Bruges to Deinze

40 kms, 1 lift bridge

At 8.00 this morning a barge arrived at the Moerbrugge bridge, waiting for service. 

Hm, I said to Ian, He’s going to have a long wait. The bridge is closed between 7.30 and 8.30.

Well, replied Ian, We better go through at the same time or we will have to wait an hour before it opens again.

This bridge carries a main road with heavy traffic and will not open for pleasure craft if for an hour after it last opening.  So we made sure we were ready to roll at 8.30.  It was a bit chilly this morning, 8 degs, but really rather beautiful with whisps of mist coiling up from the canal in the low and very bright sunshine. 

Today’s cruise took us along the canal that runs from Ghent to the port of Oostende.  It is, of course, a commercial route although at least half the route close to Brugge (Bruges) is rather attractive: fairly narrow with trees overhanging the water and lots of waterfowl.  But as you get closer to Ghent it becomes less attractive: flat countryside, even a bit bleak with not much interesting vegetation, and quite a lot of industry.  

Major works alongside the canal

Unloading the cargo,in this case rolls of steel tubing

But, as always, we enjoy seeing the big commercial barges which increased in number as we turned onto the “Afleidings canal van de Leie” (or the canal that connects the Leie River to the Ghent-Oostende Canal).  The Leie River is navigable all the way to France and connects to the “Grand Gabarit” canal that goes to Dunkirk.   

"Sagres" - but not a Super Bok in sight (only people who know Portugal will understand this)

Nor sinking, just very heavily laden

We turned off the big canal to the town of Deinze, where we have stayed many times before, one of our favourite stops.