NLFRENDE


            
West Coast Sailing

Why is the Belgian coast so unique?

Why?


If you rent a yacht in Croatia, you fly to Croatia and you are going to sail in... Croatia.
If you rent a yacht in Greece, you fly to Greece and you are going to sail in... Greece.
If you rent a yacht in Italy, you fly to Italy and you are going sail in... Italy.
And so we can continue.

That's why


If you rent a yacht at the Belgian coast... then you drive to the Belgian coast and you are NOT going to sail at the Belgian coast. This is what makes our coast so unique for many people. It’s a question of being different than the rest of the world. Our coast is the best base of departure for exploring the surrounding, very beautiful and fascinating coasts.

Weekend trips

What can we do during a weekend?


- the harbours of the belgian coast,

- the harbours of the french coast (Dunkerque, Calais, Boulogne),

- the english coast: the "white cliffs of Dover" (Ramsgate, Douvres and Brighton),

- the harbours of the dutch coast (Breskens and Flushing).

english Channel

We recommend you to start from Nieuwpoort for a sailingtrip of 5 to 7 days.

First you can sail to Dunkerque, in between the many sandbanks around the Zuydcoote Pas.

You will pass the 'traffic Lane' towards Dover. Those who like a little history will visit Dover Castle. Really a must.

20 miles to the east you visit Ramsgate, typical british. It is charming in a strange way. When you have time, you can make a journey by train to Canterbury.

You sail north to Harwich, where the River Orwell leads you to Ipswich along romantic green hills. Navigating in this area is a real challenge. Have a nice walk from Woolverstone Marina to the 'Butt and Oyster', a famous inn in Pin Mill. Taste the marvelous shrimps.

Weather and climate
Wind and sea are changing every day, but mostly moderate from may untill october.

Zeeland

We recommend you to start from Zeebruges for a sailingtrip of 5 to 7 days..

During a five-day trip, you can sail via Vlissingen through the Walcheren Canal to the Veerse Meer.

After a couple of hours of beating against the wind, you can really be tacking. The trip continues direction Oosterschelde and then Zierikzee or Bruinisse. You pass the lock complexes and then under the Zeeland bridge. You complete the circle by sailing on the outer side of the coast along Domburg and Westkapelle back to Breskens and Zeebrugge.

Wight  -  The Solent

We recommend you to start from Nieuwpoort for a sailingtrip of 7 to 9 days.

The moment of deparure depends on the tide and the wind. A possible way to reach Wight is via Dover, Eastbourne, Brighton and back via Boulogne, Calais and Duinkerke.

The Solent is a natural channel between the Mainland and the Isle of Wight. It is most famous in the world of sailing.

Passing Chichester bay you will find Portsmouth. 'A fortress built by nature for herself against the infection and the hand of war'. Portsmouth is the home base of the british marine.

We suggest you to visit Yarmouth, a lovely small town with a historical fort, built during the reign of Henry VIII.

North to Southampton, lays the river Hamble, with many marinas embedded in a beautiful landscape. East of Wight you visit the lovely place called Poole.

On the Isle of Wight, you have to enter Cowes and see the prestigious 'Headquarters of the Royal Yacht Squadron'. The way back goes along The Needles, imposing and dangerous cliffs.
On the way back you can visit the Victory, Lord Nelsons flagship, at the Historical Maritime Museum in Portsmouth.

Thames  -  London

We recommend you to start from Nieuwpoort for a sailingtrip of 7 to 9 days.

It is a challenge to sail just up to the Tower Bridge!

To get familiar with the boat, make a short trip the first day. You can sail to Dunkerque. Then cross the Channel to Ramsgate.

In order to take advantage of the tide, you have to be at the right moment at the right place.

You must pass Sheerness at low tide, then you have upgoing tide just to London.

In the Thames estuary are many sandbanks, so a precise navgation is important. With a little luck you can sail up to the Tower Bridge.

You enter St. Katarine Haven by the oldest lock of Europe. Here you will find yourself in a totally restored old harbour, dating from Tudor times. You may have diner at the Dickens Pub.

We suggest to stay in Londen for about 24 hours. Just to make a nice visit. The marina is about 15 minutes walking from the Tower. Visit Covent Garden for an artistic sensation.

In the way back you take a stop at Queenborough. Destination Oostend. A long passage. Then the last day, you make a short trip back to Nieuwpoort.

Channel Islands

We recommend to start from Nieuwpoort for a trip of 14 days.

Ar-Mor, le Pays de la mer. Scenic harbours, famous fishing boats, songs of the sea, fruits de mer. Rough cliffs, les Sept Iles, Saint-Malo and the mysterious Mont Saint-Michel. Do not forget the Channel Islands Jersey, Guernsey and Sark.

The north coast of Brittany (from Saint Malo to Brest) contains rough cliffs with small rivers deep inside the mainland. Lézardrieux, Paimpol, Tréguier, Saint Brieuc, Ile de Bréhat with pink rocks and Roscoff glitter in a splendid landscape. Take your time to visit the lovely harbours of Saint-Helier (Jersey), St.Peter Port (Guernsey) and Sark.

Leaving Guernsey we head for Morlaix at the breton coast. You can sail the rivers Tréguier and Trieux, even at low tide. After hours of sailing between magnificent hills you look for a mooring in a small marina.

Weather and climate
Brittany and the Channel Islands are gifted with a warmer climate. Mostly wind coming from the west.

Brittany

The southern coast of Brittany has a mild climate and there are many islands. You can visit Les Iles Glénans. Small islands with unspoilt nature. The inland sea of Vannes slumbers across the way of the Belle Ile. The narrow entrance is flanked by the two quaint villages. You will find some dolmens from prehistoric times at Locmariaquer.

Also, definitely worth a visit: the bay and the Roadstead of Brest with the beautiful harbour of Camaret, the fishing harbour of Douarnenez, the breathtakingly Bénodet, hidden in a wooded area along a picturesque river. Concarneau a fortified city, and La Rochelle, the "capital" of water sports, with the dolmen fields of Carnac nearby.

The Isles of Scilly

We recommend to start from Nieuwpoort for a trip of 21 days.

Nieuwpoort - Wight (Poole).

You will visit many lovely places along the southwest coast and have time to stay some days on the Ilses of Scilly. (Weymouth, Dartmouth, Plymouth and Lizard Point)

Falmouth - Alderney,  80 miles open sea to the Channel Islands.

Pay attention near "the Racers", where you have to conquer currents of more then 10 knots.

Jersey - Sark - Cherbourg.

Cherbourg - Nieuwpoort: visiting the coast of Normandy: Honfleur, Fécamp, Dauville.