The Hautmont Fête, June 22nd to 24th

A casual remark from our neighbouring boat in Erquelinnes led to us being invited to take Waterdog to the boat gathering and fête at Hautmont, on the High Sambre. Coincidentally we were just the right length to fit between the long floating pontoons installed just for this weekend and the organiser said we should be there on the Thursday so they could install us and have other boats come alongside us. The bank was too shallow to get alongside so they had arranged a very impressive walkway for us which was lifted into place within 30 minutes of our arrival. Waterdog's rounded bilge was rested against the collapsed bank sides and we were tied in to 2 x one tonne concrete blocks and some bollards left over from commercial barge days. We ended up with 7 mooring lines to keep us in place and the walkway pinned to the ground and resting on our side deck.

Waterdog being 'installed' at Hautmont with much waving of arms.

Aperitifs in heavy rain, it takes a lot for the Belgians & French to cancel the 5pm drinks

Sixty boats were present but Waterdog had the best display of flags, we limited how many we put up as the weather was wet and very windy, pretty similar to the British summer!

Hautmont town provides free moorings, electricity, water, meals and drinks for a whole weekend to attract boaters to the fête, partly to encourage more boats to use the Sambre and maybe to take up places in the new Hautmont marina being built this year.