The med!!!

Set off with a fairly nice morning, but the wind steadily increased to 30 odd notts at times causing big steep waves, and although they were with us it was still uncomfortable. We finally arrived at Port St Lous Du Rhone, but the holding area off the river before the combined lock & road bridge was already filled with moored boats. No one seemed to want us to raft up to them and just as we were about to make a forced landing whether they liked it or not, the lights changed to "get ready". We headed back out into the river to turn around - hoping the mast would hold on for just a bit longer - and came back straight into the lock. We went below for about half an hour to eat, until we heard the bridge going up. We hadn't realised that the gates had shut behind us and we'd been locked down to sea level. Luckily it must have only been a few centimetres as the ropes didn't seem any different to when we tied up!
As we motored through the channel that leads to the sea, heading for Port Napoleon, we came across Navy services. We pulled up and went in to get some prices for raising the mast & hauling for the winter and decided to use them. A couple of days later the mast was up, and we were heading out into the med for Marseille, stopping for the night at Sausset Les Pins. The next morning, laid on the fordeck steering with the remote, we decided that the small islands to the South looked nicer than Marseille city and headed into one of the bays for the night. We anchored in 7m of crystal clear water, had dinner, then put on the wetsuit and had 3 hours of scrubbing the light film of algae on the bottom & thick mud from the canals off everything else. We had the cruising chute up ready as we set off the next morning, but the wind died and we chugged back the 30 odd Km to Port St Louis, anchoring in 1m of water with picturesque views of the container port & steelworks. We didn't want to go back and decided to anchor for one last night here. I had 20 last swims the next morning, bagged all the sails, took the boom off then motored back to Navy services to be lifted out for the winter.

Nearly there!

19.08.07 2003
Up early this morning again (0730) but still couldn’t contact the lock on the vhf. In the end Mayuri walked around and he told us 20 minutes and also that we were on the wrong vhf channel! We cast off at 0835 into the lock. It was a really hot day again and I was reduced to trunks by 0900 although Mayuri kept on her jeans & fleece. After the last big lock of the trip, we stopped at Arles at 1300 even though it’s only another 40km to the med, as there’s no where to moor in between and lots of different information about the times of the very last lock that lets you into port St Louis Du Rhone. Before we got to Arles, an old guy in a canoe came next to us and asked if I minded him using our wave to help him along. I said ok and he stayed next to us for an hour doing over 7kts. He’d come from Chalone and said he’d done the same trip 30 years ago in a motor boat.
We went into Arles to see the sights and although there’s some good Roman buildings, it’s a bit of a dump. The marina consists of one pontoon that we just squeezed onto in the last available gap, that’s tilting as though it’s about to sink any minute. The guy next to us said it’s 12 euros a night although there’s no one collecting any money. We have electric & water.
The most impressive sight of the day was a barge carrying lorry containers that came past. Not really one barge but two 2600 tonne, 79m barges, joined together and being pushes by a separate 20m (ish) pusher barge. The guy must need binoculars just to see the front, but was still flying past around the bend that were berthed next to.

Photos..... through the canals of France

Avignon

18.08.07
An even more ambitious attempt of 129km to Avignon today. Started off badly when I ignored my alarm at 0600 pretending that the sun wasn’t up when I knew it was because of the tinted windows really. We were off at 0700 though, a free night in the marina as it was shut when we arrived and still shut when we left. We didn’t take on any water as I was trying to keep the boat as light as possible to get that little extra speed. I still kept the engine running at 1600 rpm as always but tried to keep in the centre of the river where the flow’s fastest except when cutting the corners of the long sweeping bends, hoping not to meet one of the hotel barges coming in the opposite direction at 35kph. The scenery and mountains were spectacular all day. Lots of nuclear power stations, one with a massive picture of a baby on the side of one of the cooling towers? Lots of TGV trains flying across the bridges. A group of bee eaters came flying around the boat for a while. The wind started really blowing on one long stretch and even though it was northerly and the waves it kicked up were moving in the same direction as us it knocked our speed down at least a knot from the smooth water. A group of wind surfers were making the most of it though absolutely flying across our bows & stern. We had six locks to get through but on the Rhone we come last to all commercial traffic and we waited an hour at one & an hour & a half at another which ended our attempt at Avignon. We tried floating around the other day while waiting, but with three knots of current dragging you to the edge of the barrage for an hour and a strong wind at the top of all the dams it was too much hassle. Today we went onto the waiting pontoons which are all placed at the narrow entrance to the lock behind the piles for the barges to wait at. This means we have to berth downwind weaving between the piles and concrete quay trying to keep our speed under control as we squeeze through the gap and then do the same in reverse when we leave. Luckily the concrete walls keeps the current quite slow so it’s only the wind you have to think about. The locks started off an impressive size and got bigger all day. The length & width are a standard 195m x 12m and in the end we must have been falling 40m. It makes the 8x4m boat feel very small when you’re the only thing in there.
At 2015 we approached the sixth lock just 6km short of Avignon, but the light was on red. We berthed up and tried to contact the lock on the vhf but there was no reply, so we had called it a night & had showers.
Awoken in the middle of the night by two massive spotlights shining through the windows as a barge also moored up on the piles next to us.

