boating in Belgium – goodshipcalliope

High-rise Living in Diksmuide

Calliope’s lift-out for hull cleaning and repainting. July 10th to 22nd 2024 Boats like Calliope should have their hulls repainted with good black ‘stuff’ as part of regular maintenance. We were 6 months away from her 10th birthday, and thought she should be treated her to her new bottom early. Over the past 9 weeksContinue reading “High-rise Living in Diksmuide”

Crossing Belgium SW to NE Part 2

Gent to Diksmuide July 1st to 10th 2024 Gent, on the Scheldt This was one of several special family weeks during 2024. Calliope had to be in Diksmuide, North Belgium, on July 10th to be lifted out for her quinquennial (5-yearly) hull clean and re-paint. We had been travelling up from Saint-Jean-de-Losne in France forContinue reading “Crossing Belgium SW to NE Part 2”

A winter visit

6th – 10th December 2021 We had kept enough off our Schengen 90 days to visit Calliope at least once during the winter, and despite Covid rules both sides of the chan new requiring several tests each we decided to go. So with the ‘leaving UK’ PCR test accomplished and negative results received we wereContinue reading “A winter visit”

Calliope check – two winter trips to Kortrijk

The December Trip – shopping During the 5 month winter season we made two trips out to check on Calliope – and to enjoy the city of Kortrijk too. The first trip was in December. We had thoughts of enjoying a Christmas Market and buying some unusual presents for all and sundry – that bitContinue reading “Calliope check – two winter trips to Kortrijk”

Next stage of the Belgian odyssey – Nieuwpoort, Diksmuide and Ypres

8 September to 21 September 2019 The eighth of September dawned brightly, if a bit chilly – then turned black as clouds rolled in. Autumn is suddenly upon us. It is only two weeks since the temperature was in the thirties and I was off swimming with the family. Looking at the sky I wasn’tContinue reading “Next stage of the Belgian odyssey – Nieuwpoort, Diksmuide and Ypres”

The Upper Lys, Leie and Mitoeyenne

15 – 24 August 2019 We returned to the boat in Kortrijk on August 13th, full of fatigue after a week of long road trips and an excellent South of France party weekend. There was 10 days to fill until our next family visitors arrived in Kortrijk so we set out for a short andContinue reading “The Upper Lys, Leie and Mitoeyenne”