Another piss wat day but really windy too

Started at Alphen aan den rijn and are now just east of rotterdam at Ridderkerk. We spenr a hellish two nights at free moorings . The moorings were on a corner and we were constantly getting bounced about with the bow waves of the boats passing. It was a very nice place we were next to with supplies about a mile down the road and a lovely friendly pub. We did not partake of any alchohol as we were both feeling seasick .But the people were friendly and helpful and it was a very popular bar with the locals.
Our lives at the moment seem to be dictated by railway or motorway bridges. Barges were let through twice but closed before we had any chance of getting through. It was only because of some erratic sign language from me that the last barge contacted the bridge for us and relayed what they had said.
Mark had pressed the damn button  and Vhf them with no reply as usual..
This is getting to be a big problem . They just will not answer us. Trying to find the time of these bridge openings seems to be pot luck..
We came across a good one , a railway bridge with a nice big sign telling everybody cos it isn't just us they wont talk to. What the opening time was . It opened when it said it would ahh bliss..
It is making our journeys unplannable. and in the downpours and thunderstorms miserable. Being stuck out on deck looking at a red light waiting for it to turn red green in the pissing rain is just soul destroying. .
I shall really miss the dutch. They are warm and friendly and have a kind heart , but i wont miss the canals and only hope that the French ones are a bit better
They don't seem to want to encourage the standemast route.We had to travel further today because the charts and yes we had the sense to get charts.were showing marinas that weren't there.And bridges appeared where there weren't any on the charts.They are brand new charts.
As you can tell we are abit downhearted .we did not think it would be easy but it has turned into an endurance test . There are so few places to moor , you can't get a break..
Today we had high winds and cold stinging rain and Lal is not a fast boat, so it was keep going keep going till we get to a marina. We have found one a small but cheap one  called snt Joris.
Very tight to get into and if a fellow boat person was not on hand we would not have made it, and had to have kept going till we found another one. .
There is no free wifi so this will be my last blog for a while.
we are still only in our first proper week of canalling and the weather isn't making it any easier. I am sure things will pick up and it is just a bad patch we are having . We are determined  and will hopefully have our last half of the Netherlands sussed before leaving.
thankyou to all out there for looking at my blog..Hopefully better news next time

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