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.