A Perfect First Day
Monday 1st April and we're off. We're up bright and early to get ready and say goodbye to the friends we've made in Bruges; Andy and Felix the harbour masters, and Luc the trip boat owner.
Bruges is a busy city and we need several bridges lifted as we leave town. That means we're asked to leave in convoy: 3 from our harbour and another 3 from the one just up the canal. And there's a big commercial barge coming through as well. There's plenty of people watching to make sure we haven't forgotten how to drive over winter . . .
We head east through a total of 5 lifting bridges where our convoy stops traffic for 10 minutes. We're last and feel most guilty but the natives still seem happy to wave. 5 out of the 6 boat convoy are British and nobody shakes a fist (although we have been assured we're the laughing stock of Europe).
On down the boringly-named Gent to Oostend Canal where spring is in the air. We see our first dabchicks (baby grebes).
The convoy breaks up before Gent and we moor at Schipdonk on a lock mooring where the nice lock keeper says "no problem!". It's quiet and far from town but the regular large commercial barges chuck us about. Time to get those mooring lines just right!
A lazy afternoon walking the dog and then suddenly, it's beer o'clock. Life doesn't get much better than this!
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