Cruising at last - Day 1

Diksmuide to Knokkebrug

Finally – we have started our cruise.  The weather is still not great.  We woke up to the rain pouring down but the wind had dropped somewhat and the forecast said the rain would clear later.   We needed some things from the shop but didn’t want to take the bicycles off the boat so I went by foot (it’s only about 500m away) and carried home the lighter essentials (bread, milk, cold meats and veggies) while Ian filled the water tanks,  then he went to get the heavier essentials (box of wine, bottle of rum and 2l bottle of coke).  The havenmeester came to read our electricity metre and we were on our way.  We stopped briefly at Buitenbeentje to pick up some epoxy paint, rollers and brushes (for painting the deck when the weather is warmer).

A crane (or a heron; crane I think) – the first one we have seen this year.

Rather forbidding weather, squalls all around us (at 1.30 when we tied up the temperature was just 7.6C)

We have noticed an interesting pattern with the cormorants.  They fly alongside the boat 

drop onto the water just ahead

then dive under as we draw level and surface about 2 or 3 boat lengths behind the boat.  We presume the passage of the boat disturbs the fish.  Who knew cormorants were so clever as to use boats as a tool to catch fish!

The sun came out and smiled on us as we approached Knokkebrug.

Not long after tying up we had a squall of hail.  Good timing.

The river is running very strongly after days of rain.  Here is Njord, tied to the pontoon, with a bow wave.

Turbulence in the stream running through the bridge.

In his wanderings Ian found his swan friend from last week, sitting on a nest.

This house lies on the Ieper Canal with no direct access from the road.  

Instead they have a hand cranked ferry 

And a rather quirky letter box

Later I went for a walk; there was a car parked in the road opposite the house and the ferry was on the other side. 

Here she is – our lovely little home.

 We both like this pic