Waterloo Lego

 After two weeks of cruising South, we have reached our rally rendezvous at Theiu, Belgium.

We leave the land of windmills

Because of a collapsed road bridge in Belgium, our track has taken us westwards through Zeeland,  so for a while we joined the lower reaches of the Rhine river (or Rijn in Zeeland) almost 1000 Kms from the upper navigable limit in Basle where we took Antiope back in 2017. Over the years we have now completed the entire navigable length of this great river

We join the wide Rhine (Rijn) river on our way South.

Almost 1000 Kms from Basle, and 35 kms to the sea.

We share the Hansweert lock with a regatta fleet.

We could have continued our voyage down the Rhine and out to sea and into Belgium at Zeebrugge, but chose to take the short cut cut across Zuid Beverland to the Schelde at Hansweert. With the benefit of the incoming tide, we sweep up inland as far as Dendermonde and lock into the Belgian waterways. 

 

On the tidal Schelde, we pass the old town of Antwerp

We enter Belgian waters at Dendermonde lock. 

Taking a day out from passage making and ahead of schedule, we took the train to visit the Waterloo battle ground. We had passed close by on our way north three years earlier but then had no time to spare. 

The cast iron Lion atop the Waterloo memorial mound

roars defiantly at France.

Our visit coincided with the 210th year anniversary of the battle. There representing the English side were members of the Lancashire regiment that origanally fought alongside Wellington, and were carrying their regimental colours.

 Lancashire regimental colour bearers.  

It is 227 steps to the top, 

We took advantage of an exellent guided tour of the museum with an authentic looking French infantry soldier, with Napoleon's viewpoint of the battle

Our guide looking the part, 

behind him the battlefield.

Wheatfields now cover the battle site  

It was sobering to walk through the gently rolling acres of ripening wheatfields where an estimated 50,000 were killed or injured as a result of a battle that lasted less than 12 hours.

The Hougoumont farm played a critical role in the battle, and is preserved as part of the Museum.

This Chestnut tree, still scarred with shot, survived the battle 

Somewhat bizarre, but within the Museum was also a vast temporary 'Lego' exibition. It was included in our entry ticket.

Lego portraits of Napoleon and Wellington.

Among the many display cabinets was this Lego battle scene  

Life size French soldier entirely in Lego  

We continued our passage Southwards along the Dender and Blaton-Ath canals to our redezvous with the Dutch Barge Association rally at Thieu. 

A tranquil stretch Dender and Blaton-Ath waterway 

It has been a dozen years since we last cruised this delightful waterway

Annie, on bow line duty! 

 

Just one of the four historic lifts at Thieu.

We take Antiope up this lift ! Watch this space.

Cheers Charles and Annie  

Big day, now South

 On the 3rd of June Antiope emerged from her 'Hall' looking all bright and shiny. Johan, one of the new boatyard owners, carefully managed the whole re-launch operation while Annie and I watched from a respectful distance.

Antiope is dwarfed by the 25 ton hoist, 

Cradled in slings, she was swung out over the waterway and lowered into her righful element.

Ready for a new adventure ?

Our plans for this season could now be given a bit more credibility. Before leaving New Zealand we had registered to join a boat rally in Belgium organised by the Dutch Barge Association. This was scheduled for the last week in June, but while we had been working away in the shed the days were ticking by and we also knew that a niggling cooling issue with one of our engines could not be looked at until we were back afloat.    

Ready to head South on her next adventure.

After a provisioning run by Annie on the bus into Steenwijk, we cast off the next day heading to Vollenhove and an engineer 'Joep' who promptly cleared the airlock in the port engine cooling system. 

At last we were on our way.  On cue, the weather turned wet and windy, so we chose to the sheltered passage south inside Flevoland.

Even in the sheltered waters, one poor craft came to grief.

We, too, stood by until the rescue team arrived.

Weesp, on the Vecht river and close to Amsterdam,

 is among our favourite moorings.

4 days into our voyage. We are on our way!

Our plan now is to follow the Vecht river to Utrecht then via the Merewedekanaal and wriggling through to the Zeeland waterways, before we join the Scheldt river to take the tide up to Ghent in Belgium.

It sure is great to be underway again.

 Charles and Annie 

  

The changing of the guard !

 For the past three northern winters, Antiope has slept peacefully in a big shed (hall) in the company of approx 199 other craft of varying size, shape and age. For us 12,000 miles away in NZ it means that we have been able to sleep at night, knowing that she is secure and unlikely to sink.

Early days, 1980s mid winter Hogenberg boat storage

The big lift gantry gets installed.

Today. Undercover storage for 200 ish boats

Back in the 1980s an enterprising young Dutchman, Jan Hogenberg, acquired a remote piece of waterside land and with a mobile crane, offered onshore winter boat storage. The location was at the sleepy, shopless settlement of Scheerwolde and about 9 kms from the nearest town of Steenwijk.

 These old pics were on display at the farewell party.

A transformation has taken place since then! It was fellow Kiwi boaters, Max and Robyn, who introduced us to Jan and his wife Roelie three years ago when we brought Antiope up from France to explore the Netherlands post Covid. Those adventures feature in preceeding blogs. 

Antiope loses her skirt, but all in a good cause

The same shed (hall) while still under construction some years ago.

Luxury to be able to work inside a big shed !

It is now 10 years since we have been able to repaint the topsides of Antiope, and once some of the tightly stored craft are out of the shed, we are given space to work around the hull. 

Meanwhile in the shed next door !

This year, Jan and Roelie are retiring and handing over the boatyard to new owners. An occasion worthy of a party, and we get invited.

Roelie and Jan, in front of their own motor launch 

Party time in the warm hall

 ( This shed is maintained above freezing in winter )

Topsides now shiny, 'tis time to re-dress the lady

Lots of strings, a very heavy skirt!

A little bit at a time, and mind the new paint!

Something not quite right with this picture ?

Ah that's better, and ready now for the re-launch.

                                              The skipper gets spoiled after another day's work.

It has been two weeks since we arrived back aboard Antiope, and living in the shed has been useful time and out of the fickle weather, but we now really want to be back afloat.

Cheers, Charles and Annie