We left Gent for Antwerp the other day, but there are a couple of things from our stay there that we haven’t mentioned:
First – Alex trying to play the agile goat (but only succeeding in playing the old goat!) managed to break a rib. This is how it happened: we were moored, as we have mentioned, in the middle of Gent on a low wooden walkway about 4 feet wide. Beyond this walkway was the original stone quay about the same height as the deck of Riccall. Alex thought he could jump between the two!
To be fair, having failed, he did land on his feet on the walkway some 4 feet below, but unfortunately, off balance. He staggered back into Riccall and the lower part of his back collided with the rubbing strake with an ominous crack. The winding lasted about 10 minutes but the cracked rib is still to resolve itself (though it gets a little better day by day).
Second – the theft of Alex’s bike. We had left both bikes on the said quayside for what we thought would be just a few minutes while we had a cup of tea intending to use them again almost immediately – so not locked. When we next looked at them about an hour later (a long cup of tea) one had been nicked under our very noses! The Bastards! Afterwards the harbour master (female) apologised for not having warned us that ANY bike left unlocked for two minutes would be stolen. (We had seen so many left around unlocked, we had become too complacent.)
So we are now on the look-out for a replacement. The repair shop in Gent offered us several second hand hand bikes, the cheapest of which was ∈85 for a heap of c - - p! The next cheapest at ∈95 had a bent pedal and only two gears operational. I mean really! The refuse tips of UK have better bikes for £5. We know because we bought a couple of folding bikes a few years ago from Harrogate tip for a fiver each and there is always such a heap of them. The only trouble is getting one back to Holland! We will check with Jet2.
Now listen! Jamie and others - we don't want any cracks about ribs or any ribbing about bikes in 'comments' please!
However, enough of all that. We barged out of Gent at 9 am on the 25th to catch the tide at the river lock onto the Schelde (Merelbeke) for passage to Antwerp. 5 hours later we were punching against the incoming tide for a further two hours as we approached the Royersluis (Royal Lock) into Antwerp’s dock area and our safe haven for the night.
We had to ‘stand by’ for a very uncomfortable half an hour outside the lock being buffeted by the wash of passing waterway pantechnicons, until eventually we were allowed through, then had to negotiate a couple of lift bridges into Willemdock where we spent a pleasant night recovering. But, as suspected the following morning, we discovered that quiet night had just cost us ∈27! The harbour master did, however, give us free electricity, which should have cost us ∈3 and free water and we spent a lovely relaxed morning looking round Antwerp and getting a general feel for the city - plus the obligatory coffee stop in the "Grote Markt". Then we walked to the most glorious building around, golden dome and fabulous architecture on the outside, marble and gold leaf on the inside, only to find it was the railway station!
Then it was off towards Bergen Op Zoom, but when we arrived at Kreekraksluize (we are now in Holland so 'sluize') we decided to call it a day. We were directed by the lock keeper to a lovely little mooring out of harm’s way beside the lock where we spent last night. The ‘big boys’ went on roaring past all night as they went into or out of the lock but it is such an amazing place. With luck, there should be some photos of the stuff we saw in Antwerp dockland and on our way here – just incredible.
It was so nice and intersting at Kreekrak Sluize we decided to spend a second night and so that is where you leave us on Friday evening.
BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS
At Bergen op zoom and
We got a bike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Asked a nice lady in a florist of all places where we might be able to find a cheap bike. The usual suggestions - local rag small ads, etc. but then she mentioned the bike shop at the station where they buy and sell and recondition bikes. Off we went hot foot, but the young lad assistant said the cheapest was 125 Euros- too much for us. Fortunately the proprietor overheard and lo!! a 50 Euro trade in was proferred. We snapped it up, so I am now the proud owner (yes - it's mine because its a lady's bike - hurrah!!! all high handlebars, integral lock, gears and everything. We thought it was a bit cheeky to ask if he had a second one for Alex, but next big place and we think we could do the same again - "Alas, we have had our bike stolen and we dont have much money. Have you anything for 50 Euros? Well you have to be on your toes!!!
