Captain Blue Sea Trip on the Franlis III

Seeing Ostend from the sea puts the whole city in perspective: the harbour mouth and its piers, the long line of the promenade, the Kursaal and the dunes beyond. Captain Blue’s boat, the Franlis III, offers exactly that in a 45-minute round trip from a pontoon on the Visserskaai, opposite the fish market.

The boat sails out of the harbour channel to the Buitenstroombank buoy offshore and comes back along the coast, close to the beach. There are seats on the open front and rear decks and a covered area inside if the wind picks up. Dogs are welcome on board.

Public sailings run daily in July and August, with several departures between late morning and late afternoon; outside the summer the boat only sails for groups. Book online: only an online ticket guarantees a seat, and trips are cancelled in bad weather. Note that you need to be able to board unaided, so the boat is not suitable for wheelchairs.