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PADDLING ADVENTURE IN
BRILLIANT BRUGES
Belgium’ s Venice of the north
WORDS & PHOTOS: PATRICK CRUYWAGEN BRUGES, THE‘ VENICE OF THE NORTH,’ IS KNOWN FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL CANALS AND MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE. BUT FOR ONE MAGICAL EVENING EACH YEAR, THE TRANQUIL WATERWAYS TRANSFORM INTO A UNIQUE PADDLEBOARDING PARADISE. INSTEAD OF THE USUAL TOURIST BOATS, THE CANALS COME ALIVE WITH A VIBRANT FLOTILLA OF PADDLEBOARDERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. I GRABBED MY BOARD AND PLUNGED INTO THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT TO DISCOVER IF BRUGES’ LEGENDARY BEER, DECADENT CHOCOLATE, AND STUNNING SCENERY TRULY MAKE IT A MUST- PADDLE DESTINATION.
My quarter-century as a travel writer has taught me that the best adventures often begin with a change of plans. When a friend’ s 50th birthday celebration was suddenly cancelled, I was left with a free weekend. A quick check of my calendar revealed a hidden gem: the annual Bruges paddleboarding event was happening that very weekend. A last-minute ticket to this sold-out event felt like a long shot, but after a career navigating countless African border crossings, I knew that nothing is impossible.
A few frantic messages later, my phone pinged with a lifeline. Sten De Lille, the event’ s organiser, confirmed I was in as there had been a last-minute cancellation. The adventure was on, and I was so excited about paddling in a new and very special place.
My trusty Subaru Outback, packed with my new Red Equipment Voyager 14’ 0” MSL 800 board, became my home and travel companion for the next 48 hours. The Bruges paddle was the perfect maiden voyage for my Voyager board. Instead of a planned initially 03:00 departure, I hit the road late on a Friday night, arriving just in time to catch an earlier ferry from Dover. After a few hours of uncomfortable rest on a ferry couch, I docked in Calais as the sun was rising. I drove for an hour before pulling into a layby, where I was glad to catch another hour or two of sleep in the back of my car.
With the paddle scheduled for the evening, I spent the day exploring the city on foot. I took a tourist boat tour to scope out the canals and get a glimpse of what to expect. The guide rattled off facts about landmarks like Rosary Quay and the Church of Our Lady, while my senses were overwhelmed by the enticing smells of beer, chocolate, coffee, and waffles.
I disembarked and headed for Markt, a bustling market square. The square was packed, but I found a spot at a restaurant and refuelled with some classic Belgian mussels, fries with mayo, and a light beer – just enough to energise me without slowing me down. After my quick lunch, I climbed the 366 steps of the 83-metre-high belfry for a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. Then, I headed to an Irish pub to catch a rugby match before it was finally time to paddle.
The event’ s meeting point was on the northern outskirts of the city. When I arrived, a perfect lineup of boards was ready for rent from Amanzie. I unrolled my brand-new Red board and watched as the portable electric pump inflated it to a solid 20 PSI. Sten handed out caps, and I learned that this incredible experience – paddling on a UNESCO World Heritage Site – cost a mere 20 Euros. A fellow South African living in Bruges also managed to get a last-minute spot when a no-show opened up. The atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation.