On through S Holland - Willemstadt

Do you know that this is the coldest summer that Holland has had for 40 years? Only we could arrange that. Still we are having fun -
On Thursday 31st we arrived in Middleburg where we stayed for two days.
Lovely very typical Dutch town with the marina right in the centre and a super little yacht club 50 metres from the boat that serves marvellous food. On the second day we toured the town saw the sites, and of course ate Patat Frites mit mayonnaise from a little stall in the market place. Middleburg was bombed during the Hitler war and was virtually destroyed but it has been beautifully rebuilt.
On Saturday 2nd we headed North and then East through the Veerse Meer, and were amazed. This area is like the Norfolk Broads only much much bigger. It is a mini cruising ground in a million with lots of little islands with pontoons and anchorages. The shore is also dotted with camp grounds and sailing centres for children.
We have found that the large locks in this part of Holland can take quite a while to get through, although the level change is quite moderate and the lock keepers control the inflow much better then the the French. We stayed the night in a little inlet outside a place called Sint Annaland. We elected to pick up a morning just outside the marina because we have a propellor problem that is making reversing something of a lottery and this marina was full of weekend sailors. The propellor issue is entirely my fault. Jomora has a folding prop which I had thought about changing for this trip, but it slipped to the bottom of the jobs list, and the big fishing net we caught on the way to Cherbourg has obviously damaged it. Thanks to one of our Dutch friends we have a plan in hand to slip the boat and check out / change the prop.
Just as forecast the clear ( but cool ) weather ended during the night and a front came howling in from the North East bringing wind and rain.
Today (Sunday 3rd June) we slipped the buoy and headed roughly North in the driving rain though the Oosterschelde and into the Hollands Deip to Willemstadt. 2 big locks negotiated, and glad to be tied up after 5 very lumpy hours.
Right now at 8pm we are sitting in a restaurant overlooking the harbour stuffing ourselves with lovely food. By the way we go on record that we have so far had stunning food in Holland quite reasonably priced. I am eating a huge mixed grill with mushroom and red wine sauce and baked potatoes, and Keren is stuffing herself with garlic prawns.
Tomorrow onwards to Dordrecht.