No – one knew the old microwave was turned on, so when Bob and Pete were going through the systems and turned on the power that activated the microwave, on it went. It was pure luck that Pete was passing it by and noticed said piece was in action. By that time, there was only […]
Hand pump toilets are not our favourite, so Bob had been searching for a couple of reasonably priced macerator versions. Just a finger press required, when used the number two and toilet roll becomes slush and doesn’t over time become a rock hardened mass that is nigh impossible to remove from the holding tank. A […]
In both New Zealand and Australia, insurance companies stipulate that rigging must be replaced each decade under the rational that in theory the constant flexing causes it to work harden. It is also the function of rigging size. On racing boats, the rigging is as light as possible and under constant heavy strain, whereas on […]
Operating on the American system, the washing machine was 110vt and 60 cycles, which is an American standard that is incompatible with pretty much everywhere else in the world. That being the case, the decision was made to purchase a 240vt at some stage. Well, that turned out to be sooner rather than later…… Out […]
We’ve gone and done it. Purchased a new yacht! A Tayana 55 with a 20m mast and good water line: she averages 8 – 9 knots. Now we have the best of all worlds: a caravan for Oz, a boat for Europe and the Med and now a boat for Asia and the Pacific! The […]
The rapidity with which the Australian countryside recovers from drought is amazing to see.The dusty dirt bowl we travelled through on our last trip has received some good rains and is already greening.
Bob and I both hope you had a most enjoyable Christmas and New Year period. Our thoughts also go out to all those Australians who are currently experiencing the terrifying fires throughout our land. Bob and I travelled through the mountainous New England region early last November and have never seen the like. Where two […]
40 degrees only 60km away, it’s a pleasant 15 degrees cooler here. Looking out at smoke hazed Kangaroo Island. There was also a lovely sail in 20knots
We wish you all a merry Christmas and hope the season treats you well.
We hope you enjoy the read. http://www.gratisaustralis.com/ieper-and-the-yeper-museum-ypres-belgium/
Then there were the plane flights as we searched for our second yacht. Maps from Tom Sommers Euro Canals and Googlemaps.
In Peruwelz… we found ourselves still within the region encompassed by the Eurometropolis Blue Park and the both of us were loving it. After a day of rain, the weather at last cleared enough, off to Peruwelz went we: our destination L’Escale Forestiere – or in English ‘Scheldt Plain Nature Park House’. This was another […]
A midmorning start, this was our last day on the Roubaix – L’Espierres – Spierekanaal. It almost defied belief, but the landscape became increasingly more beautiful: strongly reminiscent of the Midi with its towering avenues of trees that lined the canal sides. Two more sets of moorings at kilometres five and eight were right in […]
Our days in the Roubaix area at an end, nine o’clock found the boys ready and waiting at the lock and Gratis was raring to go. Lines off, down she motored and straight as an arrow in went Big G. What a beautiful old bridge was this! On exiting Lock 11, we were greeted with […]
Ten kilometres from Roubaix is Parc du Heron. This park forms a small section of what is entitled ‘The Eurometroplis Blue Park’. Crossing the French, Wallonian and Flemish borders, this initiative encompasses more than 150 metropolises. Covering in excess of five thousand kilometres of waterways and green landscapes, the ‘blue park is the result of […]
Having spent the most peaceful of nights in this new location, Bob and I awoke to find all was well and nothing amiss. People passing responded positively to our friendly hellos, answering cheerfully back and some even stopped for a chat. One little ‘un appeared intrigued with the boat and Bob even popped him on […]
The Roubaix/L’Espierres/Spiere Canal Two kilometres south of Wambrechies is the Canal de Roubaix, a connector between the French Deule and Belgian Haute – Escaut. It’s an interesting set up in this instance, for although a short run of 28.80km in total, the system runs through France (the Roubaix – 20km), Wallonia (the L’Espierres – 7km) […]
La Bassee to Wambrechies Yesterday, a pleasant motor saw us retrace more of our steps from last year as Gratis motored from the Canal D’Aire into La Deule on her way to Lille. At kilometre 16.5 was what appeared to be a marina with liveaboard barges and a couple of pleasure boats. On arrival, a […]
