Veurne – Astene Historical Flanders

After having spent a lovely week in Amsterdam, participating in some family festivities I returned on board, carrying a Morse cable, a lid for the toilet-bowl and some other necessary attributes.

first a mess but than hot water

Michel had taken advantage of my absence and installed a water heater for the kitchen. I luckily did not have to be party to this mess!

Our water heating system works of the central heating, so in order to have hot water at the ready it has to be on! And the central heating – running on gasoil - provides hot water within minutes after switching it on, so that’s all right for a shower. In the kitchen, however, it’s not very practical, so the small electric heater works wonders.

We hope to compensate the extra power it takes shortly by installing solar panels on the roof of the pilothouse.

This sounds like a simple statement, but solar panels appear to be a jungle, it’s hard to compare the different makes, hidden agenda’s all over the place, so which ones are most suitable?

Judging from questions, remarks, sighs and frowns we pick up from other – potential – users we’re not the only ones that suffer. To be continued …

very sharp parking

Departing from Veurne we cruised to the IJzer river by way of the very narrow Lo-Canal.

Our ships weighs some 70 tonnes, pushing all that water ahead of us, water that comes back at you between the ship and the banks. The closer the banks are to you the stronger the back-wash that you create yourself!

Michel was glad for a moments rest for lunch, mooring on a pontoon which was the only spot wide enough for another ship to pass which had not been possible till then.

Alas, there was a big ship moored up already so we had to get up real close to manage.

leaking walls

Maintenance to locks and waterways often leaves a lot to be desired, not only in Belgium but in France as well, especially the non-commercial routes,

Oft times you’ll find doors where the water comes in the wrong way or they don’t fit properly. This lock – near Ieper – filled itself by leaking through the walls right on our deck. Must be very annoying for smaller craft.

one of the smaller cemetery's

In the whole of this area the battles of the 1^st World War are still visible in their consequences.

Just like in the Somme region there are many cemeteries – one thousand for the military and two thousand for civilians – with many anonymous graves. Some 750.000 soldiers from the British Commonwealth alone died here.

All these cemeteries are looked after very well by a British society.

Although the vast fields, decked with crosses, are quite impressive the many smaller ones make their own imprint.

the maquette of the Menenarch

Ever since 1928 daily at 20:00 hours in Ieper the Last Post is played to the  memory of the dead.

The site is the Menen-arch built as a British monument of war, inscribed on the walls the names of the 54.896 missing soldiers.

 

Everywhere you’ll find wraths made of poppies (plastic, to be obtained at the local tourist office) and sometimes there is a flower inserted next to a specific name.

Every night there is a big crowd, relatives or people somehow linked to these soldiers.

They lay down a wrath or speak a few words. It is a bit of a tourist trap, camera’s clicking away and school classes (of mainly English kids) being noisy, waiting till they can get away. And yet it is very impressive when you realise – virtually impossible –what has taken place.

Everywhere in the area where we cruised – Veurne-Ieper-Nieuwpoort – there are inscriptions on the older buildings informing you that they have been rebuilt after having been demolished during the war, almost no buildings were left upright.When you realise that almost all of the houses, churches etc. were rebuilt in their original style – sometimes even fake medieval – it’s hard to believe all this was done less than a hundred years ago.

little holes in the bricks

They used the clay from the nearby battlefields, the remains of grenades and bullets still in it.

It is visible in all the little holes in the bricks where the metal was molten in the cairn.

the Ceasartree in Lo

In the little town of Lo you’ll find this gate, the only one left of the original four, dating back to 1269. Restored often, 1990 being the last occasion.

Next to the gate there is a big taxus-tree, the so-called Ceasar tree.

Story has it that Ceasar, travelling to Brittany, tied up his horse to this very tree.

It is at least remarkable that – in an area where not a shed was left standing – this tree survived all the battles…..

And everywhere you cruise, like here in Diksmuide, Flanders history stares you in the face.

Back in Wulpen we moored up on the pontoon in front of Het Dorstige Hart (“the Thirsty Heart”) the local.

We met some nice people there and enjoyed the food a few times.

