After long and hard preparation of the boat, and stocking up with stores, we left our home port on June 30th, on a warm calm evening. By 0400 the next morning we had the Galloper buoy abeam, and the wind had risen to force 6 NEly, that is right on our beam, quite unlike the forecast! It became very uncomfortable so we altered course and instead of arriving in Ostend we found ourselves in Ramsgate. Fortunately after a couple of days the weather set fair and we were able to cross to Nieuwpoort in Belgium. Next day we started our cruise proper travelling along the canal de Passendale to Bruges. After first lowering our mast, to get under the bridges.
Alongside Bruges Kruis Poort Bruges Old canal Bruges Town Square Bruges
Our course was roughly S and E and after a quiet night moored in the beautiful river Leie,we refuelled in Gent and made our way to Brussels. The weather was very hot and we had a sweaty day searching for an inverter as ours had burned out, and we needed it to recharge the video camera, shaver etc.
Grand Place Brussels River Leie nr Gent
We then headed south to ride on the largest inclined plane in the world, situated at Ronquieres, on the Canal to Charleroi. It is 1.43km long, rises 70m, the chambers of which there are two weigh 5500 tons and can carry 1350 tons of shipping. Each "Bac" rides on 236 wheels and is 91m long and 12 m wide. It was started in 1962 and completed in 1968. It replaces a staircase of some 30 locks and a tunnel! Quite a ride it takes about 20 minutes, and was the main reason for us taking this route towards the Rhine.
The 5500 ton "Bac" or rolling lock Guillotine gates The Counterweight
The view from the top
Our route now took us through Charleroi, which was very industrial and emerged with a very black boat, to join the upper river Meuse. We stopped in Namur, a pleasant town where we saw two English narrowboats, and then headed S towards Dinant. The Meuse and Eastern Belgium were a pleasant surprise, the scenery is hilly with rock outcrops, and beautiful houses.
Namur The Surprisingly beautiful Meuse Dinant
In Dinant we had a ride on a cable car up to the Citadel, the view from the top was breathtaking! Going ever southward we crossed the border into France.
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