After putting Waterdog back on her mooring we were taken back to our host boat by the police launch 'P-83' and its friendly captain (above) and chief (right). |
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So at last the parade could go ahead and there ensued a very friendly French farce in Belgium, trying to organise 20 boats or so over the VHF, with some boats not listening and some not understanding (I think). 'P-83' led us through the town with the 30m events barge, Gavroche, hosting the dignitaries to take the salute from the navy boats and the cheers from everone else. |
Here is part of the parade going through the town with the VIPs on Gavroche on the far right. In the background is one of the old colliery slag heaps that are dotted all around this region. Trees and bushes have claimed the heap but they are distinctive cone shapes that are too steep to walk up comfortably. Coal mining stopped in this region in the 1980s but the heaps remain and there is a pit museum at Cazier, which was the site of a mine disaster in the 1950s. |
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