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!