Photographic locations in Oostende

After some questions on the websites Forum, I was asked to compile a feature about locations to take pictures of ships in Oostende.

Oostende is a relatively small port and is easily accessible by public transport, so no problems here for enthusiasts on foot.

Here is a overview of the harbour area in Oostende:

Image © Google Earth & Tele Atlas 2008

HET STAKETSEL (= the pier)

In red, you can see the pier. All ships entering and leaving the port pass very close to it so you’ll have an excellent view on anything that passes through. Ships pass so close you don’t need a zoom lens. A standard lens will do.

On the end of the pier, there is a small café, open in summer. It’s a bit similar to the café on the Prince of Wales pier in Dover. Be advised when you step inside because it’s a bit old and the food isn’t great.

An image of the end of the pier, with the café. Eurovoyager is arriving in the background.

Next to the pier is a small beach, nicknamed “klein strand” by the people from the town The picture above is taken from this beach and is marked on the map in yellow area on the map. From here you can see ships but the views are obstructed by the pier.

An overview of the walkway of the pier. Larkspur is leaving for Ramsgate in the background.

The pier is easily accessible on foot or by public transport. The train station and the tramway station (the two purple lines on the map) are a 10 minute walk from the pier. Another 5 minute walk is needed to reach the end of the pier.

DE TETTEBRUG

For the people who understand Flemish, it’s not what you think. For those of you who don’t understand English, Tettebrug means something like boobie bridge. It’s a nickname given to these bridges by people from Oostende.

The bridges are a 15 minute walk from the tramway / train station and give some excellent views on the TEF terminal and the entrance to the harbour. Photography is possible with normal lenses here.

A view of Trans Europe vessels, picture taken from the Tettebrug.

VISMIJN

At the end of the vismijn, there is a nice lookout over the entrance to the harbour. This area is marked on the map in blue. It’s usually quiet and there is parking space for cars. People using public transport can access it by taking the tramway to “Oostende Weg Naar Vismijn”, from where it’s a 15 minute walk to reach the viewpoint.

Viewpoint facing the town and the harbour.

Viewpoint facing the other side.

The viewpoint itself has loads of banks where you can sit and there is an excellent view on the harbour and the entrance of the harbour. It’s usually quiet but with the works for the windmills, that’s not the case. It was also closed when they were lifting the foundations to ship them out to sea.

Near this point, you can take a little boat which sails you across the harbour for €1.50 (= £1.20).

I must say it runs daily in the Easter holidays, July and August and on weekends in April, May, June, September and October. It runs from 10.30 - 17.45 and the man stops for lunch from 13.00 to 13.45. The signs says waiting times are up to 25 minutes.

The port control centre is also located on the end of the vismijn. Under the port control, there is a little café but I have never entered it.

The port control office which looks a bit like a ships bridge.

The café at the back of the harbour control.

Finally a picture of the vismijn itself. It smells a bit but it’s certainly worth the walk/drive through because of the nice pictures of fishermen in it.

I hope you could all understand this feature and that it will be a good help when walking around in Oostende.

 Cedric Hacke, July 2008

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