Off Again

Off at 0800 after three days in Lyon. The Rhone was easy after the Saone in flood but my plan for a 112km run with a fast flowing river started to look as though it wasn‘t going to work out. It was ok in the narrow parts, where we averaged over 7kts and just touched 10kts at times, but where it widened we struggled to make 6kts. The problem came with the 5 massive locks we had to get through in the day. Two were done in 20mins. We were about to moor up outside one showing a red light, but when it went to red/green, we decided to float around ready to enter. A commercial barge turned up 20mins later and we’d been an hour by the time we left the other side. Just approaching another, the barge overtook us and entered the lock, but we weren’t allowed in as he was carrying gas or petrol so had to wait a full lock cycle which cost us an hour again. The doors got stuck in the last lock, and it moved so slowly I think the guy was cranking it by hand - another 45mins. I had my first conversation in French on the vhf with one lockkeeper which is surprising as I can still hardly speak a word, but the guy said merci beaucoup at the end so I must have told him what he wanted to hear, even though we were ten minutes finding the new batteries to put in it from when he first called us on his loudspeakers! Luckily there was a strong northerly wind and more narrow bits then wide and we made it to Valence just before 2000 - small boats aren’t allowed to navigate after sunset.
Most of the other boats in Lyon had left the day before in the rain, but I’m pleased we waited for the sun as the Rhone valley was really nice with the first vineyards we’ve seen and proper mountains in the distance.
On the way to Lyon from Macon, we’d wondered why we only came through one lock, when the guy from the restaurant boat had said there should be three. But we found out yesterday that the locks were shut due to the high water level, and we’d gone over the barrage that’s usually the waterfall. I remember both, the first being not too bad apart from a feeling that we were going the wrong way and being terrified going over the second sideways and out of control.

Lyon....just about in control!

