Getting Ready to Cruise

Monday 1st April is the official start of the summer cruising season and we'll be leaving our winter mooring in Bruges to head east.

But first, Taddy needs to get ship-shape.  We spent Friday cleaning her after a winter getting mucky.  It's been a mild winter and that encouraged the green stuff.  A few hours with a pressure washer and a hard working Barge Woman soon had Taddy looking her best again.

Saturday was time to make sure everything works.  A run over the engine and the other bits of equipment made sure we can go forward, backwards and sideways in as controlled a fashion as the helmsman can manage.  We also dug out the summer ropes and fenders which were kept nice and clean over winter.  Then we've rigged the flags: red ensign on the back with EU flag as well (bit of a statement there), Belgian courtesy flag on the mast and the Barge Association pennant so we look like we belong.

Friday evening was spent with the route planning software.  We're heading south across Belgium and then turning left up to Brussels.  Then south again in a sort of giant figure-of-eight before we enter France in May.  Up the River Meuse (fingers crossed for there being enough water) and then right down the River Marne and on to Paris.  Not entirely sure after that but basically north back to Bruges for October.  That's about 1600 km in all and LOADS of locks.  We won't be rushing.

The electricity meter has been read and we're ready to go - in convoy with 2 other boats out of Bruges on Monday morning.  That will annoy the commuters as the bridges are opened!

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