Westerschelde

Tens of thousands of ships navigate the Westerschelde each year. They are usually making for the shipping hubs of Vlissingen, Terneuzen, Ghent and Antwerp. Navigating over the Westerschelde means having to manoevre between tradeshipping and seagoing vessels. And, in this respect, pleasure boats can’t be too careful. To reach Antwerp by yacht requires a very thorough knowledge of currents and elementary navigation. However, you also have the opportunity to experience passing through a unique stretch of water.

The saltmarshes and the mudflats of the Westerschelde make this into a nature reserve which is quite extraordinary. The sandbanks form an ideal resting place for seals and seagulls.

And thanks to an improved eco-system, there is good fishing in the Westerschelde. Additionally, the only southerly beaches of the Netherlands are along the Westerschelde. There are marinas in Breskens and Vlissingen, ports of refuge in Walsoorden and Hansweert and tidal harbours in Lillo and Doel. And, of course, Antwerp offers, in two of its docks, an excellent accommoddation for yachts on the Left and Right Banks. Justifiably, Antwerp is considered to be the ‘turntable’ for pleasurecraft who want to come, and go, in all directions of the wind.