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
21.06.08 In Ghent
We are now slap bank in the middle of Ghent. We’re as near as you can get to the centre on what remains of the old canals. Believe it or not they are filling in some of the old cuts and building over them! In the UK we are renovating and refurbishing our old canal network: here they are still such a part of commercial life that when they have built a “Kanaal bypass” the old canal becomes redundant and no longer wanted! We didn’t book the mooring here, which we understand we perhaps should have done, and we were extremely lucky there was a space.
We are moored opposite the Courts of Justice, which is about ¼ mile from the city centre. We have no idea how much these moorings will cost, but as we have to collect our PC Navigo software disc from the Post Office to which it was sent, we have no choice. The Post Office, of course, was shut on Saturday and doesn’t open again until 10 am on Monday. So we are here for a minimum of 2 nights.
We met a Dutch guy (American father, so good English) on the street who has been to Hull and who loves England: he gave us a street map of Ghent: and the Dutch boat moored behind us has given us a rudimentary map of the Dutch waterways along with plentiful advice. A passing Englishman on a weekend rail package tour advised on the best railway internet site (reiseauskunft.bahn.de - a German site but apparently good for all countries. This was great for Belgium though we haven’t tried this out for anywhere else) and also told us about the IBIS hotel, just round the corner where there is Wi-fi. Aren’t people kind? In this mooring however, we also have ‘The English Commodore’ with his English acolytes, in two enormous navy blue and white gin palaces. They simply can’t bring themselves to look our way, let alone speak!
So all in all, today has been a pretty good one, and we did get on the internet via ‘Orange’ at the IBIS hotel just round the corner - Euros 15 for 10 hours over the next 30days - but not too bad – though Alex then managed to find free access on the boat, so even better.
On Monday we went to the post Office at 10 am – opening time - only to find that the incoming post does not arrive until 11 o’clock. Eventually, however, we got the new software.
We discover that mooring here is not so costly - Euros 14 per night, although this sounds like quite a lot in terms of cruising it is quite cheap as it only represents 1½ hours of motoring! So, it’s cheaper to moor than to cruise, for an average short day.
We have, I must admit, been rather taken aback by the expense of fuel. When we planned this current trip about a year ago, fuel in UK was 35p/litre and at that time white diesel cost 80p/litre in France. You could still buy red diesel in Belgium and Holland. Now, we can only buy white diesel and it is about Euro 1.40/litre and the exchange rate has gone from Euro 1.40 to the £ to Euro 1.20 to the £. In effect, we are paying 4 times what we were paying a year ago in UK and twice what we had envisaged, worst case scenario, here in Europe.
I am afraid that this means the blog is going to be less boat-cruising-related and more scenery-related than we had imagined, and most probably more money-saving-oriented than we had hoped. Sorry kids but we have to be realistic here – capital expenditure only goes as far at it goes - right now we are SKI-ing already!
Off to the Netherlands tomorrow – Bergen Op Zoom (we hope) to find a short term mooring where we can leave Riccall for a week while we come back to the UK to catch our breath.
It is a two-day trip with some very big locks. More when we get there.
The one thing we haven’t had time to do is have a good look round Gent – apart from dashing hither and thither. Better luck next time!
We are moored opposite the Courts of Justice, which is about ¼ mile from the city centre. We have no idea how much these moorings will cost, but as we have to collect our PC Navigo software disc from the Post Office to which it was sent, we have no choice. The Post Office, of course, was shut on Saturday and doesn’t open again until 10 am on Monday. So we are here for a minimum of 2 nights.
