After some fantastic sailing and a week of exploring Vlissingen and the in-land waterways with stops in Veere and Middleburg, it was time to leave the Netherlands and make our way along the coast of Belgium.

Picking the best of a very poor weather window, we braced ourselves as we headed out into the River Scheldt, a busy stretch of water that serves as the main shipping route for vessels heading to Antwerp. Exiting the sea-lock we turned Ruby May head to wind, and while I held our position Hodge moved forward to the mast to sweat the main halyard while I tailed it from the helm position. It’s a routine we’re very familiar with, sailing double handed you get very used to multi tasking. Early evening was fading into a dusk, and outside of the safety of the in-land waters and sea lock twenty-five knots of wind made its presence known.