Cruising with the Carters: Thursday 31st March Veurne, Belgium to Bergues, France

Photos added later. Don't forget to click on them to make them larger.

I forgot to say yesterday that a young man came to take our lines as we tied up and asked “Haven’t you been to Ieper?”

“Yes”, we replied, “last year”.

“I remember you”, he said, “I am the lock keeper on the canal”.

“Nico”, I said, as I recognised him. How amazing that he remembered us, he must see hundreds of boats every year. His wife is now the harbourmaster in Veurne.

We had arranged with the bridge keeper to be at the bridge at 9.00 this morning so we left the mooring at 8.50 and as we approached the bridge it started opening. He was early.

We ambled slowly along the Canal de Furnes. At Adinkerke, the closest Belgian town to the French border, the street along the canal consists of a long line of shops selling booze and tobacco and petrol stations; lower taxes in Belgium?

At the border, well we didn’t even know we were at the border because there was no mention about entering France, but as we looked back going the other way you will see a big Welcome to Flanders sign.

Interesting to note, there was a road block on the road alongside the canal and every car was being inspected. Nothing on the canal .

Not long after we crossed the border we started seeing lots of rubbish alongside the canal – you do not see that in the Netherlands and Belgium!

At the first lift bridge in France you have to show your papers. We stopped at the pontoon and went to the office but it is not manned all the time, especially at this time of year. I called the number on the door, in my best school French from 40 odd years ago, and understand the “monsieur” to say he would be there at 13.30. It was only 10.30 - oh well, put the kettle on, find a good book, settle down and wait. 5 minutes later the phone rang and the nice “monsieur” asked if we were already at the bridge. Yes. Oh, he said, “j’arrive en trente minutes” (or something like that) = I arrive in 30minutes. 25 minutes later he was there. He was very nice, polite, and patient with my French. He checked our British SSR registration and asked if we had a vignette (the French waterways’ licence, which we had bought on line before we left home). And asked if we were only 2 people on board. He didn’t check for hidden terrorists - or illegal immigrants.

He also opened the next lift bridge for us – long before we got there. We are beginning to see some swelling buds and tiny green leaves appearing.

We asked him about the Furnes lock, which is automatic – what do we do. He explained that as you approach the lock you pass sensors that trigger the process: the lock gates will open and we must enter. Once inside we just press the button and the process will be completed. Seemed simple enough, should have been simple enough.

The sensors picked us up, the gates opened. Where’s the button? Couldn’t see it. Saw a box at the top of a ladder so I climbed up and pressed the green button. Nothing. OK, so now what? There was a set of traffic lights aiming down into the lock and while trying to see what that was all about Ian noticed that there was a recess in the wall next to the lights – What’s that, he asked? Aha, blinding bloody obvious! There it was, a push button control hanging down.

Problem was we had stopped too far back; it is hidden in the recessed groove in the wall so you need to go right up to the lights. There is also a plaque with instructions, not very big, and very faded. A lick of red paint would help!

Just after the lock we passed under a bridge with a bit of hardware hanging down – and not easy to see as you approach the bridge, we would have hit it if Ian hadn’t swerved at the last moment.

The town of Bergues (or Buggers as Ian calls it!) is charming. It is an ancient town behind huge fortified walls. The canal was built in the 11th century and the town walls in the 13th century. The mooring is outside the wall – and no wi-fi signals penetrate that wall! We went into town to buy a Sim card for phone and internet. Got one from the Free network but it seems it will take a few hours to activate.