Our final day on the Belgian waterways would take us across the border into France and out of the canal system into tidal waters. We were presented with a range of challenges, not least of which that it was Belgian National Day and so the locks and bridges would only begin operating at 10am. We also had to fathom out how to buy a VNF license when the first available office was at Dunkerque, navigate some pretty low bridges and then find our way through the labyrinthine docks of Dunkerque's east port. We made a prompt start and were on the phone to the Ieper bridge operator at 10.01 who was a little surprised to be roused so early. He obliged by opening the bridge after only a short delay and we were relieved to find this was the last of the Belgian opening bridges. Round the next bend we had to drop the radar arch for a 4.7 metre bridge and from here it was plain sailing to the border.

The two lifting bridges on the French section are operated by a mobile bridge keeper and we were instructed by the guides to give an hour's notice of our arrival at the first bridge. The young girl who was on duty answered the radio promptly and we were confident we had arranged a rendezvous an hour hence. Sure enough we were greeted at the Ghyvelde bridge and she even explained that we could buy our VNF license on arrival in Dunkerque, with the benefit of a triplicate form which she would give us. Our only remaining concern on this stretch was a series of fixed bridges which at 3.8 metres did not unduly tax our air draught. On arrival in Dunkerque the Furnes lock operates automatically and, after a short delay, sensed our arrival - we found the dangling yellow control box exactly where our CA guide had predicted. The VNF office is conveniently situated on the Canal de Bourbourg with its own moorings and remote gate entry. We even found an obliging receptionist still on duty at lunch time and paid our €33,80 for the one day license. Entry to the dock complex is through the Darse 1 lock which we eventually activated via VHF to Dunkerque VTS and from there we had a seamless passage through the Mole 2 bridge and Trystram lock to find ourselves in tidal waters in the Port du Grand Large.

As we planned to leave the next day, we made a lightening visit to the Memorial du Souvenir, a museum commemorating the 1940 Operation Dynamo, when 350,000 British and French troops were evacuated by 1300 navy and civilian vessels, including the famous Dunkirk Little Ships. Opened in June 2000, the museum is housed near the port in the casemates of a former defence bastion, used in 1939 as the Headquarters of the French Army.

Cruising Statistics

Distance: 14 nm

Total to date: 1574 nm

Avg Speed: 4.5 knots

Duration: 5 hours

Diesel: 18 litres

Mooring: €25

Electricity: Included

Water: Included

Locks

Furne

Darse 1

Trystram

Bridges

Ieper (swing)
Duinkerke (4.7m)
N8 (8m)
Adinkerke (5.5m)
Ghyvelde road (lift)
Ghyvelde pipe (3.5m)
D947 (8m)
Zuydcoote (lift)
Usine des Dunes (8m)
Leffrinckoucke (4m)
Chapeau Rouge (4m)
Rosendael SNCF (3.8m)
Maraichers (4m)
Pont Neuf pipe (4.5m)
Pont Neuf (3.8m)
Penetrante Est (4.0)
Corderies foot (4.5m)
Dunkirk road (4m)
Dunkirik road (4m)
Dunkirk road (3.8m)
Dunkirk road (3.8m)
Dunkirk foot (4m)
Dunkirk road (4.5m)
Dunkirk road (4.5m)
Dunkirk road (7m)
Dunkirk rail (4.2m)
Bourbourg road (twice) (4.5m)
Dunkirk road (5m)
Darse 1 rail (5m)
Darse 1 road (5m)
Mole 2 (swing)
Trystram (lift)

Charts

Toeristische Vaargids West & Oost Vlaanderen

Navicarte 14