We met a Dutch guy (American father, so good English) on the street who has been to Hull and who loves England: he gave us a street map of Ghent: and the Dutch boat moored behind us has given us a rudimentary map of the Dutch waterways along with plentiful advice. A passing Englishman on a weekend rail package tour advised on the best railway internet site (reiseauskunft.bahn.de - a German site but apparently good for all countries. This was great for Belgium though we haven’t tried this out for anywhere else) and also told us about the IBIS hotel, just round the corner where there is Wi-fi. Aren’t people kind? In this mooring however, we also have ‘The English Commodore’ with his English acolytes, in two enormous navy blue and white gin palaces. They simply can’t bring themselves to look our way, let alone speak!
So all in all, today has been a pretty good one, and we did get on the internet via ‘Orange’ at the IBIS hotel just round the corner - Euros 15 for 10 hours over the next 30days - but not too bad – though Alex then managed to find free access on the boat, so even better.
On Monday we went to the post Office at 10 am – opening time - only to find that the incoming post does not arrive until 11 o’clock. Eventually, however, we got the new software.
We discover that mooring here is not so costly - Euros 14 per night, although this sounds like quite a lot in terms of cruising it is quite cheap as it only represents 1½ hours of motoring! So, it’s cheaper to moor than to cruise, for an average short day.
We have, I must admit, been rather taken aback by the expense of fuel. When we planned this current trip about a year ago, fuel in UK was 35p/litre and at that time white diesel cost 80p/litre in France. You could still buy red diesel in Belgium and Holland. Now, we can only buy white diesel and it is about Euro 1.40/litre and the exchange rate has gone from Euro 1.40 to the £ to Euro 1.20 to the £. In effect, we are paying 4 times what we were paying a year ago in UK and twice what we had envisaged, worst case scenario, here in Europe.
I am afraid that this means the blog is going to be less boat-cruising-related and more scenery-related than we had imagined, and most probably more money-saving-oriented than we had hoped. Sorry kids but we have to be realistic here – capital expenditure only goes as far at it goes - right now we are SKI-ing already!
Off to the Netherlands tomorrow – Bergen Op Zoom (we hope) to find a short term mooring where we can leave Riccall for a week while we come back to the UK to catch our breath.
It is a two-day trip with some very big locks. More when we get there.
The one thing we haven’t had time to do is have a good look round Gent – apart from dashing hither and thither. Better luck next time!
Saturday, 21 June 2008
19.06.08 On the Way to Ghent
We are now on our way to Ghent. We were allowed through the first two bridges OK but at the third, having waited for about 45 minutes, another boat caught up from behind. Being another Briton (small craft) I suggested that he should overtake us when the bridge opened. This he accepted, rather more quickly than was gentlemanly! and eventually the bridge opened. Two barges came through from the other direction and the English boat popped through ahead of us. By the time I had got Riccall off the bank in the strong wind, the lights turned red and the bridge was closed against us! Full reverse, emergency stop and back onto the bank! We could see why ‘Kittiwake’ had accepted our suggestion so rapidly.
(You have to be careful not to begin to believe that ‘they’ have got it in for you on these occasions – they being the disembodied voice on the VHF. They can see you of course, via the myriad of cameras at each bridge or lock, and so can play little games if they choose!)
So after another 20 mins or so, we were finally allowed through. The next four bridges and lock went without too much incident, apart for several lengthy waits while commercials either came the other way or overtook us, until one nondescript bridge where we were third in line to go through and just as we arrived they red-lighted us again – emergency reverse – while a little plastic boat was allowed through against us, then they allowed us through. Maybe they hadn’t seen us, but thereafter, we kept right on the tail of the boat in front.
At present we are moored in deep country at a flood lock on good staging with plenty of depth (one of the Dutch Barge Association's suggestions).
This morning, we discovered that we had been joined overnight (silently) by a huge barge. After breakfast the lady bargee started its engines and we assumed it would be setting off. To our surprise, it and another barge moored ahead, changed places with such consummate ease it took our breaths away! Such professionalism! On talking to the captain of one of the boats, he explained in broken English that the other barge had had to change places so that it would be in a better place on the quay, as it was having work done on its engine next week and needed to be close to the road.