2144 As we slipped the lines at 0900 this morning and nudged our way through the floating bollards another guy gestured to us about going out onto the river, indicating that it wasn't a good idea. I hoped he was wrong as we had 82km to Lyon. The sun was out and it was shorts only. Saw a couple of oncoming barges after about 4 hours and one other yacht struggling upstream as we neared Lyon. The river was still running fast and we made over 8kts a lot of the time - still dodging trees & thousands of branches & bits. Just before the first lock we turned around and tried to berth against a wall for the night but the water was too high for its shape at the top so we aborted and carried on towards the lock. The light was on red, but we couldn't hold position in the fast stream and drifted towards the waterfall that bypassed the lock. Luckily the light went to green and we motored into it along with a couple of trees. The lock keeper came down and tried to explain about the system that was in place because of the fast water, where we had to wait at a particular point at certain times for upstream traffic so as not to be trying to manouvre through the bridges at the same time - very difficult as he didn't speak any English. He asked to see our navicarte to make it easier and couldn't believe we were navigating with our map of Europe. I went up to the control room with him and he showed me on his map. We found the waiting point 40 mins later & 10km downstream, but it was full of barges. I turned upstream and moored against one, after the lady who was sunbathing in its garden gave us permission. We waited a couple of hours for our turn and set off at 1745. We had the whole of the river through Lyon to ourselves as we were swept through just about in control. A few km later we saw the point described in the book with willow trees and boats moored to the side. We floated past looking for a space and after choosing one, tried to turn. With one motor in forward & the other in reverse we usually turn on the spot, but even with full lock we hardly turned at all. I quickly tried a few combinations of steering and engines and we very slowly began to turn although we'd just about been swept past the whole line of boats and were heading straight for the pillar of the bridge downstream. With just a little space left, we finally turned upstream and I put both engines hard forward. We slowed down but were still slowly being swept downstream. Everyone was out on their boats looking - they said later it didn't look too good as I was swept past! I shut the starboard motor off and just left the port one on, and slowly we stopped and then managed 0.5kts in the right direction. I ferry glided towards the line of boats hoping for less current at the side. We finally climbed to 1.3kts, by which time a crowd had gathered in the space that I was aiming for. As we gently glided into the gap there were English, Germans & French all waiting to take the lines and adjust the fenders. The Rhone has been closed to navigation and most of the boats had been here for four days, watching the river come up another 4 feet. Were nearly at the top of the quay and the level has been predicted to rise another 20cm tonight which will just about cause us to float over the top. One of the boats has lent me a tyre that's sunk below the water line so hopefully that should hold us off - if we're not holed by any of the trees & logs that keep hitting us as they hurtle past. It's all turned out good today, but we probably shouldn't have set off really. The Rhone starts not very far past where were moored, but even if it wasn't closed I'd still be staying put for a few days until the water level falls a bit! It seems really nice here anyway. Lyon is the third biggest city, and after our arrival we were invited for beers & food on the quay with all the other boat people.

Floating trees...............and killer wales?

1847 As we set off this morning at 0900, we instantly got caught up in something and had to work the prop in forward & reverse to clear it. We were off to a flying start again in the still fast flowing river which swept us along under the bridges we struggled to pass yesterday coming upstream. I'd cleared some weed & twigs from the engine cooling water strainer before we set off which somehow caused the breathers on the shaft seals to pump loads of water out, filling their little containers and flooding the bedroom floors, as when I tightened the strainer a bit more it stopped. Normally the boat sails along in a fairly straight line, just needing small inputs to keep on course, but in this river it continually tries to go sideways and it's a real effort to keep on track - as well as dodging the trees & logs all floating along with you. At one point I saw a big black fin sticking out of the water coming straight at me with a "v" shaped turbulance streaking out behind it. Just as I thought we were being attacked by a killer whale, the big red body of the channel marker with a black fin shaped radar reflector popped up for a second and then was dragged back under and I realised it was chained to the bottom and it was me heading for it. We swerved just in time! We passed about ten boats coming up stream through the day, all fairly big power boats and all except the two that were planing at about 30mph made gestures how slow the progress was for them. Towards dinner something became wrapped around the port prop that we couldn't shake off, so we swapped to the starboard side, still making over 7kts at 1600rpm. A couple of ports that we passed were full so we pulled into the port de pleasance in Macon at 1415 and took a bows too mooring, threading our own line through the floating mooring buoy after floating about for a few minutes thinking how it was all going to work without one of our motors. As it happened, I tried the port motor very slowly and it worked. A few minutes later the wet suit was on and I went under for a look - there were remenants of reed but it must have untangled itself as the prop was clear. The rope cutter worked when I spun the prop with my finger in the wrong place. I checked the rest of the hull which was fine and really clean considering we had long grass growing off us when we left Dover. I think the salt water things must just die off in the fresh water.

