Week 217: Dawn of the demolition

We had a relaxed breakfast in Oudenaarde Sunday morning and set off for Gent. The final 40 km leg passed very quickly, and before we knew it, we were heading into the smaller canals surrounding the city. Piloting Clair de Lune down canals we'd only walked alongside before was exciting. The canals are quite small and congested, lined with houseboats, and we only had a vague idea of where to park.

A lock we needed to pass was supposedly shut on Sundays, so we thought the worst case would be that we'd moor there overnight while we waited. As it turns out, we didn't need to worry. We spotted some room alongside the bank a short distance before the lock and moored up. It felt familiar but different from the canal. We quickly realised we'd found the perfect spot when we popped on shore. Only a ten-minute walk from our apartment!

We rugged up and headed back to the apartment–for the first time in five weeks for Karina–to grab a few clothes we needed aboard Clair de Lune now that the weather was getting colder. Then we went for a long walk into the centre and enjoyed being out and about in a proper city for the first time in weeks!

It took us 29 days (26 underway) to relocate Clair de Lune from Bonnand to Gent. A total of 204.5 hours motored, 856.81 km, 286 locks, 18 tunnels and lift bridges across two countries. What a journey!

We went to sleep on Sunday apprehensive about the next steps. After all, we'd made it to Gent, but beyond a vague plan from the shipyard to "call us when you arrive", we didn't have a plan. Never mind, we'd wake up on Monday and push forward. That's how we roll.

Peter is in charge of the shipyard. He's a very energetic and friendly man with an excellent reputation and always wants to do a fantastic job. He has no shortage of work. When I rang him Monday, he simply said, "Ok, bring the boat here and moor alongside, let's take a look."

So, after running a few errands on Monday (most notably, collecting Karina's residency card), we fired up Clair de Lune to continue deeper into Gent and out to the north to the shipyard. The journey was a challenge with a few tight bends to navigate – in some ways, this last 5 km was the most challenging we've undertaken!

At the shipyard, we moored up as the rain started to bucket from the sky. Peter popped on board and took a look around. "You know, I always worry about these boats; I was expecting a piece of shit, but this is a lovely boat. I watched her as you came up the river and thought, 'That's a very pretty boat'."

As he looked around, you could hear the wheels turning in his head, questions and comments coming rapidly. "The paint is not too bad. Yes, you need to blast here, but some of this is okay. You know I can't fit it in. Maybe if you want to do the painting yourself... let's see."

"You stay here in the shipyard, and I'll come tomorrow when the rain stops to measure." And like that, we pulled off and moored alongside another barge, three out from the edge, and we're now living in the shipyard for the moment while we wait on his offer (which should happen this week). We've been made very welcome, and although industrial, it's a great place to be–we can work on the boat without disturbing people, and the shipyard is endlessly fascinating. Plus, we can get in and out of Gent on the bus without issues.

One immediate job that needed to happen was ripping up the deck. It's rotting away, it's lifting, and it's not the right surface. We don't intend to replace it – decking isn't a good choice for a barge because you can't get underneath to clean it properly. As we've pulled up this, it's full of mould, the paint is lifting and rusting through, and the whole thing needs blasting and redoing. Instead, we'll paint it properly and put down an outdoor carpet or mat during summer. Then, we can lift it in winter and clean and maintain the paint properly.

The process has been quite involved. The challenge was that they had re-secured the decking at different times, so there are at least three different screw types, all of which need a different bit to undo. Most have rusted through. Some were jammed. Most were stripped. Eventually, I settled on the simple process of ripping the decking up with a crowbar and then removing the screws after with a heavy hammer, which worked very efficiently most of the time. It took a few days, but we have it all removed now.

Karina helped move and stack all the timber onto a pallet. Peter's girlfriend, an artist, will reuse it. We're both a bit stiff and sore from all the physical labour!

Karina also sorted out and labelled everything in the fore peak. We converted the middle cabin into a workshop. We've removed the last pieces of furniture we want to get rid of for now. We've also pulled off the forward dog hatch to refurbish and varnish it. Lots and lots of progress on many fronts, even though we aren't moving!

Peter also helped us arrange suppliers for various projects. We've contacted a wheelhouse expert (they just build wheelhouses), and an electrician came by to look at how we can upgrade the power systems on Clair de Lune (LiPo4 batteries, 8000w inverter, etc.). We're lining up some others, too. We need a glazer, a sanitation expert, a heating expert... and that's before we start the interior renovation!

In addition to all the work on the boat, we also started catching up on a lot of domestic duties: skincare checks, finding doctors, and all the usual trappings of life in a permanent place. It's incredible how well the Belgian health system works now that we're established. I went to the dermatologist, and when I went to give them my health insurance, they said, "No, it's okay; we have it here on your national ID." Then I asked how to claim; they said, "We've already submitted it for you." The next day, my health insurance notified me that the reimbursement had already been processed.

I needed an antibiotic cream, and the nurse said, "Oh, I will send it to your ID." I asked what she meant. She said, "We just list it against your ID, go to any pharmacy and show them your ID, and they will get you the right cream."

Perhaps some of this is common in Australia now, too, but we've been blown away by how easy and integrated it is here. It's all very modern and simple for us!

We also managed to get out for a couple of visits to Gent. We've been back to Ma's Bakery for cinnamon rolls, and we went to the Gent Film Festival last night to watch Starship Troopers on the big screen.

I mentioned we are the third boat out, moored alongside the quay. Well, on Friday, the quayside boat had to move. It was an exciting process and a first for me. We left the centre boat tied alongside Clair, and I moved both Clair AND the centre boat out alongside another boat behind us. Then, the quayside boat moved out. We tied ropes to Clair, and I guided her into the quayside spot (with a one-metre gap front and back) with assistance on the lines. Then we manually pulled the middle boat in alongside Clair with ropes. The whole process took about an hour and a half.

Next week, we'll continue chasing services while we have a spot in the shipyard. Currently, we're waiting on the painting offer. If we like it and accept it, then we should be able to stay here in Gent for winter, which is a big bonus for us.

There's been lots of activity on Clair de Lune this week, and there's more to come! The big milestone this Thursday is the architects' presentation on how to remodel the interior.

We're enjoying the process and the progress. It's a lot of fun bringing this old girl back to life and improving her after all these years.

Until next time,

Tim & Karina