We set off ourselves soon after and arrived in the outskirts of Ghent at about 4 o’clock. Our first mooring proved unsatisfactory, as the distance between bollards was for barges at least twice as long as we are. Barges passing by caused us considerable discomfort and we just had to move. After a recce on our bikes we found a better mooring 1km further on, so we moved and at 6pm were the only barge there. Within an hour another huge barge and a double workboat had joined us at front and back, but the mooring is infinitely better and we hope for a good night.
I look up from writing this and in front of us is a 1500+ton barge fully loaded waiting to go up the canal while a 2000+tonner double comes the other way. At that moment another one comes round from the side canal, then another, then another, then a Dutch jelk all jostling for position. Crikey!!! Meanwhile one of them is mooring ahead of us and the 1500ton barge had decided to double up on the workboat behind us. For these guys it’s all in a days work. For us, it still seems amazing! Keep it coming!
But it's now Saturday morning and having been woken at 5.30 by barges moving off and a steady stream going past, we were buffeted around for the next two hours. We just had to get up as we couldn't stand it any longer and since then we have only seen one barge - typical! So off into central Ghent.
The photos we have added have ended up at the very bottom of the blog and when we find out how to move them, we'll do it!!! Thanks Emily - for helping us get them on at all!
(You have to be careful not to begin to believe that ‘they’ have got it in for you on these occasions – they being the disembodied voice on the VHF. They can see you of course, via the myriad of cameras at each bridge or lock, and so can play little games if they choose!)
So after another 20 mins or so, we were finally allowed through. The next four bridges and lock went without too much incident, apart for several lengthy waits while commercials either came the other way or overtook us, until one nondescript bridge where we were third in line to go through and just as we arrived they red-lighted us again – emergency reverse – while a little plastic boat was allowed through against us, then they allowed us through. Maybe they hadn’t seen us, but thereafter, we kept right on the tail of the boat in front.
At present we are moored in deep country at a flood lock on good staging with plenty of depth (one of the Dutch Barge Association's suggestions).
This morning, we discovered that we had been joined overnight (silently) by a huge barge. After breakfast the lady bargee started its engines and we assumed it would be setting off. To our surprise, it and another barge moored ahead, changed places with such consummate ease it took our breaths away! Such professionalism! On talking to the captain of one of the boats, he explained in broken English that the other barge had had to change places so that it would be in a better place on the quay, as it was having work done on its engine next week and needed to be close to the road.
We set off ourselves soon after and arrived in the outskirts of Ghent at about 4 o’clock. Our first mooring proved unsatisfactory, as the distance between bollards was for barges at least twice as long as we are. Barges passing by caused us considerable discomfort and we just had to move. After a recce on our bikes we found a better mooring 1km further on, so we moved and at 6pm were the only barge there. Within an hour another huge barge and a double workboat had joined us at front and back, but the mooring is infinitely better and we hope for a good night.
I look up from writing this and in front of us is a 1500+ton barge fully loaded waiting to go up the canal while a 2000+tonner double comes the other way. At that moment another one comes round from the side canal, then another, then another, then a Dutch jelk all jostling for position. Crikey!!! Meanwhile one of them is mooring ahead of us and the 1500ton barge had decided to double up on the workboat behind us. For these guys it’s all in a days work. For us, it still seems amazing! Keep it coming!
But it's now Saturday morning and having been woken at 5.30 by barges moving off and a steady stream going past, we were buffeted around for the next two hours. We just had to get up as we couldn't stand it any longer and since then we have only seen one barge - typical! So off into central Ghent.
The photos we have added have ended up at the very bottom of the blog and when we find out how to move them, we'll do it!!! Thanks Emily - for helping us get them on at all!
