26th March Knokkebrug to Bergues

 

51 km, 3 locks, 10 lift bridges, 7.5 engine hours

We intended leaving the mooring at 9.00 but at that time we were hemmed in by thick fog.

So we waited.  Ian went to chat to 2 guys working on the bridge, they were testing all the bridges along the Lo Canal and Ieper-Ijzer Canal and assured us they were all in good order.

By 9.40 the fog was slightly less dense, I called the lock keeper at Fintele and he arrived about 20 mins later to open the bridge for us.  By 10.05 we were under way.  The temperature was 5.8C, and no wind.

Knokkbrug opens to allow us through

Gradually the fog lifted, replaced by cloudy skies.

A view across the fields.  On the right is a farming mending a fence.

Entering the Fintele Lock

Doing my thing on the bow

The narrow Lo Canal

At 13.15, as we were waiting for the lock in Veurne to open, 

we discussed whether we should stop at the marina in Veurne as planned or continue to Bergues, 30 kms away.  By then it had warmed up considerably and turned into a very pleasant day.  Tomorrow is forecast is to be cold, rainy and windy all day and I was not looking forward to a 5 hour slog in those conditions.  So we decided to continue.

Look at that blue sky - can't believe it is the same day

And look - buds and blossoms

We crossed the border into France at 14.30

Looking back, a sign announcing your entry into Flanders,
but nothing to say you are entering France

called the bridge keeper at the first lift bridge and he duly arrived to check our papers (i.e make sure we had bought a vignette for the French waterways). 

And then we got to the Furnes Lock in Dunkirk.  “Pull the little chain to operate the lock” said the instructions. 

The “little  chain “was hanging about 6 inches from the wall so I stood on the bow and Ian inched up to it.  I pulled it, nothing happened.  We repeated the process, still nothing happened.  So I called the VHF channel indicated for “emergencies” and the operator told me there was a problem and the technicians were on their way.  We tied up at the pontoon and waited.  Ian took a walk to the lock and saw that the far lock gates were not closed properly with rubbish trapped between them.  The techies took about 40 minutes to arrive, opened the far gates, released the rubbish, closed them again and 2 red lights appeared – which means the lock is out of service.  Oh no, now what!  They messed around at an electrical box and eventually waved us into the lock, red lights notwithstanding.

Dunkirk

As we rounded the corner to the small Port de Plaisance at Bergues, we saw 2 huge barges taking up the whole dock.  Drat.  We have tied up alongside a British registered barge.  The owners are Australian, very friendly and opened up the electricity box so we could hook up.  You have to get the key from the Tourism office but it closes at 18.00 and by the time we arrived it was already 18.30.  Tomorrow we will present ourselves at the office and pay our dues.  It costs €7.50 per day including water and electricity, and you have to leave a €40 deposit for the key, which you get back when you return the key.

Approaching Bergues with its ancient walls

Two large barges on a small quay