Lovely sunny weather all the way down the  River Lek and Amsterdam Ring Canal to Tiel and a lovely friendly marina for the night.

Just getting my horse fix - side of River Lek

Is this lock long enough for us?

Pendulum ferry - bizarre it just swings off the anchored boats.

5 ships and us in this lock.

The rivers are very high this year so no worries about depth but very strong flows.

Entrance to St Andries lock.

House boat refurb and then slid sideways back in.

   Next day into the fast flowing Waal which moved us along at a vast rate of knots and then spat us out into the St. Andries  canal.  Through another mega lock, during which a small German boat carrying their mast on deck, crunched the mast with a horrible noise.  They reversed out rapidly to check damage; we never saw them again.  I am so so glad we didn't try to bring our mast on deck - just asking for trouble with it hanging over; it's difficult enough at times with he flow and turbulence from having to moor so close to the big ship inside the locks.

I just love my ladders in the locks - I can work the rope  up or down as we rise/sink.

Felt weird being lifted to top of lock gate (Maas)

 Then a left turn into the Maas/Meuse (depending which country you are in).  Lovely river, a few large locks again and saw our first British boat going in the opposite direction.
   Moored for the night on some old moorings in a lake off the river, but by a pub, so all good.

lots of coots cootling about near our mooring

A baby coot being cute as babies are.

Carole's Interesting Facts

No 1:
  It's not a myth; Holland really really IS very, very, flat.

No 2:
   The river Vetch is classed as the prettiest River in Holland.

No. 3:
   The left bank of a river is always the left side when going down river.  So going up river the left bank is actually on your right.

No 4:
  In a battle between testicles and winches; the winches will win.  (ask Dave).

   More to come later.