Formula one pitstop!? Chalon sur Saone

2152 Left at 0855 this morning with the rain just about holding off. Practised ferry gliding onto the fuel barge pontoon where we filled up. Set off downstream with a really strong current, making between 6 & 8kts over the ground. Lots of trees, logs and other bits to dodge which have been swept into the river due to the heavy rain over the last few days. As we came to a weir, the channel lead us into a long canal section with no flow and we went back to our usual 4.5kts. At the end was the big lock, which I did single handed as there was a sign saying we had to wear life jackets & Mayuri couldn't find hers. My boat handling must have improved as I moored up while putting the life jacket on and eating cheese on toast. The fan belt started making a noise after we set off, but with nowhere to stop on the sides we waited for a few miles until the next lock. We were the last boat in, and as I threw on the mooring line the gates started to shut. I passed it inside to Mayuri (still with no lifejacket), took the engine cover off, tightened the fan belt, went in and washed my hands, killed two blue bottles that had bypassed our flyscreens, washed my hands again and was back to release the ropes just as the front gates were opening - just like a formula one pitstop! The sun came out for the rest of the day and we did the 46 miles by 1500ish. As we pulled into the marina at Chalon sur Saone, dodging a full tree floating past, the staff started waving their arms to tell us to go away as they were full. We turned around and headed back into the main river to make for a commercial dock we'd seen about 1km back upstream. It was really difficult to make any progress at all and to keep control in the big whirlpools that were downstream of anything fixed in the water - like bridges. It was quite scary for a while until we got out of the narrow section of the town and past the bridges where we could move over to the side where the flow was slower. We went for a walk into the town later and spotted at least three or four spaces in the marina - but at least ours cost nothing. An English chap who owned the restaurant barge near us came over for a tea later. He said the river sometimes floods in April like this but never August, and pointed out the top of his electric point on his usual mooring just sticking out of the water across the river - he's been here 30 years. He said parts of the rhine has been closed for navigation due to the rain and that we will struggle through Lyon in these conditions although it should subside within a few days if there's no more rain. We decided today to park up when we reach the med and come back home for the winter to earn a bit of cash ready for the spring next year.

St Jean de losne

2138 Thunder and rain this morning still so stayed in the marina - only confirmed at 1200 after the boat whose space we were in didn't turn up. Went shopping and posted cd's of photos to mum. Mayuri slipped getting off the boat but luckily only her leg went in. Hoping for better weather tomorrow.

209 locks behind us, into the River Saone

1731 Nearly didn't bother this morning as we hadn't been booked in for the next lock last night and it was still raining. The girl turned up on her bike though and started to open the gates so I jumped out of bed and quickly got the boat untied for 0900, although we floated around for a bit as she called the maintainance guy out to get to work with his long rake to clear all the reeds blocking the entrance. After this lock and one 300m further on (and several tangles with the prop) we'd done 209 locks and were finally out of the canal network and into the river Saone. There was a nice little ending last night when the kingfisher came and perched on the mast and then on the outboard - but I was still too slow for a photo. After the first river lock a hundred metres further on there was some confusion as the river branched again and on our A4 map of half of Europe, it wasn't too clear which one to take. The rain came down for the next six hours and in the end I gave in and put on my wellies and full oilskins on as it was really cold. It was strange to be on such a wide bit of water again although it was only about the same as the Tamar. There were just another two locks in the day where there was a weir in the river and we finally got to St Jean de losne at about 1500. There was no room on the town quay and I couldn't be bothered with the fuel barge so just went straight into the marina - which was really full. I finally found an empty space, not in the visitor section and we tied up. I went into the office and was told to move into a different space which we did and finally tied up at 1520. Half an hour later after the electric and jerry can routine for the water - still no hosepipe - I came inside to the nice electric heater and the rain stopped . If it rains tomorrow we might stay as it's only 10euros per night and we need shopping anyway.

Two more locks to the end of the canals

1842 Off at 0855 from the noisy duck farm and 15 minutes late for the first lock. Started off in just shorts then went to fleece and hat later as the clouds came over. Didn't see much of Mayuri (now she knows I can do the locks on my own and she can stay inside writing letters) until dinner when she had to jump up and down on the bow to get us unstuck from our shallow picnic spot. Met three oncoming barges, two coming out of locks. The canal is overgrown with reed beds at the side making it even narrower and each time was too close. I found if the front grounds in the mud, you can use a combination of one motor in forward keeping you pinned on the mud and the other in reverse stopping the back end being sucked towards the barge as it passes. It's works well unless the hump of water at the front of the barge ungrounds you then its back to legs over the side & fenders. The rain started just after the 14th lock and I motored the 3km to a silo quay with mooring bollards and a bit of depth for a change, dodging clumps of reeds that were adrift or just cutting the engine when they totally blocked the way to save them becoming wrapped and stopping the engine. The speed kept dropping right until we moored and I later noticed big clumps of reeds between the hulls and hanging out from the sides. Managed to get most out with the boat hook but the rain became really heavy so I went in and called it a night at 1710. Two more locks right in front of us as we set off tomorrow which is the end of the canals and the start of the rivers.

