Oudenburg to Moerbruggebrug

30 km, 2 locks, 13 mobile bridges, 5 hours

We left the mooring at Oudenburg at 9.00 this morning, under heavy clouds and drizzly rain. Fortunately the drizzle didn’t last long but there was a rather chilly breeze which brought out the woolly mits, beanies and scarves.  Today we only travelled 30 kms but it took 5 hours with a  plethora of mobile bridges (13 in all) and 2 locks.

First mobile bridge at Plassendale lock

We were delayed in the lock while the lockkeeper cleared some rubbish from behind the gates

The Ghent-Oostende Canal

Stalhille bridge

Nieuwege bridge

The outskirts of Bruges, lots of permanent moorings

 We stopped at Scheepsdalebrug on the outskirts of Bruges because there is a shopping complex just 3 blocks away with large chain stores such as Lidl, Aldi, Gamma, Hema, Zeeman, etc.  A few days ago Ian ripped a 20cm long slash across the front of his jacket and we have been looking for a new one since then.  We thought this complex would be the most likely place.  We also wanted to stock up on some of our favourite Belgian groceries before heading into France at the weekend. We didn’t find a jacket (wrong season!) but Ian did find engine oil at a really good price so we now have enough for the next two oil changes. With 10 litres of oil to carry we had to leave behind the boxes of wine; after unloading all our purchases on the boat I walked back to Lidl – to find it was closed.  Don’t know why, there was a scribbled note stuck to the door which I didn’t understand.  Hmmmph!

At 2.15 I called Kruispoortcentrale which controls all the nautical traffic around Bruges.  Between Shceepsdalebrug and Katelijnpoortbrug on the other side of Bruges there are 8 mobile bridges and a lock to negotiate and these are strictly controlled.  Normally pleasure boats go through in a convoy at a specific time (2.30 from Scheepsdalebrug) but today we were the only pleasure craft in transit so the controller opened the bridge straight away but said we may have to wait at some of the bridges for commercial traffic.

Scheepscale bridge - closed

and open

Krakele bridge

Waiting at Warande bridge

As we approached the third bridge, Warandebrug, the lights changed from red to red/green, we heard the warning bell ring, the booms to stop the traffic came down  - and nothing happened.  Then the lights changed back to red only, the booms opened, traffic started moving across the bridge again and we were left wondering what was going on.  20 minutes later we finally got through the bridge.  We presumed it had to do with a commercial barge and all was explained at the next bridge which opens into the lock – 2 huge commercial barges exited and slid passed allowing us to enter the lock.

Bridge before Dammepoort Lock

Bridge at the exit of Dammepoort Lock with a commercial waiting to enter

De Nieuw Papegaai Windmill

SintJanshuis windmill

Bonne Chere windmill

Kruispoort bridge and old city gates

Bluebells in the park alongside the canal

Gentpoort bridge and city gates

A very fancy mobile home!

Last bridge of the day - Steenbrugge bridge

By 4.45 we arrived at our destination, a long quay at Moerbruggebrug, half reserved for commercials and the rest for pleasure craft.  We tied up close to the division between the two, got the wifi working, marginally, and thought we were settled down for the night but 2 hours later a huge commercial loomed up behind us and edged closer and closer.  It was heading for the piece of quay right in front of us and when the huge slab of steel was sliding less than a metre by us Ian decided the best idea was to move astern and give him more room to manoeuvre.  So we moved about 20m back, and suddenly got a really strong wifi signal!

Tomorrow will be another longish day, 40 something kms, just 2 bridges and no locks.  Early night tonight!