The banks of the river Hollands Diep

Board the ferry Lucretia at the harbor in Moerdijk village and sail towards Strijensas. You will moor next to the nature reserve De Oeverlanden on the banks of the river Hollands Diep. Our reporters Corianne and Natascha preceded you. Let them show you their adventure.

Moerdijk village harbor

Fishermen with their nets, a mild smell of fresh fish, people gazing on the benches. As always, today is just as busy as any day at the quay of the Moerdijk village harbor. At the end of that quay, we find ferry service Lucretia. This ferry will take us to Strijensas, where we will explore the wetlands of the river Hollands Diep. But, oh my, the ferry is quite full already. Skipper Jan waves at us and cheerfully says that he can accommodate us nonetheless.

A full boat

Relieved, we step aboard. Here we go again! This time, we will not sail at wind-force five, but with lovely summer sun and 24 degrees. Perfect sailing weather! Even so, skipper Jan also sails in stormy weather. He dislikes the weather reports. "If the weather gods forecast code yellow, hardly anyone comes," he says. "But they are wrong so often! So far this season, the weather has been good. And when there is a storm, enthusiasts come to film the wild 'sea'."

On our way to Strijensas

We leave the harbor and the boat ripples on the calm waters of the river Hollands Diep. The crossing takes about 20 minutes. Once again, large ships cross our path. Jan was born and raised on a ship, so he knows better than anyone how to break the waves. As the skipper sways his 50-year-old boat through the water, we listen intently to his best stories.

"See the red buoy there just before Strijensas?", asks Jan. "Eighty years ago, a bomber came down in the water here. The English pilot was killed in the crash. Before the corona pandemic, his family came here every year to commemorate him. We have sailed to that buoy quietly together." Meanwhile, we arrive in the harbor of Strijensas, and warm rays of sunlight beam down on us.

Discover Strijensas

After Jan has docked at the jetty, the passengers with bikes leave the boat first. Next, he unfolds the recreational map of Strijensas and explains the route we can take. Despite Jan’s excellent explanation, we still take the wrong turn. Via a rougher path through long grass, we arrive at the intended path after all. We continue our way via the boot trail over shells, sand, and small bridges toward another world.

"What a beautiful area," we exclaim. And so close to Moerdijk. This area offers lots of nature, water, and adventure. We see canoes, SUPs, and fanatical hikers. We plop down at tower ‘Motte' at lunchtime. While eating our self-packed lunch, we enjoy the peace and quiet, singing birds, the bees buzzing, and the swans flapping.

On the tower

We continue our adventure and climb up the tower. A timid swallow flies away when we reach the top and enjoy the view. The wetlands Hollands Diep area is a freshwater tidal flat. Yet, it smells like the salty air of saltwater here. The purple and yellow flowers make for a picturesque area to take photos. Natascha doesn't let this opportunity slip away, and thanks to a little crash course in photography, she gets down to business.

We laugh at the camera focus. There is too much sun, hair in our faces, and a blurred image. Taking pictures is not that easy. However, the result is worth it. We enjoy the beautiful nature around us and walk back to the jetty. There, we see Jan approaching from Moerdijk in the distance. Once back on board, we wait for half an hour before the return trip begins. Jan knows how to fill that time well, so we don’t feel bored for a moment.

Prince Johan Willem Friso

During our wait, Jan dives into his closet, takes an old photograph, and begins narrating. “This is Prince Johan Willem Friso in the picture. He drowned in 1711 when he crossed the river Hollands Diep from Moerdijk, just as we did today. As he nearly arrived in Strijensas, a gust of wind picked up, which tilted the boat and scooped up water. All those on board fell off the boat. The prince tried to hold on, but a large wave swept him away. The young prince and his chamberlain did not survive; the other people were rescued." Jan presents the story vividly.

At the stroke of 2 pm, skipper Jan maneuvers his Lucretia out of Strijensas harbor again. The sun has disappeared, and clouds have taken over. Yet, the water is calm until a large freighter causes our boat to sway. Without batting an eyelid, Jan sails on. A little before half past two, we dock in Moerdijk harbor, and both of us are a little sleepy when we step onto the quay. We thank Jan for his sailing skills, after which he smiles at us. We wave him goodbye.

Would you like to sail along?

Ferry service Lucretia sails during the summer months of July and August from Wednesday to Sunday and Saturdays and Sundays in September. You can also board with a wheelchair, mobility scooter, or bicycle. In Strijensas, you can walk through the wetlands via bridges and paths to the hand-pull cable ferry, where you can cross over to the footpath. There are walking, horse riding, and cycling paths and canoe routes. You can find a recreation map on the Lucretia that shows you the area.