Ostend first visit

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Chris.mcc240

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After six years sailing around the east coast i have decided its time for myself and my partner to be a bit more adventurous. Ive just moved my boat to brightlingsea So im planning to sail over to ostend. I have three weeks from the 24th june and weather pending hope to go then .
I want to do more relaxing than sailing but would like to vissit seveal different harbours, maybe three or four short trips before returning. Possibly the same route or maybe ramsgate n thames estuary. I want my partner to enjoy herself so don't want to push her to hard. I would appreciate any advice, first where to moore when we reach ostend. I read the northern sea pilot but would like a definite plan of action when we get there. I don't want to end up rafting up besides a bunch of club boats ! Places to vissit and any suggestions for a route over the three weeks. We like good food, historical sites anything worth seeing a bit of shopping n even a beach!
Appreciate any suggestions or just general comments ..
 
Oostende has 3 options:-

(a) The Royal North Sea Yacht club. Basically up the river and turn right through what looks like a hole in the wall. It is the pontoons to your right as you enter the Montgomery. This is the kingdom of the famed Robert, he can on occasions pack them in but this is a small price to pay for the entertainment he provides. Good position as well but do make sure you have some good long lines and be prepared for anything

(b) The Mercator: Turn to the left when you get in the Montgomery. Central and not a bad marina of its type, but a pain to get into and out of as the lock is split in two and you have to sort of shuffle along in it. It doesn’t have Robert

(c) The Royal Yacht club. Quite a way from anywhere, but quieter. You enter the river and just keep going until you can't go any further. A nice friendly club, but no Robert

If you really are put off by crowds, go into the Montgomery and see how packed the pontoons in the RNSYC are, if its too bad, go to one of the others.
 
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Ostend is nice but probably not my first choice for quiet and relaxing. Montgomery Dock I think is best, near shops, North Sea Yacht Club and super beach, but can be busy and you may have to raft. Mercator basin is a fiddle to get to and then feel as if you'r on show to the world. Some people like RYCO [Royal Yacht Club Ostend] but I find it noisy, hard to get into town & smelly at low water.
If you want a bit more peace try Nieuwpoort. I favour the Royal Air Force marina, very friendly and quiet but a long trek into town and beach. Other marinas are closer but I don't know them.
From there it's an easy day sail to Vlissingen and up the Walcheren Canal to Middelburg. Plenty of history and culture there.[ Do mention the war]. Any one know if the pepper steaks in the yacht club are still as good?
Then a short hop to Veere and the delights of the Versemeer. Heaven.
Do let us know what sort of boat you have because depth plays a big part in planning your trip.

Edit

Beaten to it by Doineann, must type faster
 
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I'd second RNSYC, but take ear plugs and don't expect any conversations with Robert to be private, the whole marina will hear one side of them.

If you have three weeks, why not head east from Ostend? Breskens is a bit over half a day's sail from there, then you have the possibility of getting into the Dutch inland waters via Vlissingen.
 
If you want to show your partner something a bit touristy you could go up the canal to Brugge from Zeebrugge.

Details of our trip can be found here.
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=248511
The sailing club is very friendly.
If you are going PM me for contact details.

You could also work down the coast.
Blankenberge is quite blank
Nieuwpoort is o.k. - we used the marinas on the starboard hand.
Dunkerque is worth a visit to look at some of the war time damage.
We use the small marina up the end on the starboard hand - nearest the town.
Gravelines is a must visit. Don't worry about drying out in the marina the mud is super soft and you boat will sink into it happily.

From there Ramsgate is an easy 6hr trip.
 
