Diksmuide - Winterising and liftout.

Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th November

The next couple of days were spent cleaning, tidying up, finding gearbox oil on the other side of the city, emptying my wallet at the nearby Delva buying all manner of winterising items, (winterising consists of changing engine and gearbox oils, pumping anti-freeze into the raw water cooling system, draining the house water system from the water tank to the taps via the pump bladder and geyser, topping up the stuffing box grease, draining, cleaning and disconnecting the shower pump system and drying any moisture in the bilges).

Lynn's nemesis

Draining the geyser

We also packed our suitcases and took pictures of the clothing and effects which we were leaving behind.

We also changed our hotel booking to the Best Western as it was, on average, closer to the station, city center, marina and the place where Elle would be lifted out of the water and stored for the winter than the place where we had originally booked. They also had accommodation for the period we wanted - and were cheaper. A great decision as the young owner-managers were fantastic hosts and we had everything we needed and more!

The view from our room

Pol and Gilbert popped in for a farewell drink and left quite some time later!

Gilbert, Pol and Lynn

On Friday morning we dismantled and stowed the bimini, covered the coach roofs with tarpaulins, and dragged the suitcases the 600 meters to the hotel where we had a call from Thijs from Buitenbeentje, the yard where Elle will spend the winter - can we bring her immediately as they are running early and bad weather is expected. So off we dashed and I will let the pictures tell the story.

The ABF cruise

In the queue

Tarpaulins and winter cover almost in place

Njord and "Elle"

Waterways waste.

Our last supper aboard

That evening it blew hard with gusts up to 78kph and in the morning, after consulting Thijs, I removed the grey tarpaulins as they had wrenched loose from their tie-downs and were flapping wildly against the paintwork. And the following evening it gusted up to 93kph!

Later on the evening of the lift-out we heard the news of the Isis terrorist attacks in Paris - what a dreadful blot on history.