New sea cadet corps Veere brings training ship Lacomblé to Zeeland | Walcheren

The over sixty year old wooden minesweeper of the Royal Netherlands Navy was used for many years by the corps in Den Helder. When they wanted to get rid of them, Commander Ruud Willems saw his chance to breathe new life into the Sea Cadet Corps in Zeeland. The preparations lasted more than six months, but on Sunday the time finally came. Proud as a peacock, Willems maneuvered with the help of sea cadets from Den Helder and Vlissingen to the tentative final destination at the Veerse dam. For now, because this place is not ideal. There is no electricity there and the Lacomblé needs it to protect itself from the humidity.

Sam and Lenny (both 11 years old) became members of the new Zeekadetkorps in Veere and immediately had the opportunity to sail on the training ship from Den Helder to Vrouwenpolder. The Lacomblé likes the Veerse Lenny. ,,I sometimes sail with a twelve meter motor sailer, but this one is nice and big. I want to become a skipper in the future, so when I heard that a sea cadet corps would be set up again in Veere, I immediately applied. Lenny made friends on board with his colleague Sam from Middelburg. The two were allowed to sleep in the same room and have already done the necessary chores. It starts with sea cadets tying knots or scrubbing the deck, Sam explains. But as they get older and learn more, they are also allowed to lead or help build and earn more and more stripes. The aim of the body is that the knowledge they acquire until the age of eighteen prepares them for a life on the water.