Left Bruinesse in a rain turning to hail and entered the first locks of Belgium, picked up diesel in Ghent (along with a bar that served over 200 beers), and finally to the French canals. 200 some locks, a couple tunnels including the longest in France, then Ken and Kristine were in Reims, heart of Champagne country. Leneke and Hanneke came from Haarlem for tastings; Didier Herbert, Mark Hebrart, Pierre Peters, and Vilmart. All very tasty.
After a summer of ocean sailing, the “stand mast” canal crew, Janet, Larry, Ron, Ken, and Kristine, joined the Grateful Red and motored with her 62 foot mast upright from Ijmuiden ”the harbor of Amsterdam” through Holland, over the six lane highway with a stop in Leiden, and finally to Bruinesse, Netherlands for the winter season.
While Ken returned stateside, Kristine “maintained” the boat. The marina experienced Force 10 wind, more than sixty miles an hour, in the harbor. Jenica and Shelley came to visit the boat and Gerhardt\’s in Amsterdam for a wine tasting.
See you on the Water