Michel used the time to install the Morse cable that I took from Holland.

installation of the morsecable

Some time ago, when we were waiting at the Royers lock in Antwerp, in the midst of all the big boys, Michel urgently called me and said to unlock the inner steering post.

We have two steering posts, with the very nice wheel inside, and on the aft deck, using push-buttons and a joy-stick, mounted on a box that you plug in next to the throttle.

Weather permitting, or in dire straits requiring a good view, Michel steers from the deck. There is a switch next to the wheel inside that blocks either the one or the other.

Because of the situation Michel was outside, only to find out that the throttle was out of order.

So, at the very moment that the big ship next to us called us on the VHF to move out of the way Michel had to get inside as the throttle-cable had snapped. HURRAY for having two steering posts.

Replacing the cable looked a simple affair because there was a tube in which all the cables were situated. It turned into a small nightmare as the tube had side-exits where the cable got stuck.

In the end the cable was laid in a new position, through the back of a cupboard and all works as it used to, even smoother.

From Wulpen we took the car – still in Veurne after our trip to Paris – for an outing to St. Omer, that houses an out of order ships elevator. A nice looking building but not as nice as the old elevators at La Louvière in the Canal du Centre where we will be cruising again in a few weeks time, elevators that are serviceable. We are looking forward to being able to make the full tour, as last year the last one (of four elevators) was not working (look it up at this blog).

Leaving Wulpen we went to Nieuwpoort which we could not do before the end of the day because of the tidal-locks.

map of the bassin in Nieuwpoort

You go from the canal through the lock into a big pond; as that is directly connected to open sea you can only go there when there is sufficient water for the entering ship, in our case at least 1.2 meters.

Entering the pond –  the open entrance to sea aside – there are three waterways, the Plassendale Canal, the Canal to Dunquerque and the IJzer river. 

2 of the 3 locks in Nieuwpoort

So, unless you go to sea, you will have to enter another lock to be on your way. We went through the pond several times and every time I think it’s special.

Then on we went to Astene, staying for the night in Beernem. It was a nice spot, so in the end we stayed for the weekend.

Last year we were in Astene for the “party-at –the-lock” (see this blog) celebrating the 10^th anniversary of the pub next to the lock. We had a very nice time, it being very crowded.

the little bridge, it's a monument

Unfortunately automation strikes here as well. The beautiful old bridge is hand operated, but just today some people from the Canals & Waterways came along in order to figure out how to operate the bridge from some faraway command post, alas!

the great created grebe on her eggs

the coot and her little ones

 All is quiet and peaceful now, next to the ship a great crested grebe brooding on three eggs and a nest with a two tiny coots and on the opposite bank a few nests with ducklings.

Most of the noise is generated by the parents keeping intruders away from their nest, flapping their wings and yapping away, but soon peace returns.

Because we had to pick up our car from Veurne, we used the occasion to visit the village of Mater (near Oudenaarde, between Kortrijk and Ghent). Last year already someone had pointed it out to me, but we didn’t make it then.

I have no idea why it is called Mater, but it is one of those lovely villages, nice houses and lots of green.

it is really very crooked

And that aside, there is a big brewery, called Roman, situated in beautiful old buildings around this tall chimney that is actually as crooked as it looks.

They are brewing lots of beesr, including the Mater “witbier”.

Michel has lost of pun's each time he opens a bottle

Is it really a coincidence that, when in Holland I hardly ever drank beer – and still don’t – I discovered beer in Belgium as a nice drink?

I am trying the local brew where-ever we go and there is no end to it.

Amersfoort-Veurne

Though my last posting is only 4 weeks ago, a lot has happened since.

Our planning so far has been a bit much, not so practical but there you are.

Dry dock – repairs in the yard – marriage on board – Oostende-at-Anchor – DBA-rally in Paris (without our barge) – Rebecca going to Amsterdam for a few days – the one after the other and in between barging from one place to the other.

All of it was nice or useful or fun or special, but not exactly the laidback living we have been saying praise off.

Oh well, this is part of life as well and we will take things veèèèèry slowly for the remainder of this years cruising season.

