Schengen Border Formalities in Nieuwpoort

[DJE]

Planning a crossing from Dover to Nieuwpoort next week. It looks like the submission is all online using this site. And I understand that there is a police office close to the marina where we can get our passports stamped. Is there anything else I should know?

 

[KevinT1]

Call the Police when you arrive and either go to the station - big white pyramid building on the east shore or they will come to you in the Yacht club marina on the West side of the river. If they come to you please give clear a description of your boat and location. Officers are very friendly !
Be aware that he marina offices / captains only work office hours, so call ahead to get a berth if you are likely to arrive after 6:00 pm etc

 

[rgh27]

I'm planning a trip from Ramsgate to Breskins via Nieuwpoort or Ostend. Do you have to check in with the Dutch border authorities as well if you've already checked in with the Belgian ones? Does checking in with one Schengen country enable travelling on a yacht border free across two or more ones? Also do you have to check out with the Belgian authorities if you are sailing to the Netherlands?

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[KevinT1]

You only need to check in to the Schengen area once - so once you have your passport stamped in Belgium you don’t need to do anything else until you check out of the Schengen area.

 

[bluerm166]

Yes they will be firing until and incl.the 14th June before breaking for the summer so avoid the Nieuwport firing range if before 1600 hours when they finish.
After 0800 and before 1600 that really means staying west of the large Westdiep mussel farm .Coming from Dover you should be clear ,and probably arriving late,but would be affected during any onward journey east.
The 2.5 NM (K range) and the 7.5 NM (M range )seaward limits are best shown on the O charts series or Marine Navigator (VMH series) but if using a tablet.Navionics is less clear.

Go to the end of this thread for dates. Nieuwport Firing Range
Sorry if you are aware.
We are crossing from Ramsgate to Nieuwport on the 11th. but won't expect to be stamped in until the 12th. A moderate westerly is currently being shown on the gribs for the 10th at least.

 

[DJE]

Yes they will be firing until and incl.the 14th June before breaking for the summer so avoid the Nieuwport firing range if before 1600 hours when they finish.
After 0800 and before 1600 that really means staying west of the large Westdiep mussel farm .Coming from Dover you should be clear ,and probably arriving late,but would be affected during any onward journey east.
The 2.5 NM (K range) and the 7.5 NM (M range )seaward limits are best shown on the O charts series or Marine Navigator (VMH series) but if using a tablet.Navionics is less clear.

Go to the end of this thread for dates. Nieuwport Firing Range
Sorry if you are aware.
We are crossing from Ramsgate to Nieuwport on the 11th. but won't expect to be stamped in until the 12th. A moderate westerly is currently being shown on the gribs for the 10th at least.

So is the firing range east of Nieuwpoort? I can't find anything on the charts and my Reeds is on the boat.
Edit: Yes I see it now on the chart.

 

[bluerm166]

Yes ,the firing points are to the east of the entrance.Coming from Dover you will probably not have an issue.I have previously come in after heading North with the tide and wind from Ramsgate and dropping back down around the shipping giratory to cross the zone near their seaward control tower but at 5 kts this was after 1600.
We will be continuing east so will probably have to leave early and cross the range close-in before 0800 - from memory about 4nM to clear the 'cone'which we will probably motor.
They may not fire on any particular day for their own reasons or for the whole working day.
If needs be you can check by calling the range while it is manned. Tel +32 58 23 64 60 or VHF 67.

 

[Daydream believer]

Watch out for wrecks on that coast. A couple get exposed at LW & are very large & extend well beyond the marker buoys. . If your chart is of low definition it is easy to miss where they are & the banks can be shallow.
My chart is a bit OOD & my trip last year was near LW. I did have a bum squeak time navigating N-S across one of the banks as they have clearly moved a bit.

 

[dolabriform]

Not just wrecks, we came across a large floating hose not marked officially, a community edit showed it on Navionics charts.

 

[westhinder]

Not just wrecks, we came across a large floating hose not marked officially, a community edit showed it on Navionics charts.

You’ve probably seen the floating end of a pipe used for beach suppletion. There are currently two such points between Nieuwpoort and Oostende, both clearly marked by a N cardinal. It is only the extremity to which the dredger connects that floats, the rest of the pipe is on the sea bed, so you can safely pass between the floating bit and the beach.

 

[dolabriform]

You’ve probably seen the floating end of a pipe used for beach suppletion. There are currently two such points between Nieuwpoort and Oostende, both clearly marked by a N cardinal. It is only the extremity to which the dredger connects that floats, the rest of the pipe is on the sea bed, so you can safely pass between the floating bit and the beach.

Thanks, that must have been what it was; we were taking the inshore route between Ostend and Calais.

 

[westhinder]

Yes ,the firing points are to the east of the entrance.Coming from Dover you will probably not have an issue.I have previously come in after heading North with the tide and wind from Ramsgate and dropping back down around the shipping giratory to cross the zone near their seaward control tower but at 5 kts this was after 1600.
We will be continuing east so will probably have to leave early and cross the range close-in before 0800 - from memory about 4nM to clear the 'cone'which we will probably motor.
They may not fire on any particular day for their own reasons or for the whole working day.
If needs be you can check by calling the range while it is manned. Tel +32 58 23 64 60 or VHF 67.

Close to the beach you will clear the firing range quickly, as it is less than 1 NM
Always good to check with the range on ch 67, or with the range boat. Coming out of Nieuwpoort there is a red flag and an orange board with info when the range is active and usually a range boat near the harbour entrance

 

[DJE]

Thanks for all the advice. We got into Neiuwpoort just after six yesterday evening. The marina office at VYN was shut but there's plenty of room for late arrivals on the hammerheads. Then the police called me and said they were open till seven so we nipped up to their office and got our passports stamped.
All very friendly and helpful here.

 

[dolabriform]

Thanks for the info

 

[Plum]

Thanks for all the advice. We got into Neiuwpoort just after six yesterday evening. The marina office at VYN was shut but there's plenty of room for late arrivals on the hammerheads. Then the police called me and said they were open till seven so we nipped up to their office and got our passports stamped.
All very friendly and helpful here.

Useful, thanks, is this the police building?

Google Maps

 

[westhinder]

Useful, thanks, is this the police building?

Google Maps

Yes indeed. The police office is on the east side, close to the barrier you see in the picture