Sunflower fields and pheasant farms

Raining all night and still raining at 0900 this morning when we set off. No point in us both getting wet so I did a single handed day - even though it stopped raining at 1030! We stopped at 1200 as the lock showed two vertical red lights which means prolonged stoppage, but which changed to green as we started eating dinner. Didn't manage to get through until 1445, just after a barge came past and went straight through. The locks became manual after this and because the barge was very slow we only managed 17 miles and 15 locks for the day. Saw just 3 boats all day again. We've seen a lot of dead stuff in the water since entering the canals from a pair of stomachs complete with intestines from some large mammal, loads of fish, a few rabbits and a couple of goats, but after seeing all the rats yesterday it was strange to see about the same number of mice today - all within a couple of locks. Sunflower fields today making a change from the wheat or sweet corn that's been growing since Calais. The trees have also changed since this side of the tunnel - I think they're acacia? Moored with the wooden sticks knocked into the ground right next to a noisy duck & pheasant farm - hope they shut up when it gets dark. 0900 start again tomorrow.

Frogman deer and dead rats!

Off at 0820 for the last locks to the summit of the canal. The gps read 346m above sea level at lock no.1. A few km later as we were about to enter the 5km tunnel, a couple started waving at us and trying to tell us that there was a deer in the water just inside the tunnel. Our French wasn't good enough to work that out - they were English. We slowed down a bit but never saw it, and the tunnel wasn't wide enough to squeeze past without knowing, although because the water was so still and there was a mist, it was difficult to see anything. The last 5km tunnel we went through took an hour & a half, being towed by a barge. I thought we were doing about the same speed, but came out the other end after 35 minutes. The sun had gone for the day and we pulled up at the next lock for dinner. The couple who told us about the deer turned up, and said that just as we had entered the tunnel, two vans with blue flashing lights & frogmen turned up to do a search! We did the next 11 locks and 6km in two hours as they were all downhill - about 5m each. The ropes got caught at the top three times as well although a bit of reversing got them unstuck without having to climb to the top again. Unfortunately going down, the ropes end up in the water each time and from the tunnel we must have seen at least sixty dead rats floating - always near where the rope fell. We stopped in a picnic area next to the village of Piepape at 1620. Every other house is an old barn ripe for conversion with fruit trees loaded with fruit hanging over all the walls, although it was so run down that they didn't even have a phone box. Booked in at 0900 tomorrow for the first lock.

14 locks and 21 miles to Rolampont

Off at 0840 as we waited for the student lock keeper at the halt nautique instead of the first lock. 14 locks but only 21 miles further as it was Sunday and no one seemed like wanting to do a full day. Finished at 1445. No other boats all day, but a strong head wind that knocked off a little speed. Moored at Rolampont for the night, making use of the taps to do some washing and fill up after I fixed the leaking kitchen sink tap. Plugged into an electric point that seems to be free, but keeps going off. At least it will help to get the fridge cooler as it's very hot today. A group of people have set up a kind of stall on the bank and are just wiring up some kind of sound system. Looks like a busy night.

Chaumont

1939 Another hot sunny day in the mountains or hills or whatever they are at 250m above sea level. Really nice scenery but spoiled a bit when we caught up with a motor boat just before dinner. Although we let him zoom away at each lock, the students who were following and operating them waited for us at the next one every time. He didn't go to the front of the locks which meant our overhanging mast was very close to the doors. Luckily we've got the roping procedure well sorted to prevent surging so there were no accidents. We finished the day early at 1635 in Chaumont. After paying our 6.6 euros for the night we walked the 2km into town and caught up with our emails in an internet café then bought some more food. Student coming at 0830 tomorrow for the next run of locks.

