Quaysides

Benelux break October 2009

Part 2

Dunkirk / Terneuzen

After a comfortable nights sleep and an early breakfast we left the hotel and headed back into the harbour at
Dunkirk to await daybreak. The sky however had a heavy grey cloud and the light levels only slowly improved.
As conditions were poor, many of these pics are "for the record only".

With very low light levels this pic was taken of the Italian gas tanker "Eleonora Lembo", as we waited for better light
it soon started to drizzle slightly.

We decided to move on as the rain was setting in. Next vessel.along was the Italian registered bulk carrier "Medi Baltimore".

Discharging a cargo of scrap, the Wilson chaertered coaster "Sardinia" was thenext vessel along as we headed East along the dyke.

Berthed at the steelworks were two large bulk carriers, the first being the "Red Rose". By this time the rain was falling steadily so
I moved to the rear seats and we both took the photos from within the car!

The final vessel along the quay was another 2009 built bulker, the "Golden Hope". At this point we were both hoping for less rain.

Moving on to the Eastern part of the docks the rain very quickly turned very heavy. We ventured around the open quays, George stopped near the tugs,
the only one I could get without getting out of the car was the "Clairvoyant" - you can see the rain falling in the photo.

It was obvious the rain wasn't going to stop soon, so we abandoned Dunkirk with the hope of better weather in Terneuzen. The drive
wasn't without incident, two badly (from our point of view) junctions lead us astray in Belgium then a road closure just over the border
near Sas van Gent slowed us down. Eventually at 12:35 we pulled up on the river front at Terneuzen, still with very poor weather.

The first movement recorded here was the Sietas built feeder vessel "Ruth" outward bound.

She was closely followed by the small tanker "Fostraum" in very poor conditions.

A recent renaming next, the "X-press Monte Rosa" inward bound in the gloom.

Arriving for the canal at Terneuzen was the Cypriot tanker "Australis".

Outward next, less than 30 minutes after arriving on the river was the feeder vessel "Sophia".

As we arrived and passed the locks the Sietas built "Tingo" was preparing to depart.

She was closely followed by the "Nestor", built by Slovenske, this was the first of a number of this type sighted on this trip.

Giving the impression she was for the canal but keeping up speed and passing, the Vanuatu
flagged "Fast Wil" was next inward.

Outward bound next was the "Stolt Nanami" - this would have been very colourful if we'd had the sun!

I was nearly caught unawares as the local tug "Hemiksem" pulled out of the tug basin.

Next inward was the "Tripoli" - this small vessel is used as a feeder between Zeebrugge and Antwerp.

"MSC Linzie" was the first of an expected many MSC conatiner vessels to pass us, pity the weather was still so poor
as the fine angled bow shots would have been great.

She was very closely followed by the feeder "Cepheus J" as a barge approaches for the canal.

Inward next was the "Gumel" with a distinctive profile, this ship has served under many names on services from the Humber.

Again showing the very poor conditions today, the "Oriental Tulip" passes inward at 14:35.

Again only minutes behind her, the Iranian registered "Sepanta" passes inward.

Another product of the Sietas yard, next inward was the "Maj Danielsen" which was completed as the
"Band Aid Star" when she was built in 1985.

One of the few deep sea container vessels that wasn't MSC we saw was the "Hanjin Chittagong".

Once again, another vessel that would have been striking in sunlight, the Sietas built ro/ro "Mistral" passes outward.

The Maltese flagged ro/ro "Tychy" is another familiar vessel, having run on a service from Hull in the early 1990's.

The second MSC of the day, outward bound the "MSC Erminia" was built as the Russian "Nikolay Golavanov".

Two vessels were now sighted sailing from the canal, first the "Clipper Sola" - in need of some fresh paint around the bow..

.. followed by the Slovenske built "Eider".

As the gloom got worse we decided to call it a day after the Maltese bulker "Rodlo" passed and headed for the hotel.

We parked the car on the riverfront and this enabled me to get the two tugs berthed here. First, the Hessle built
"Multratug 6" - originally the "Gatcombe" of Red Funnel at Southampton.

Berthed just atern of her was the "Multratug 12" - the unusual Carousel Tug - the towing hook runs on a ring
around the accomodation.

It was only 16:35 when we took these and then headed off to the Hotel Tollenique across the road. We had a quick walk around
the pedestrian precinct area to check out eateries, had a great steak, took advantage of the free internet in the hotel then retired in
the hope of a better day Tuesday, with the contingency of Antwerp if really bad weather.