deco restaurant complex, Queen Julian=s 25^th Birthday celebrations - a big street market, music etc, and the Douane Museum - customs and immigration. We also took a trip to the Van Nelle factory - now unused by the company and turned into a business incubator and world heritage site. Unfortunately it was just after the tour (last Sunday of each month) had finished, but we were able to geta contact with the historian and take some pictures and footage. We later arranged for a full on, proper tour and meeting - but more on that later.

It was time to move on and we departed west for Delft, centre of the famous blue pottery. Arriving near the centre we found an excellent little haven with plenty of space for us and were waved at by other, permanent, users so tied up for a free few days. Delft has a number of very interesting museums, the War museum, the Prinsenhof, Vermmeer and Piet Hein=s museum and an old monastery where an excellent and inexpensive lunch can be had. There is also the Royal Delft Pottery factory, which was within 3 minutes walk from Van Nelle=s mooring so we were well served by foot and by bike.

After a pleasant stay at Delft we travelled on to Den Haag - the parliamentary centre of the Netherlands. The Dutch have Amsterdam as the Capital, Rotterdam as the biggest commercial centre and Den Haag as the parliamentary centre - I suppose it works for them. This city also boats good museums and attractions and was having a Peace Festival when we arrived. We did the Royal Tour which took in the city, the coast area of Scheveningen including its famous diorama and beaches (very cold and wind swept) and the old >Kings Hall= palace of the parliament. We also visited the Maurits Huis where they display fine paintings by Vermeer and Rembrandt among others.

We had one amusing incident here as we took the wrong turn going out of the city and found ourselves, on the scooter (max speed 50) on a freeway - oops. The thing was not funny at the time as it was miles before we could get off and then ages to find our way back on side roads. Funny afterwards !

We could have spent more time here, especially at the coast since we did not stop there on the tour except for the quick tour of the diorama, but the weather at the time was cold and windy with some rain - good weather for travelling - so we moved on to Leiden.

When you have been to a few big cities its really good to get back to smaller towns where it feels like you can cope and control rather than being dwarfed and rushed. Leiden is one such town. It is not a small village, on the contrary it spreads quite wide, but its centre is an unhurried and gentle place with old, small canals and quiet squares, fed by narrow streets filled with small shops. There is a good port where hotel boats stay for a day or two to allow their passengers to explore. Here we met a young couple who had recently bought a 38 metre hotel boat which they ran themselves, catering for up to 20 people at a time - including school groups. They are a lovely couple, battling the economics of boat life and happy to do it. We saw them again in Amsterdam where we had the chance to have drinks with them.

It was Leiden where Rembrandt was born and schooled and there is a museum to that effect. There are also good walking tours and little tourist boats that ply the canals. They make excellent Ice cream here as well and the banana split was scrumptious. Another attraction of the Netherlands, especially when your mobile phone will not give you connection to the internet and email, is the provision in every public library of an internet area, many free. By these facilities were we able to remain in contact with family, friends and prospective guests.

Leiden is also close to Keudenhof, famous for its huge tulip gardens which can be visited by bus from the Leiden station. We went out by bus (25 minutes) and strayed through the pavilions and gardens looking at the hundreds of different colours, patterns and types of tulips. Really remarkable and very busy with visitors from all other the world.

Having >done= Leiden by visits to the old town and the walking tour that includes the old canals, the fortress, the churches and the schools and buildings of note in Rembrandt=s life, itwas time to move on to Amsterdam - but first to leave the port. We had been delighted that there was room for us in the main port near the entrance of the town and not deeper into the old city where manoeuvering would have been a nightmare and so it was relatively easy to turn the boat and line up for the lock and raising bridge that lets you out - except. Down the canal in the opposite direction, two hotel boats were approaching. Since there are frail craft moored on both sides of the approach it was imperative thet they enter the haven before we left, so we waited. As they came through, in blustery conditions, it was also important that I stay out of their way - no easy task.

By fastening the bow to the quay that runs out in a line on one side of the lock I used the engine to keep the stern away from the turning circle of the big boats coming in and once clear, caste off and made for the entry. No go !. The bridge was being lowered - to allow the traffic to flow I supposed since the bridge had been up for some time to allow the second hotel boat in. No. When we appealed for information as to how long the wait would be the lock keeper declared that we had not paid for the time spent in the port and would have to pay before leaving. That was news to us as the hotel boats did not pay and there were no signs to indicate costs. We paid - about Euro 37 and left.

Else Leguit=s father had suggested we had to visit Alsmeer, a famous holiday spot - lakes and marinas, shops and restaurants etc and that he might well join us there. That arrangement did not come off as his boat was not ready for the season, but we made our way there on the way to Amsterdam. We were disappointed. It is not as big or extensive as the lake system at Loosdrecht and had few attractions, especially since it was still cool and windy weather. We found a mooring against a building site and stayed just the one night, visiting a bar / marina for a beer but not getting much warmth from the place.

And so - on to Amsterdam. By now it was May 10, about a month after leaving Cambrai.

2005 JOURNAL