The coast guard keeps an eye on the sea

Coast guard

The unnamed sandbank (Bank zonder Naam) rechristened as Lodewijkbank

29.11.2011

On November 18th 2011 the reproduction of the "Fisheries chart for Blankenberghe" was officially inaugurated at Blankenberge town hall.

The original, a rare maritime chart of Flemish sandbanks, can be found in Sint-Pieters college in Blankenberge. The chart, painted on canvas, dates back to 1890 and was used to train fishers-to-be in the Free School for Fishermen. Teacher Joseph Ponjaert designed it based on English sea charts and on the knowledge of local fishermen. The chart boasts around 90 sand banks and fairways, some of them carrying strange names indeed (Blister Fairway, Evil Ground, ...). The majority of these names cannot be found on older or more recent charts.

Chart Lodewijkbank

This chart made it possible for the sand bank known hitherto as "the unnamed sandbank" to be rechristened as'Lodewijkbank". This is the sandbank on which Northwind NV will construct its windmill park.

This is partly the merit of Pascal Depoorter, Coast Guard secretary. He found it odd to use the term "the unnamed sandbank", especially in offical permits and publications and decided to see if there existed alternative. Both the internet and the Hydrography team at Coastal Division were unable to help. His quest then led him to a sketch in the book "De zee van toen (the sea of yesterthe past)" by Guido Rappé depicting various fairways along the Belgian coast. Here "the unnamed sandbank" was listed as "Lodewijkbank". Pascal then notified the Flemish Institute for the Sea of his findings. They looked into the historic proof of correctness for this title and ended up at the Sint Pieters college in Blankenberge. 

Meanwhile the name change has gotten the green light from the International Hydrographic Organisation. The Flemish Hydrography has already included the name ‘Lodewijkbank’ in the first update of the electronic charts on November 25th 2011. The adjustment of the paper charts will be carried out early 2012, with the first printed edition of the year.

A big reproduction of this old chart can be bought at the Flemish Institute for the Sea and the Sint-Pieters college and costs 10 euro.