First Excursion

After several days of cleaning and reading manuals, we decided it would be time for a first excursion.
We planned a short trip from Nieuwpoort to Veurne and back, 25 km along the Kanaal Nieuwpoort-Duinkerke, a quiet little canal. Since the lock in Nieuwpoort is only operated 3.5 hours before and after high tide, we had to be in the lock at 9 in the morning latest and planned to go back in the late afternoon. So, plenty of time to visit Veurne and buy the obligatory vignette for Flanders. If only there hadn't been the Wulpen bridge... This bridge has to be self-operated, and we got the badge for the bridge in the lock. 

Sightseeing in Wulpen

After some searching we found the panel to operate the bridge, and opened it. A nice Belgian helped us, and we crossed the bridge. So it was now our turn to close the bridge again. But we only saw alarm lights saying "Waterway not free". The waterway was as free as it could be, but the detectors of the bridge did not agree with us. So we had to call for help. Meanwhile, of course, a crowd of pedestrians and bikers crowded on both sides of the bridge and we tried to explain what happened. We felt that we should be polite and wait with the pedestrians and bikers.
After a long while somebody came, used keys, opened boxes, pressed buttons, went here and there, called into his mobile, but still the detectors found something on the waterway. Finally, he managed to close the bridge, and had to open the gates by hand. After a big applause the pedestrians and bikers crossed the bridge, and as a test, he opened the bridge again. And, what should I say - the detectors still found something on the waterway. In the next minutes they could find something, namely us, because we found that, after almost 3 hours, we had waited long enough. We continued our trip to Veurne, but planned to lower the canopy on the way back so that we could pass under the bridge.

Wulpen bridge - closed

Close to Veurne, a railway bridge blocked our passage.  We used the VHF radio, but nothing happened. We could have lowered the canopy, but for whatever reason a lot of water was coming down from the bridge and we definitely did not want to shower under the bridge. So we decided to moor at the jetty which was normally only for boats waiting for the bridge, and go for a short visit to Veurne and to the lock in Veurne, where we wanted to buy the vignette.

The railway bridge which blocked our passage

Fiona moored at the jetty of the railway bridge

Waiting for the vignette

We were not aware that the lock keeper wanted to see the boat documents, so he sent us back and asked us to come back with the boat and the documents. He promised to organize that the bridge would be opened for us - but again, no response on the VHF radio. In the end, we called the lock in Nieuwpoort and asked for help, and immediately the bridge opened...
After some paperwork we received the vignette, payed 40 € and could go for a short visit and some food shopping to Veurne, a charming little town with a beautiful market place.

A school in Veurne

The central Market Place in Veurne

Our way back through the railway bridge was not easier, but after waiting for almost half an hour, we knew the trick and called again the lock in Nieuwpoort, and they organized again that the bridge was opened. All in all, it took us 9 hours for 12 km and the vignette, but luckily our way back to Nieuwpoort was much faster. We are curious if the rest of our 300 km tour back to Roermond will be as fast as the tour to Veurne!