In the last two weeks, we’ve had a few adjustments to make owing to Zoe’s illness and its aftermath. Given that she now has to wear the dreaded cone to prevent her scratching the wound from her throat drain, I’ve had to devote more time to her and less to the jobs on my ever increasing to-do list.
So, it was an extra pleasure to spend time onboard the Vereeniging the last few days and to wake up in the harbour to the rumble of great sea ships going past.
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| Happy in her new home |
For me, this is one of the greatest advantages of our new mooring. Being on the sea canal from Terneuzen to Gent (Ghent) means we are constantly entertained by the passing traffic. Looking out of the Vereeniging’s window and seeing huge cargo and container ships gliding past is a never-ending delight, especially late at night when the almost festive array of onboard lights signal their passing. I also love it when they’re being guided by the huge, muscular tugboats that are for hire at Terneuzen.
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| Huge cargo carriers |
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| Two muscular tugs at the bow |
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| Another tug at the stern |
But one of our favourite sights is the DFDS ships. These massive container carriers ply a regular route between Gent and Scandinavia in their distinctive, boxy, blue and white ships. They seem to fill the canal with their curiously space-age appearance and we can hear them coming for miles. The deep grumble of their engines is instantly recognisable and has us popping up from below like moles from our hole. To see one is to stop and stare at their ugly magnificence.
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| DFDS ply a regular route and can be seen daily on the canal |
These photos weren’t taken from the Vereeniging; we often walk along the canal and watch the ships, so they give an idea of the kind of traffic we see at any hour during the day. It’s better than TV and the kind of eye candy I can feast on all the time.
Having my Vereeniging in Sas is probably the best kind of weekend/holiday cottage we could wish for. We don’t have far to go; we have space around us for walks and relaxation; and we have a continuous procession of awe-inspiring ships to gaze at. Life can’t be all that bad, can it?
Here’s Zoe looking sorry for herself in her cone. Actually, she’s quite used to it now and objected strongly to the softer comfy cone I bought her. She seems to prefer whacking her way through life in the the hard plastic one the vet gave me. There’s no accounting…
Enjoy the rest of your week allemaal. It’s been a fine but windy one here so far but we’re battening down the hatches for a stormy few days to come.