My previous entry was about the marriage on board and I was reluctant to show this photo then, but now I will.

A few days before the wedding, pictures of another bride were taken on board. First they were on the quay-side, but on board was nicer.

Her dress was in honour of her Henna-celebration, the civil ceremony had taken place already and the really big party will take place in Turkey – and we thought two happenings was a lot!

completely different from Malka but she looked just as happy

After departing from Amersfoort we went along the Randmeren, the river Amstel, the Aarcanal and the river Gouwe to Gouda and then to Dordrecht.

De Gouwe knew a lot of commercial traffic so we were cruising convoy-stile because the commercials don’t go very fast and the bridges were only operated for all ships together.

keep the fingers crossed this one won't com down

One of the lifting bridges – the one that crashed down last year, just missing a yacht that was passing underneath - was replaced by a ferry.

Apparently they are building a new one, but the whole looked like one of Cristo’s works of art.

Cristo on the Gouwe

Just like it is when driving your car, other peoples behaviour is more threatening and dangerous than what you do yourself.

Especially smaller craft take lots of risk, thus causing problems to others; often they have no notion of the limited manoeuvrability or breaking speed of a big, heavy barge and they certainly don’t take it into account.

Our ship weighs some 70 tonnes, hard to break or get around a corner, not mentioning the length that makes it hard to get bow and stern going in the same direction at the same time. So imagine what it is like for the commercials, being even bigger than we are.

This picture shows the perfect stupidity of the sailing boat and the positive outcome was no thanks to them.

passing just before him, don't think of what could happen

People who had been sailing behind the big barge told us afterwards that they were covered with soot, because the barge had to go full-rev’s to stop, only because the sailing boat slipped in, in front of him.

In Dordrecht we were accompanied by friends on their own barge and from there we had to sail up speed so as to reach Oostende in time.

Being experienced sailors by now – ho-ho – we were not nearly as impressed by Antwerp’s enormous harbour as had been the case last year. Not so for our friends, theirs was the first time.

 

We even found time to fiddle around with our new camera, showing below how tiny we are compared to the real biggies.

we are on the left foto taken from the Twister, our friends barge

In Antwerp we went through the lock to the Scheldt river, first awaiting the right tide together with all other ships that were also waiting for the tide; and we all had to go through the Royerssluis, not really too big.

You have to announce yourself and are given a number they use to call you. Not necessarily in that sequence  because the lock keeper puzzles a lot to get as many ships in as possible at each turn.

Entering the Scheldt at low tide and having the flow behind you towards Ghent really works wonders for your speed, over 16,5 k/h at moderate rev’s, speedboat-like J.

We – that is Rebecca – had been a bit frightened by the prospect of cruising the Scheldt, but in practice it went smoothly.

Things went well, easy cruising, thanks to the skipper and even time to spare for looking at the surroundings and discovering some-one had a plane in his garden ….

I prefer plant and flowers

Cruising from Brugge we were joined by other boats going to Oostend, all using the only waterway to get there. Convoy-stile again, going through locks and bridges together.

All happy people on their way to a party, all in a good mood.

convoi on the canal circling Brugges

they really know how to pack a lock

In the canal circling Brugges there are quite a few artefacts (denoting locks and bridges), bridges opening in a fashion we had not seen before. They are lifting bridges, so no room for masts there. All sailing boats have to lower their masts or go via the sea.

the whole road goes up but turned a quarter circle as to used

swinging from left to right like one of those things on the fairy

In order to enter Oostend you have to go from the canal through a lock to sea, that is the harbour front open to sea, and then another lock so as to get to the inner harbour.

For 't Majeur it was her first salt water experience and we could pretend setting out for sea, but not really so as she is not sea-worthy.

straight on and we are on open sea

Oostend-at-Anchor is a yearly ships festival in the last weekend of May.

All sailing boats that are normally moored in the inner harbour have to leave for the occasion and the pontoons are dismantled, only the ones parallel to the quay remain.

in the centre of Oostende with view on the beautiful station building

The inner harbour is filled up completely with little tjalks, sloops, small and big barges, powerboats (some nice looking) and all kinds of ships worth looking at.