16.06.08 In Bruges
Here in Bruges we have at last found a reliable wi-fi internet access at a small friendly hotel which charges us 4Euros for 2 cups of coffee and 1 hour’s access. Thus we have been able to post some belated additions to our blog. You will have to bear with us on this one: the blogs will always be posted several days (if not more) after they are composed as it takes time to get to the next internet cafe.
Bruges is as lovely as we remembered it from a North Sea Ferry trip we took 5 years ago. We promised ourselves then that when we next returned we would be on Riccall and so it is. (Long term planning, wishful thinking or luck?)
We climbed (again) the ‘Beltower’ in the main square (the Markt) and managed to miss the 12 o’clock chimes by 1½ minutes – typical! We heard it all happen as we raced up the precarious spiral stairs! Still, the view from the top is superb and the day was lovely, but we just couldn’t quite see where we were moored.
And then the next day, Steve Earey turned up, out of the blue on his motorbike! “Well” he said, “I hadn’t had the bike out much this year and a trip to Bruges seemed like a good idea!” Mad fool!! Anyway, most welcome and he showed us how to use our Skype phone to access our emails – amazing. Nothing like dogged persistence.
So next stop Ghent where we hope to pick up our ordered “PC Navigo Western Europe” disc -Poste Restante at the Central Post Office. Will this work? Wait for the next thrilling instalment to find out. In the meantime we hope are attached here, if Emily has informed us correctly, some pics of things of interest so far.
Jamie says we need to turn this blog into more of a ‘book’ but frankly, I think the quality of the writing is such that we will be lucky to keep any readers at all beyond the first two or three weeks. Incidentally – it takes Alex 30 mins to write this stuff, and Louise another 20 to edit the drivel and type it up – is it worth it? We need some positive feedback to let us know, otherwise we’ll ditch the whole idea!
Mooring here in Bruges has been difficult. The lovely moorings all along the bank beside the windmills is “mooring verboten” – so we are nestling on some rocks just before the first bridge into Bruges. It’s a good position but we have to keep the stern 2m off the bank with a pole or go aground.
There is a mooring arm at the other end of the city apparently but it costs 20Euros per night and we would rather “perch” here and use the money saved on fuel!
Bruges is as lovely as we remembered it from a North Sea Ferry trip we took 5 years ago. We promised ourselves then that when we next returned we would be on Riccall and so it is. (Long term planning, wishful thinking or luck?)
We climbed (again) the ‘Beltower’ in the main square (the Markt) and managed to miss the 12 o’clock chimes by 1½ minutes – typical! We heard it all happen as we raced up the precarious spiral stairs! Still, the view from the top is superb and the day was lovely, but we just couldn’t quite see where we were moored.
And then the next day, Steve Earey turned up, out of the blue on his motorbike! “Well” he said, “I hadn’t had the bike out much this year and a trip to Bruges seemed like a good idea!” Mad fool!! Anyway, most welcome and he showed us how to use our Skype phone to access our emails – amazing. Nothing like dogged persistence.
So next stop Ghent where we hope to pick up our ordered “PC Navigo Western Europe” disc -Poste Restante at the Central Post Office. Will this work? Wait for the next thrilling instalment to find out. In the meantime we hope are attached here, if Emily has informed us correctly, some pics of things of interest so far.
Jamie says we need to turn this blog into more of a ‘book’ but frankly, I think the quality of the writing is such that we will be lucky to keep any readers at all beyond the first two or three weeks. Incidentally – it takes Alex 30 mins to write this stuff, and Louise another 20 to edit the drivel and type it up – is it worth it? We need some positive feedback to let us know, otherwise we’ll ditch the whole idea!
Mooring here in Bruges has been difficult. The lovely moorings all along the bank beside the windmills is “mooring verboten” – so we are nestling on some rocks just before the first bridge into Bruges. It’s a good position but we have to keep the stern 2m off the bank with a pole or go aground.
There is a mooring arm at the other end of the city apparently but it costs 20Euros per night and we would rather “perch” here and use the money saved on fuel!
