Antwerp

[MK101]

Hi all. Should anyone be thinking of heading up the Schelde to Antwerp - highly recommended for a couple of excellent city days and a close up view of one of Europe’s biggest ports - then be aware there are some temporary closures of the river planned.

They are building a new tunnel and the parts are being dropped into place. We arrived on Sunday morning and the river was closed for the following two days, just short of the city. Vessel finder suggested a few boats got caught out.

Worth checking with Marina offices or VTS - Centrale Zandvliet were happy for us to ring them.

There’s a website where you can get some info (De Oosterweelverbinding doet 't Stad herademen | De Oosterweelverbinding).

I think there are closures/disruptions planned for later in July and in August.

Note: sailing yachts can’t access the city side marina at the moment, because of bridge problems. But Linkeroever i very nice and with a free ferry and lots of city bikes in the area, almost as convenient.

 

[johnalison]

It is a very long time since we sailed there but I agree that it is very worthwhile and a pleasant trip. We stayed in the then only marina opposite the town and used our folding bikes to get to the town using the foot-tunnel under the river. I mainly remember the Rubens house, cathedral and very good food.

 

[Wansworth]

Antwerpen……nice cafés and Chips!

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Also Ghent. Particularly the castle where interesting punishments were delivered.

 

[westhinder]

Up to date info about closures can be found on VTS Scheldt: VTS-Scheldt - BerichtBeneden Zeeschelde - Oosterweel; Stremming door werkzaamheden

This is an excerpt with the dates for the following days. More updates on the site.

De stremmingen zijn tussen boei 116 en boei 107.

De stremming vinden plaats op:

- 27 juli 2025 van 06:00 tot 18:00 uur

- 28 juli 2025 van 06:30 tot 18:30 uur

- 29 juli 2025 van 07:00 tot 19:00 uur

- 30 juli 2025 van 07:30 tot 19:30 uur

 

[westhinder]

Also Ghent. Particularly the castle where interesting punishments were delivered.

Ghent is more beautiful and more lively than Antwerp, I’m bound to say. (It’s where I live)
I daresay @Koeketiene will agree.

 

[johnalison]

Ghent is more beautiful and more lively than Antwerp, I’m bound to say. (It’s where I live)
I daresay @Koeketiene will agree.

I have a certain ill feeling about Ghent, but only because when I drove through there with a friend in 1959 having just go off the ferry, we spent nearly an hour trying to find the way out of the city, trundling round all its pavee streets.

 

[westhinder]

I have a certain ill feeling about Ghent, but only because when I drove through there with a friend in 1959 having just go off the ferry, we spent nearly an hour trying to find the way out of the city, trundling round all its pavee streets.

A lot has changed since that time, much of it for the better

 

[johnalison]

A lot has changed since that time, much of it for the better

Thank goodness for that.