GORINCHEM TO HEUSDEN

In Gorinchem we visited the chandlery as we needed an extension for our ladder which needed a few more rungs in the water. We also bought a bracket for the lifebuoy ring so we could fit it permanently on the back of the boat as down the south of Holland we are travelling on more large rivers than we have in the past along with a lot of very big barges.

While we were here I visited the hospital to have my ankle checked and strapped again it seems to be improving as the swelling is slowly going down.

Diana made a lovely morning tea for my birthday with a great cherry pie washed down with Triple Sec and cream, a most enjoyable morning.


We stayed on the Lingehaven which is a beautiful little canal right in town. It’s a good mooring and when paying the nightly fees we got a card to mark off each night and the fifth night is free. We will get the free night when we return this way.


In the museum we saw a photo of a chart of Gorinchem in the 15th century and it is still easy to see where we are moored today. X marks the spot.

There is always something interesting when you live on the water. These geese are our early morning alarms.


Looking at the apartments alongside the Lingehaven you can pick out the avid gardeners.

Walking around town we spied the church with its leaning tower. The church was open for visiting so in we went and the guide told us the tower leans 1.5 metres. The Great Church of Gorinchem has been in this place since 1263 and the tower was built around 1480

I am always attracted to the church organs.
In the church were several marble statues, the tomb of Jan 111 van Arkel and his wife Mabelia was placed in the church in 1313 and the marble sculpture of Wilhelmina of Paffenrode in 1628, they were removed in 1850 and dumped in the sand beneath the floor and found again in 1916 and placed back in the church.


Next we cruised across the Waal and down through the quiet countryside of the Andelse Maas where we saw these lovely horses. We are not sure if they are wild like the ones in the Lowersmeer.


HEUSDEN
We turned down into the canal to the Bergse Maas and across into Heusden. Entering Heusden is entering into a picture postcard. The entrance to the old harbour is under a small bridge.

We were fortunate to get a mooring in the historic town harbour. In 1908 the old harbour was filled in and it wasn’t until 1965 that the town council voted for it to be restored and the harbour was dug out again. It is really lovely surrounded by high walls and backing on to the old fishmarket.


The sunset on the outside harbour at Heusden signalled the end of a lovely day.
Next morning we left Heusden to travel down to S’hertogenbosch.