Monday, 16 June 2008
06.06.08 On The Way To Bruges
Having spent the last year putting our affairs in order in Great Britain, and the last month or so concentrating on the trip across the sea, we find ourselves sadly lacking in information about the Belgian waterways! (How could we have overlooked something so crucial?) We forgot to warn Nieuwpoort Lock Control that we were leaving for Plassendale and thus the first lift bridge (not boater operated) took one hour for the lock keeper to arrive and open. After that things were easier, until we reached Plassendale where Bridge Control, it became clear, changed hands. The guys behind the smoked glass in what turned out to be the control tower (BW weep) saw us, but we couldn’t see them. We flailed about for a bit while we tried to sus the scene and a phone call to Nieuwpoort put us straight: we were through immediately. Bit of a steep learning curve this foreign boating! Moorings in the basin were reserved for potted plants, but out on the BIG canal, we spent a couple of quiet nights.
A short bike trip of half an hour or so the following day to find supplies and canal maps, turned into a 5 hour round trip to Ostend - a surprisingly nice place, complete with Scottish bagpipes on the bandstand in one of many lovely squares. The park we rode through on the way back to Plassendale was just lovely - and catered equally for pedestrians and cyclists.
Next stop Bruges.
A short bike trip of half an hour or so the following day to find supplies and canal maps, turned into a 5 hour round trip to Ostend - a surprisingly nice place, complete with Scottish bagpipes on the bandstand in one of many lovely squares. The park we rode through on the way back to Plassendale was just lovely - and catered equally for pedestrians and cyclists.
Next stop Bruges.
11.06.08 Taking It Easy at Nieuwpoort
After the exhaustion of the journey we decided to spend a few quiet days here in Nieuwpoort to catch our breath and try to get our feet back on the ground.
Nieuwpoort has a modern seaside area and a pleasant old town in which there appears to be no graffiti, no yobs and no supermarkets!
The order of precedence here seems to be pedestrians first, bikes second and cars third. This rule is strictly adhered to and makes getting around so easy for us either on bike or foot – cars stop for bikes, which have their own paved areas coloured red! The streets are clean with lovely little pavement cafes in the main square and on every corner. Most of the residents speak a smattering of English (which is infinitely more than our Flemish) and are friendly and helpful.
However, the downside to all this old fashioned courtesy is that they have barely heard of Wi-Fi and there are only two places in the town where internet is available - the library and the Youth Centre. The latter was a real hit, as the guy running it connected our own lap-top to his system and re-jigged the parameters so ours worked! This meant we did not have to grapple with the peculiarities of the Flemish keyboard lay out and alphabet.
We will fuel up in the harbour as it is said to be a good price there and hope to get water further on in our travels. These are the annoying little things that we have to keep on considering and which we don’t need to take account of at home.
Nieuwpoort has a modern seaside area and a pleasant old town in which there appears to be no graffiti, no yobs and no supermarkets!
The order of precedence here seems to be pedestrians first, bikes second and cars third. This rule is strictly adhered to and makes getting around so easy for us either on bike or foot – cars stop for bikes, which have their own paved areas coloured red! The streets are clean with lovely little pavement cafes in the main square and on every corner. Most of the residents speak a smattering of English (which is infinitely more than our Flemish) and are friendly and helpful.
However, the downside to all this old fashioned courtesy is that they have barely heard of Wi-Fi and there are only two places in the town where internet is available - the library and the Youth Centre. The latter was a real hit, as the guy running it connected our own lap-top to his system and re-jigged the parameters so ours worked! This meant we did not have to grapple with the peculiarities of the Flemish keyboard lay out and alphabet.
We will fuel up in the harbour as it is said to be a good price there and hope to get water further on in our travels. These are the annoying little things that we have to keep on considering and which we don’t need to take account of at home.
