Cruising with the Carters: Oudenburg to Moerbruggebrug

2 locks, 7 mobile bridges

After a work day yesterday, more cleaning for me, Ian finished installing the rev counter, and a shower of rain in the late afternoon, we left the mooring at Oudenburg at 9.00 this morning. I called the bridge/lock at Plassendale by phone as we approached, got no answer, but straight away the bridge started to prepare with the bells ringing to warn cars, booms going down, bridge went up, lock opened and in we went. Then we waited, and waited…..

Finally, about 15 minutes later, the second set of bridge/lock gates were made ready. We were the only boat passing through and didn’t bother to tie up inside the huge lock so thought that might have caused the delay, but eventually we realised that, in fact, there is a 10cm difference in water level and the lock was actually filling with water while we waited!

At the next bridge, the wonderful Stilhallebrug, I called by phone again - and again got no answer but the bridge was prepared to let us through

same story at the next bridge, Nieuwegebrug. Well, we were surprised, and a bit disappointed, because we have always found the Belgians so polite and friendly. But more of that later.

We stopped at the Scheepsdalebrug, even more wonderful than Stalhillebrug, to do some shopping for milk and a 12 volt mini-compressor to pump up the bike tyres and fenders (on special at Lidl, a meer 500m walk). There is a small public dock there and there were already 2 boats tied to it, one right at one end and the other right in the middle of the remaining space, leaving a tiny, awkward and difficult spot for us to wriggle into. We managed that OK then discovered that the daft skipper had not only taken up the middle of the available space but had also managed to mess up the available cleats, leaving one unused at the very end and taking up another 2 that left nothing for us – so we tied to the railings along the side of the dock. Then we discovered that the cleat amidships of our boat that the oddball boat was tied to was loose. After we got back from shopping, the bridge opened and 2 barges came through. One of them was moving very fast, creating an enormous wash. Downstairs, preparing lunch, I felt the boat lurch around dramatically and rushed onto the deck – the loose cleat was now at a 90 degree angle to the dock and had a suspicious scraping of white paint on the point! Yes, it had gouged a chunk out of our hull, through the blue stripe as well as the white, right through to bare metal. Uurrghhh! Another thing to add to the “to do” list – it gets longer, not shorter!

Being the only peasure boat waiting just before 14.00 (the time that the bridge opens for the convoy of pleasure craft to pass through the canal around Bruges which includes 5 lift bridges and a lock) I called the central office which replied, spoke over me, and cut off. After 3 attempts Ian gave it a go but listened to what was being said instead of speaking and said they can’t hear us: the phone was on mute! No idea why and being a new phone, no idea how to fix it! So I resorted to the VHF radio, which I can speak into just fine but with hearing problems cannot understand what they say in return hence the preferred use of the phone.

At last, they prepared the bridge for us (I love this bridge which lifts a whole section of the road plus cycle path)

Scheepsdalebrug closed for river traffic

and open as we pass underneath the elevated road

and through we went, and the next bridge (Krakelebrug). Between Krakelebrug and Warandebrug we passed the junction with the Boudewijn Canal and noticed there was a big barge waiting to come into our section of the canal. Sure enough the next bridge, Warandebrug, did not prepare to open until the huge 70m long Noordelicht was in line behind us.

The Noordelicht entering the Doortocht around Bruges

Well, from there on we went through the Dammepoort lock, Kruispoort bridges, Gentpoort, Katelijnpoort and Steenbruggebrug in double quick time. We had to up the revs to 2200 to keep up with the barge, doing over 10 kms/hr (in a 5km/hr zone) and arrived at our destination, Moerbrugge, before 16.00. Whew, a bit of a whirl and not much time to appreciate the magnificent scenery. Fortunately we have passed this way many times before and I knew what to look out for