For the next four days we join in with what is regarded as the very best maritime festival in Europe at Ostende.
Boats who attend are treated very well, wined and dined and entertained in return for letting the public have a look at your boat.
We are the only narrowboat here among 200 trad., sailing boats and would attract a lot of attention but, luckily for our sanity, we are six boats away from the pontoon and can hardly be seen.
On the last morning, all crews are treated to a sea voyage on a tall ship with breakfast on board. Skipper gets the chance to climb out through the netting on the bowsprit while first mate just enjoys the views of the other ships joining us out at sea.
Hello, I saw your ship in Oostende last Sunday. I was very intrigated so I did some search. I was sure to have see it in the past. Reading your blog, I found: you were in Luik/Liege (my city) in September 2008. At that time I was already intrigated by Snail.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the history of this ship? I wan to know all :O)
Hi guys, I've just read your entire blog from start to finish, and really really enjoyed it. I found it via Saltysplash who saw you at Oostende, and whose blog I also follow. I live on a barge in Rotterdam in the Oude Haven, currently with my partner, as my daughter and husband have taken over my own barge for a while (no money to buy a house or rent a flat, so mum gets to play mum again). Unfortunately I still have to work for a while before I can cut loose and go wandering, but I dream of doing the journeys you've done in the Snail. We've been to nearly all the places you mention on shorter trips, but to go continuous cruising for several months would be great. I wish I'd known about the Oostende festival. We'd have loved to come. If you make it to Rotterdam, come and visit the historic harbour here in the Oude Haven and look us up! Our barges are called Luxor and Vereeniging.
ReplyDeleteHi you two. Ostende sounds wonderful. I'm really sorry we weren't able to make it to Bruges. Istanbul was great though.
ReplyDeleteSounds as though you have some admirers for the boat. Well deserved. What's next?
V xx
We spent the night from 12th to 13th June 2009 in Bergues, very North of France, but before in the early evening took a long walk all around the little town . leaving the "inner circle" of the town we found a very long, very narrow, nicely decorated strange boat, seemed to be a former kind of submarine and "welcome to the Land of Shtis". We had a small talk to the crew, chilling in the evening sun - but had already taken a photograph of the unknown swimming object. We found out that it was a narrow canal boat coming from GB and that it's even possible to transport a motorbike. And ... that it's not impossible, eaven almost easy to get that bike on and off board. Back home I looked through our fotos and - by surfing on the internet found the wandering snail and even this site. would like to send our foto and if your're interested I give you my email address: hoffmannfive@googlemail.com
ReplyDeletewish you a very sunny journey for the time you're on your way and found it nice to see a little of the way you've made. best wishes elke
Thanks for these! What stamina to read from top to toe!! Will email Elke and Klaus and ofcourse look up VallyP in R'dam altho' that probably won't be until next year.
ReplyDeleteLuc,it's a newish boat we had made in 2003 but fitted out ourselves.