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.
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
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