Plassendale/Oudeburgh to Nieuwpoort

Friday 15 May 2015

Having studied the Almanak and charts we decided that the next morning we would be up bright and early so that we would be at the nearby Zandvoordebrug before the big convoy from Brugge and Ostend arrived at the bridge at the normal start time of 09h00. Just before eight ‘o clock, two barges which had been moored some distance behind us, passed us and I wondered why they were in such a hurry to go nowhere – even the shops at Oudenburg would not be open. 08h35 we cast off and arriving at the bridge we moor up until 09h00 – having set up PC-Navigo I notice a bridge service icon flashing and check the times; maybe there was too much wine consumed last knight but it clearly stated that there were fixed convoy times at 08h00 and 12h00 only. With much hope I called the operator to ask if we could have service or whether we had to wait until 12h00 – “Twaalf” was the curt reply.

So we waited…

But a good thing was that we found a fishing tackle shop which sold Prima Gas and Esso gas and I bought a Prima Gas bottle as it is apparently used extensively in France as well. I think I will have to dump at least one of my Jewergas bottles as they are only used in Holland and Germany. We also found a patisserie which sold the most delicious, cream enhanced botterkoek and a slaagter selling a really good selection of meats and cheeses, so the three hour wait was not fruitless!

By 12h00 there were nine of us waiting at the bridge and eight minutes later the operator went into his office and the bridge eventually opened and Elle led the convoy toward Nieuwpoort with eight boats behind us.

The convoy with Le Boat behind Njord.

But not for long…a Le Boat hire boat flying a German flag and a Jolly Roger from its bridge crawled right up to Njord’s swim platform so Ian pulled over to let them pass. Within minutes they were up our rear but I just ignored them until their presence became really obtrusive so I gave them some space and they shot through and at top speed (there is a 7kph limit on the canal) and disappeared around the next corner – why, we just couldn’t figure out, as the bridges do not open until the whole convoy is assembled. Sure enough, as the next bridge came into sight there they were waiting but as soon as it opened they were off like a scalded cat.

This carried on until the last bridge before Sluis St Joris just before Nieuwpoort where Le Boat and crew stopped so far from the bridge that the skipper had to use binoculars to see the lights. When we drew up I gestured to them that they should get closer knowing that the bridge would not be opened until the convoy was right there – I was ignored and when I gestured for them to move over so that I could overtake I was ignored as well. We then tried moving slowly past on their starboard side but they just cut us off so we waited in idle until we got close enough to the bridge to satisfy the operator whence it opened and our German friends sped off to the nearby Le Boat marina.

But the passing countryside on the way was very pretty...

 

We turned left and into the big St Joris Sluis and following instructions from a very friendly and efficient lockkeeper, passed through and into the VVW Westhoek where we moored up, not much more than 1 km from Nieuwpoort town centre.

A Klets beer for sundowners, an early spagbol supper and off to bed.