Switching flags

As it turned out we left the Netherlands a day early and like a cork out of a bottle. With our intimate knowledge and deep experience of bridges and locks we confidently expected to take 3 hours to do 5 miles from Middelburg to Vlissingen (Flushing) that required 6 bridges and a sea lock out into the Westschelde. Much to our surprise we popped out after an hour and a half. 

Our last Dutch port was to have been Breskens, opposite Vlissingen, but they informed us they are full due to a yacht festival. So with fair wind and tide, a lucky happenchance, we decided to make straight for Ostend (Belgium). Hence the switching of the courtesy flags as we rolled along the coast. 

The rest of today's story will come tomorrow as we're too full of moules & frites to stay awake.