Four, five abreast.

In the outer harbour – open to sea – all tall ships (at least 5 with three masts) steam ships, kotters and Navy ships are moored.

the harbour is full as can be and very lively

The town of Oostende is pampering skippers and crew and the public (each year a quarter of a million) saunters through town and quays, looking at ships and sometimes boarding.

There are stands with all kinds of things and there is live music all over.

This year it lasted for three days because of Pentecost and the weather was beautiful every day.

We were third ship from the jetty and had the advantage that most people didn’t bother climbing over, although …

We quickly rigged up – copying from others who had been there before – a notice board with information on ‘t Majeur. Pictures and a bit of text explaining the ship and her history looked very well and were well read.

there is lots to tell about 't Majeur

As soon as Oostende was at an end we sailed to Veurne where we could moor after consulting the harbourmaster whilst we went to Paris leaving poor Panache in a kennel.

Paris was host to a DBA-rally (Dutch Barge Association), a UK-based society of people with boats like ours or narrow boats.

In order to celebrate their twentieth anniversary this rally was set up, next to a party in the UK.

Over thirty barges – anywhere between 15 to 30 meters – belonging to people who cruise the continental inland waters – had gathered in the Bassin de la Vilette in Paris.

all the barges in the Bassin

The Bassin de la Villette is just a huge rectangular pond in the North of Paris where the Canal St Martin, cutting off a huge bend in the Seine river, is connected.

Five years ago a special arrangement between the DBA and the town council has been made, allowing  mooring in the Bassin, which was appreciated enormously by the Parisiens.

Until then the big pond, where ships had been unloading meat for the slaughterhouses on the one side and wood on the other side, had been bare since 1974 when all activities ceased.

Now, five years afterwards, slowly activities are re-appearing in the Bassin and the DBA was allowed to organise a rally again.

lunch on the quay for about 100 people, everybody contributed something

The days were just packed; we stayed on board with friends and we have met lots of new (to us) people.

We took part in the barge handling competition and The Big Lunch on the quay, but also found time to sniff at the real Paris.

breakfast in the café with coffe and croissant, that's Paris

On the last day we cruised – onboard our friends barge – the Canal St Martin to the Seine and disembarked there, going back to our own barge again.

The canal is a beautiful stretch of old Paris with cast-iron foot bridges.

The last part is a long tunnel underneath the boulevard Richard Lenoir ending in the Arsenal, the Paris harbour on the Seine, a special outing.

the canal St Martin, worth a visit and to stroll along

Now a week of DIY for Michel and a week away to Amsterdam for Rebecca and then we are off to discover more of Belgium.

The weddingday

After lots of preparations like: baking trial cakes (and not eating to much of them), making the real cake with all the trimmings, cleaning and decorating the ship and, really important, making the aft deck wind and rain proof (the weather threatened to be grim), at last the big day arrived.

René in his uniform and you can see how the deck is closed off

Malka wanted, very traditionally, to spend her last night as unmarried woman in her parental house. Although she never lived on board, our barge is just that and so, for old times sake, Steven came to stay as well. So, all of a sudden, we were sleeping as a family under one roof (deck, that is) again.

On the big day everyone had to dress up and be groomed. Michel had bought a new suit, a suit that Steven fancied!

Steven assists Michel in getting dressed

 Malka was beautiful and radiant. And, though Michel had said earlier “What a pity I have to give you away” he performed his duty well and handed her over to the very distinguished looking groom.

father and daughter

René is in the army and was wearing – a special for this occasion – the dress uniform of his regiment, sabre inclusive which was used to cut the bridal cake.
 

The official ceremony took place on board ‘t Majeur. For two hours she was a public place, being an extension to Town Hall.

The civil servant who married the couple came on board in full regalia and thought it was a nice change.

the civil servant in offial gown

Although the weather was bleak in the morning, it didn’t rain and we had a patch of sunshine during the wedding ceremony.

than they say I DO

So, then they were married; time for champagne and cake. Good for me, everyone liked the cake and thought it beautiful. It had been quite a job …..

