Today's cruise took us west along the Plassendale-Nieuwpoort canal, inland of what was once the 'Ter Streep' sandbank, of which Oostende formed the eastern extremity. A series of lifting bridges were operated by a mobile bridge keeper whose erratic behaviour veered from inexplicable delays to opening the bridge before we'd even arrived. Our route to Veurne took us through the sea-locks at Nieuwpoort which operate three hours either side of high water, and by happy coincidence we had arrived bang on high water. Even so, we needed the phone numbers in our Flanders waterways guide in order to contact the lock-keepers who seemd rather reluctant to keep a look out for customers.

A further delay in Nieuwpoort's tidal basin gave us time to admire the memorial to Albert I, chief of the Belgian Army at the time of the Great War and instigator of the successful plan to hold back the advancing Germans by flooding the polders - achieved by opening the lock gates at high water.

We also had time to dismantle our canopy in readiness for the 5 metre bridges on the Nieuwpoort-Dunkirk canal which at least meant an unhindered passage as far as Veurne. Here the advertised 4.7 metre railbridge was only 4.7 metres in the open position, which we achieved using the reporting telephone provided. Similarly the main town bridge, advertised as 5 metres, was preceded by a lift bridge which we eventually persuaded the harbour master to open. The Nieuwpoortsluis provided our final obstacle, as although it stands open, it features an unmarked swinging bridge which must be operated by hand. The arrival of the harbour master to operate the bridge gave him chance to allocate us a berth in the well-equipped and again, free, yachthaven where we made use of our 32A power lead to plug into the over-specified electricity sockets.

After an afternoon spent enjoying cafe society and Belgian waffles in Veurne's traditional market square, we had allocated the next day to make the 50 minute bus journey to Ieper (Ypres) to learn more about the town's involvement in the Great War. The award-winning In Flanders Fields museum in the old Lakenhallen is a multi-media presentation of Ieper before, during and after the conflict which gaves a very graphic insight into what life was like. With 137 cemeteries in the surrounding countryside you are never far from a reminder of that turbulent time, and we made a pilgrimage to the Ramparts cemetery before enjoying the more peaceful view from the ramparts walk.

One of the city gates, the Meninpoort was rebuilt after the war as a monument to the 100,000 combatants with no known grave and 55,000 are named on the gate. The Last Post has been sounded daily since 1928, except during the German occupation in the Second World War, as a tribute to those lost.

Cruising Statistics

Distance: 16 nm

Total to date: 1560 nm

Avg Speed: 4.5 knots

Duration: 5:15 hours

Diesel: 18 litres

Mooring: Free

Electricity: €2.50/10kWh (32A)

Water: None

Locks

Graven

Veurne

Nieuwpoort (open)

Bridges

Zandvoorde (lift)
Gistel (lift)
Snaaskerke foot (6.5m)
Snaaskerke (5.25m)
Leffinge (lift)
Slijpe (lift)
Rattevalle (lift)
Gravensas (lift)
Veurnesas (lift)
Oude spoorweg (5m)
Pelikaan (5m)
Zelte (8m)
Wulpen foot (5m)
Nieuwe Wulpen (9m)
Foot (5m)
Spoorweg (4.7m open)
Nieuwpoort (lift)
Nieuwpoort foot (5m)
Nieuwpoortsluis (swing)

Charts

Toeristische Vaargids West & Oost Vlaanderen

Navicarte 23

Geocart 1 & 4