Farewell shipmate

 Paul Antrobus, a long time shipmate, has sailed away. Paul was the 'first mate' aboard the classic ocean  racing yacht, Evenlode, when I joined the crew as a young novice deckhand. The memory of his firm and steadying hand on my shoulder during one scarey and stormy night at sea has remained with me. 

Paul Antrobus 1943-2025

 A commradeship founded at sea has survived since then. In more recent years, Paul and I teamed up to write and publish the book 'Swatchway Magic' which celebrated our old sailing haunts of East Anglia. This was a theraputic and nostalgic time for both of us. Paul was well respected among the old guard of the British yachting community, many of whom rolled up for his funeral. Annie and I traveled by Eurostar to be there.

After the event and while in London we also took time out for a walkabout. Did you know that there is still a public cobbled landing below tower bridge?

The boatman's landing 

in the shadow of Tower Bridge

  

I once fed pigeons here in Trafalgar Square. 

Years ago, vendors in the square could sell bags of seeds.

 

Back aboard 'Antiope', the Strepy lift looms over the landscape at dawn.

Once back aboard Antiope, my task has been to set up our own AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponder. It has been on the Antiope agenda for a year or two now. Having such a unit operating is likely to soon become mandatory for all vessels using the commercial inland waters of Europe. An AIS provides the ability to see and be seen by other craft on a charting screen. We can also now be be tracked on various phone Apps such as 'Marine Traffic' by searching for 'Antiope'.  

The Cathedral at Tournai was built in the 12th century.

It is slowly emerging from its shroud of grime. 

We have been here before! 

The 'old' three arched bridge in Tournai back in 2012.

The 'new' bridge,

 rebuilt to accomodate the barges of today.

I have a fascination for the history of the waterways, and cannot resist exploring the derelict and forgotten navigation highways. In a previous post I have mentioned Napoleon's decree to build an East- West waterway from the Scheldt to the Meuse. The legacy of that plan exists in the form of the Canal du Center that now carries many thousands of cargo tons daily up over the high lands of Belgium. Remnants of the original narrow waterway are still there to be found. 

  

The old lock at Peronne,

where the man made waterway started its climb from the Scheldt river. 

Until the late 1960s 

lock no 3 would have accomodated a 300 ton Peniche  

A lift bridge is preserved along the original waterway

The final boat lift at the summit of the old  canal. 

121 m above sea level. 

It finally completed the route in 1919. 

As I write we are moored up in Oudenarde, in the same spot as we visited in 2012.

Update- Wednesday 13th   AIS aboard Antiope is up and running.