3 layers and on top the bride and groom with 2 cats

The cake was cut with René’s sabre, all according to the official ritual. That is to say, the sabre followed the cut, previously made with a kitchen knife, the sabre being to blunt in any case.

cutting the cake

And this time I cannot pass up the opportunity to post a picture of the brides parents and brother.

Whilst everyone was sipping champagne rain came pouring down, drops were clattering in the water and on the sun roof, making quite a racket. Had that happened during the ceremony we could not have heard the official text.

Now there was no problem, everybody stayed dry.

it didn't rain it poured

As said before, the weather was really fine and when the champagne had been downed the sun started to shine again, so we could make a trip after all.

Waved at by the bridge-keepers and some passers-by we left the harbour, returning after about an hour.

the weather turned again, so we could go sailing

We stayed in Amersfoort for a few more days and we were addressed a few times by passers-by who had seen the marriage, or the boat or the married couple and they all agreed that it was very romantic.

One women – living near by – had even told her boy-friend that she would consider a proposal, provided the wedding would take place like this.

And the newly-weds were very happy, which is most important.

Mr. and Mrs. Lelieveld-de Lange

 

Now we have left Amersfoort and we are on our way to Oostend (in Belgium) were there will be a festival for tall-ships and barges.

More about that in my next blog.

Groningen - Amersfoort

When planning the work on the barge – moored at the quay at Willem’s – we planned a weeks time, leaving again on Saturday.

Off course we knew it would take longer, which it did; as it turned out we left on Thursday, but by that time a lot of work was done (most of it and in any case the expensive bits now invisible).

back on well known territory

It was very familiar to be back, we had been there for almost two years when being converted and we actually lived aboard for the last year.

Although it was fun meeting up again and the work was useful we were glad to be happily cruising again after a short period!

Via the Noord-Willemskanaal and the Drentsche Hoofdvaart we headed South, it is a nice route but it takes time.

I do love it every time the bridge keeper opens the smaller pivot bridges by walking the half moon shaped pontoon.

the hand operated bridge in the Drentsche Hoofdvaart

 Again we spent the weekend in Dieverbrug and this time we did make the bicycle tour to the Hunebedden.

Although a Hunebed looks like nothing but a pile of rocks (2 – 20 thousand kilo’s each) it is an impressive sight when realising they’ve been there for a long time (5000 years), what they were for (burying mounds) and how they got here (rolled over and pulled by hand).

Compared to the Egypt pyramids a mere trifle, but still impressive.

het Hunebed bij Diever

this construction lies on both sides of the water

On our way up we had already spotted a kind of metal armadillo laying on its side on both sides of the Ramsdiep; in Dutch called a "balgstuw", a kind of dam.

It is an inflatable dam made of rubber which fills automatically with air and water when the water level rises with 50 cm or more within an hour.

The 10 meter high dam offers protection against the rising waters of the Ketelmeer. 

behind the rubber lies the inflatable dam

  

It is the biggest balgstuw in the world and the only one meant as a dam against rising floods.

 The idea was that the stuw (dam) would be used at least once a year, but the 2012 occasion was the first since 2007.

 balgstuw instruction movie

 balgstuw in operation

This leg we didn’t do the polder again but went via the Randmeren and the river Eem to Amersfoort.

Luckily the weather got better so we could paint a bit; we have to look our best for the party aboard.

At long last the hatches are painted after a 3 year stretch in primer and all scratches and damaged spots have been painted.

We enjoyed the wind breaker we had made in Groningen; just a few hooks and we have it hanging on the windy side offering protection.

behind the wind breaker painting is much more comfortable

Now we are moored till May 14^th in the harbour of Amersfoort with a nice view of the Koppelpoort (an ancient walled gate).

These days are all to be spent on the marriage of our daughter and our son in law that will take place next week on board: cleaning, scrubbing, baking cakes, brushing up our clothes, dressing up the boat and so on, and so on...

In my next blog I will be violating my own rule and so it will contain text and pictures of our social life and not of us barging.

It will be about the festivities.