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Have just returned from the delights that are RNSYC and agree with all that has been said so far. On our first trip over we poked our noses into the Montgomery Dok area and in the dark it all looked bit tight and crowded. When our engine decided to stall, well it had been working hard for about 6 hrs as no wind we headed up to the Royal Ostend YC.
Having experienced both I think they have Merits in equal parts.
There is no doubt though that the RNSYC is right in the heart of it and a stroll to bars, restaurants etc and the beach. However after a tring passage it is great to have an easy park up and this last visit Robert allotted us buoy nbr 1 right under the clubhouse. This is a Med style mooring either fore or aft. We went in forwards and picked up the buoy and mooring easily which was a surpass first time experience. Robert suggest a 20m line would be ok, we had way over in case.
However you could consider making for Blankenberg, a great selection of marinas all with easy berthing and close to or in the town. This was our first crossing landing point. Lots of Belgium choc shops easy reach to supermarkets. Beware the supermarkets only accept their own credit type cards so it's cash only. The entrance can be tricky with on shore swells and depends on your draft if this is a suitable option. They do dredge the entrance which has pier type jetties flanking it. We used this as a stop off to get to Flushing and loved it so much we used it as our dep point for the return crossing 2 wks later having explored the delights of Middelburg and beyond.
This last trip had 2 m swells over the sandbanks on nr approach to Ostend and FOG thick and gloomy FOG for the return. AIS a godsend.
Have fun it's is great trio to do as a massive confidence builder.
If you need more info PM me, I am still full of adrenaline from dodging the commercial shipping in 0 vis!
 
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RNSYC - Montgomery Dock - if it's your first time. Set off early - get there while it's still light and raft on the first thing you see that's suitable.

Get some kip

Robert will be along in the morning to sort you out.

Eat [your choice of moules, fishes, steak tartare, etc]
Drink Duvel

Then I'd go up the coast into Vlissingen and into the Walcheren Kanal and up to Middleburg. From there follow the canals into the veersemeer and the Osterschelde.

Visit Goes and Zieriksee
Eat more moules

Out through the Rompot and back down to Breskens (good steaks and welcoming club)
Then home.

3 weeks is plenty and you won't have to rush.

Jealous just describing it it
 
ostend first visit

Thanks for all the above advice. Its seems the RNSYC is goin to be the destination to aim for, gonna have to meet robert. Then we can recover before deciding where to go.

My boat is an Westerly Centaur bilge keel so she can dry out and only draws three and a half foot i,ve just installed a new engine so im happy to motor.

I like the sound of the dutch inland waterways, Not sure about the entrance to Zeebrugge the photos look like fun but may be a bit much for my other half.

I will spend the next few days reserching the above suggestions and welcome anymore.

If anyone is at the Colne yacht club this weekend there having a BBQ let me know i would welcome a chat over a beer.
 
Hi Chris,
I went over for the 1st time last year, I have a Westerly Griffon, bilge keeler, so very similar to a centaur. We took 19.5 hrs from Bradwell, leaving 6am and arriving at 1.30 in the morning, we stayed at the RYCO at the far end of the harbour, they were very friendly, giving us the berth by the walkway.
Town is 20 minutes away and fuel can be had from the fuel station over the road.
I like Ostende, we also visited Brugge by train.
We returned via, Dunkerque, then Ramsgate. All good places to visit.

I shall be going over again in June, this time leaving from Brightlingsea and heading up to Flushing after Ostende. I hope to leave the boat in south Holland and return with the family later.

The best advice I can give is try to leave as early as possible, to hopefully arrive in daylight.
 
Marmalade said:
down to Breskens (good steaks and welcoming club)
Click to expand...

We had the Chateaubriand at Breskens YC again in April - truly fabulous and not overpriced. A rare find in this day and age.

Our favourite in Ostende for value and atmosphere is Brasserie 't Waterhuis. It's easy to find - smack opposite the bright green (museum) trawler on the pavement. The plates of pasta are vast, with a range of delicious sauces.

For beaches there is the tram that runs pretty much the length of the Belgian coast, though Ostende itself has a good beach.
 
Barbican bill
I agree about the vast bowls of pasta at the waterhuis, I couldn't finish mine, it was good though!.
We also ate at a Mexican further in town, which was rather good, I'll try to dig out it's name but it was a street back from the beach front.
 
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