Sun, wildlife and 19th century locks

1955 Set off at 0810 with two fresh baguettes from the baker. Yesterday when we enter this section of the canal a lady came out and gave us a brochure for the area and asked us what time we were starting and where we would be starting from. As all these conversations are in French, we're not sure about any of them, but it made sense when we got into the first lock and a man with a van was there waiting to open the little road bridge at the other side. He followed us for a few miles, opening bridges as we got to them, then swapped with another man in a little two stroke car who did the same thing. We climbed 17 locks throughout the day and as we got deeper into the hills & forests the equipment became more dated until at the bridges, the man had to close the road by hand with a gate, then attach a steel rope onto the bridge and wind it up by hand and the last lady to follow us had to open and close all the lock gates & sluices by winding handles. The canal dates back to the 1860's and I think this was original gear. The day got sunnier as it went on and we only saw about five boats again all day - two were barges at the last lock. There was no wind and the water was so calm you could see the pond skaters zipping around in front of the boat. There were lots of dragon flies too. I saw a big brown bird of prey that looked like an eagle, but I wasn't going to claim it until Mayuri said she saw a fox up a tree, but didn't mention it as I was just entering a lock at the time. She said later it might have been a ginger cat. I also saw two more lizards and got a picture, but the best one for the day has to be a metre long snake that swam out from one bank to the other just before we finished at 1755.

14 locks in the rain

1945 Miserable weather until after dinner today, and an even worse canal. Very narrow with shallow edges and loads of thick weed that kept getting caught around the prop.Luckily we only saw 4 other boats all day but still managed to hit one. We waited outside a lock as a barge (39m long & 375tonnes) came down. We moved as far to the right as possible, nearly touching the bottom. As he came out of the lock and just about reached us, I thought it would be a good idea to start moving forward slowly, as a big hump of water develops at the front of the barge with a big dip for a few metres after, that sucks you towards it and a little forward momentum would give us better control. Just as his bow drew level and with about half a metre between us, our starboard hull went aground, sending the back end out and scraping down about 20m before we both managed to stop and untangle ourselves. The driver helpfully explained that in this canal we should stop altogether due to the shallow water at the edges. Unbelievably there were only minor scrapes on the rudder. At this rate we'll be coming out of the canals on a forklift pallete strapped to two 45 gallon drums. It was uphill the whole day with 14 locks. At this time of the season there are usually shortages of water but all of the locks were full to the brim, causing our fenders to float uselessly over the edge - we motored very carefully out of the lock each time. The locks shut at 1730 for pleasure boats here and at 1715 - the last lock of the day for us, I set off the emergency alarm while trying to pull the handle to start the lock filling up (they're next to each other and both covered in green slime). We waited for about 10 minutes expecting an irate Frenchman, but he was ok and after resetting the alarm even told us a nice place to park up. As we came out of the lock I had to wait at a narrow bit while another barge came under a bridge towards us. Again I was just about touching the sandy bottom, but this time I stayed put. He slowed so much I even had a conversation with his wife as they passed, but we still started to get sucked toward him. Just as he was nearly passed I put the engines in forward and motored safely away. Mayuri went for her shower while I got soaked in one last rain shower for the day and parked up single handed next to the bakery which the guy had told us about. French bread & patti for tea!

Still no internet access

Sorry people, Shane and Mayuri still haven't found internet access! You're going to have to make do with my small contribution of their whereabouts.
Motoring well into France now and should be in St Dizier by today after negotiating more locks! Around three days from Dijon now and heading south.
After purchasing a new phone for use in France (so it doesn't cost him anything when we ring or text him) he of course now has a new number. +33628625413
Hopefully Shane and Mayuri will be able to update the blog themselves next time!

Champagne

Knocked up by the lockkeeper this morning at 0745 and told to get going as we couldn't stay parked next to the lock. Off by 0755! Sunny all day but cold wind until dinner when it became really hot. Had a couple of bumps with the locks due to the cross currents at the entrance but as the bow was right on target every time, it was just the back end - protected by fenders that hit each time, although our fender board got caught on something on one entry and was snapped in two. Just turned onto the canal de la Marne a la Saone, hoping to get a parking space in the halte nautique but it was full so carried on until 1815 when the locks shut. Parked at the dock of Champagne cereales with two barges unloading the six massive concrete bunkers of grain. Lots of tractors & trailers tipping corn at the weigh bridge next to us but luckily the wind is blowing the right way for a change to avoid the dust. See if we're moved on when someone in charge realises we're here!