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
11.06.08 The Crossing
Hi readers! You may be interested to know that we have now finally made it to Belgium. Sorry that we couldn’t let you all know we had set off - but this internet access business is a trial and tribulation!) We set off on Sunday at 8.30 am - into the lock onto the Ouse at Goole - and were at last on our way (extra ½ hr though while they tried to get the gates working!.)
The trip took 46 hours non-stop. We had a brief hiccup with the steering after about 2 hours which was a bit disconcerting, but it sorted itself out. Then at about 11 pm during Louise’s and Mike’s shift (shortly after Alex had gone to bed for his sleep) the gearbox started to heat. Alex fixed the problem by bleeding some excess air out of the oil cooling circuit but within an hour or so the temperature had started to rise again. So for the rest of the journey Alex or Ray bled the cooling system every hour or so. This severely restricted the amount of rest time they could take and at the end of it all they reckoned to have slept for about three hours each. Mind you, on the second day Mike was on from 5 pm to 5 am without a break which is pretty good going by anyone‘s standards..
Needless to say we are all pretty tired!
On the other hand the weather could not have been much better. There was a bit of slop in the water coming down from the north which gave Riccall a distinct roll but the winds were light, the sun shone and it was warm and pleasant. For the few hours that Alex did sleep the rolling motion felt like being rocked to sleep. Not so, says Louise!! who didn’t much enjoy the experience.
All the hard work on preparing Riccall for the trip paid off and even when we were tossed about quite dramatically by the wake of gigantic ships in the Channel, everything in the boat stayed put.
We need a few days in Nieuwpoort to restore the boat to home and for us to recover and then we will be off again, we think to Bruges, but watch this space …!!!
PS It has taken us two days to find internet access to post this blog!!
The trip took 46 hours non-stop. We had a brief hiccup with the steering after about 2 hours which was a bit disconcerting, but it sorted itself out. Then at about 11 pm during Louise’s and Mike’s shift (shortly after Alex had gone to bed for his sleep) the gearbox started to heat. Alex fixed the problem by bleeding some excess air out of the oil cooling circuit but within an hour or so the temperature had started to rise again. So for the rest of the journey Alex or Ray bled the cooling system every hour or so. This severely restricted the amount of rest time they could take and at the end of it all they reckoned to have slept for about three hours each. Mind you, on the second day Mike was on from 5 pm to 5 am without a break which is pretty good going by anyone‘s standards..
Needless to say we are all pretty tired!
On the other hand the weather could not have been much better. There was a bit of slop in the water coming down from the north which gave Riccall a distinct roll but the winds were light, the sun shone and it was warm and pleasant. For the few hours that Alex did sleep the rolling motion felt like being rocked to sleep. Not so, says Louise!! who didn’t much enjoy the experience.
All the hard work on preparing Riccall for the trip paid off and even when we were tossed about quite dramatically by the wake of gigantic ships in the Channel, everything in the boat stayed put.
We need a few days in Nieuwpoort to restore the boat to home and for us to recover and then we will be off again, we think to Bruges, but watch this space …!!!
PS It has taken us two days to find internet access to post this blog!!
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
03.06.08 Sitting at Goole
So we left Methley Bridge Boat club moorings on Sunday in pouring rain. By the time we had gathered all our ropes together, moved the narrow boat and generally got everything ready we were like drowned rats!
Judith and Simon, of DB Noordster, kindly penned us through Bulholme Lock and we were on our way. The rain eventually stopped and we got to Goole in pleasant sunshine.
The window of good weather which looked possible for the end of the week has all but evaporated and we can but sit and wait for the vagaries of the British weather to give us a break! A bit frustrating, but we knew that this was likely.
Judith and Simon, of DB Noordster, kindly penned us through Bulholme Lock and we were on our way. The rain eventually stopped and we got to Goole in pleasant sunshine.
The window of good weather which looked possible for the end of the week has all but evaporated and we can but sit and wait for the vagaries of the British weather to give us a break! A bit frustrating, but we knew that this was likely.
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