2000
Sunday
Nancy to Toul.
Still overcast, and cool.
"Found" that we were somewhat short of water (Paul's shower?), and
looked around for some.
Failed - water at Port de Plaisance in Nancy completely surrounded by large
German cruisers, and although it would have been possible in early morning
before wind rose, to wriggle in, by the time we had got up, had traditional
boiled eggs for Sunday breakfast, there was too much breeze to risk it.
Then had the deep and intelligent thought - we were only "low" on
water, not "out". We would need no water till evening, and the boat
would go up the run to Toul over the wide Moselle, etc, far better without an
extra three quarters of a ton of water to carry up in the bows.
That was a good excuse for forgetting, and being too idle to be positive
about it.
After all, the little water we drink we buy in plastic bottles - and it is
now so cool that the odd shower could easily be missed.
Very good run up to Toul up the wide Moselle - still strange waters for a
narrow boat used to having land a couple of feet from the rear platform. The
Moselle is some 60 to 100 metres wide!
Met a full sized new Moselle freighter, loaded right down with enormous
bundles of wire - presumably from the mills at Neuves Maison. He came through
centre arch of bridge - although marked no entry - and looked as if he was
heading straight for us. We cowered near the bank, and he came down far side of
main channel amidst waves from his entire family - looked as though there were
about 15 people in the wheelhouse - all surrounded by sun film glass.
Faffed around at entrance to "Canal de l'Est Branche Nord", at the
entrance to Toul, trying to make up our minds as to what to do. It was 1500, and
Jules wasn't due till 1900 at Toul Rly stn.
Eventually did up-river tirette, having come from down river, (that'll fox 'em)
and went in. This is one of those wretched "chains" of locks miles up
the Branch Nord beyond Toul.
Up 3 locks, into Port of Plaisance.
Appeared stuffed with horrid boats, but saw taps on end of pontoon within
easy reach of Albert.
Did our usual act of frightening everyone in marina with boat turning, etc,
and tied up the bows, helped by a friendly Belgian (perfect English, and near
perfect girl friend) and filled water.
Worked out a decent mooring, and tied up properly in reasonable privacy, and
waited for Jules amid a flurry of fatuous SMS messages over mobile phone.
Went and recce'd route from station to boat, some 50 - 100 metres, and came
back to find horrid French boat mooring right next door, when there was, in
fact, plenty of space elsewhere on the pontoons.
Radiated anger. French children peered through our kitchen window from jetty,
so we crossly flipped curtains across, French family disappeared completely.
Have we got powers of witch-craft? We have a broom on top of the boat, but it is
used for holding up the middle of the stern tarp cover up normally.
Jules arrive amidst noise, red wine, and more noise.
Noisy roads, and noisy boat crews in marina, all quietened down, and we had a
peaceful night.
August 16
Monday
Toul to Richarmenil .
Rained most of the night, and most of the day - light continuous drizzle interspersed
with quite heavy showers - cool - sweat shirts on all day, and at times,
fleeces.
Out onto main river through Toul Locks into main river locks.
Spent wet morning - whilst women drove - "sorting" out private
affairs, principally bank statement.
It would appear - in this electronic age - that there is a hole in the market
for a bank account - an ordinary day to day personal account - that can be
accessed, studied, transactions made and/or checked, all on one's computer, the
information coming in over the internet or by e-mail. No voice tel calls
involved, just get through, give a password or pin number, log on, have one's
latest and totally up to date bank statement there on the screen, and instruct
whatever direct transactions one wants.
Anyone got any ideas? and is there such a thing?
Lunch on little pontoon on river side - 12 metres long, so we hung over ends.
Just tying up when huge freighter went past, gunnels under, loaded with
scrap. Size is obtainable from regulations for this stretch of waterway, which
runs from Neuve Mainsons, past Nancy (not through) by Metz and up into Germany.
The freighters are allowed to be 110 metres long, by 11.40 metres wide, drawing
2.9 metres, with 5.1 metres air draught. The locks are actually 174 metres long
X 12 metres wide, which I think is over 2 hectares or 5 acres in area. They (the
boats - the locks are stationary, except when being entered in a strong cross
wind) travel at 10 to 15 km per hour.
It is not clever to be overtaken by one of these things - the bow-wave and
disturbance of water is immense, and would send us surfing and broaching. We
just held Albert manually on the pontoon until he was gone, and even then it
felt as they the pontoon moorings were going to be torn out of the ground.
After the last big lock, just below Neuves Maisons we were into the proper
Canal de l'Est, with Peniche size locks, and proper lock-keepers. Quite a joy to
get back to them, even though they can be odd. We'll see lots as we go down.
After lunch Jules off on cycle - whereupon the rain poured down.
Picked her up at the same moorings at Richardmenile as we stayed on on our
way up.
Weather now generally very changeable and autumnal, with trees turning and
conkers falling off the chestnuts.
August 17
Tuesday
Richardmenil to Bainville aux Mirrors
Very slow start - slept in! Weather grey and showers threatening, although no
major rainstorms.
We covered this bit of canal last month, however, it must be said, that it is
bloody marvellous having the system to ourselves - no hire boats come here - it
is too far from any hire station, and the canal itself and locks are a little
elderly and battered. Hence we passed probably 4 boats to-day!
Jules off on bike first thing, and returned with breads, quiches Lorraine and
such like goodies, then off again, and kept showing up at various locks.
The canal is here is staid, steady, runs alongside the road, the River
Moselle, between lines of trees, could be said to be boring, with regular locks,
all manned at this time of year by students, but there is a lot to be said for
good steady motoring, after warring with hireboats and Germans.
It should be noted, that whilst praising manned locks, there was one lock
to-day where had to go ashore and wake the L.K. up from his "Z" Bed,
in his little hut. His particular lock gates looked very battered, and it turned
out that a tractor had left the road over the week-end and sat on the top of the
gate on it's way into the lock.
Unfortunately, our French is still not adequate for this sort of occasion!
Moored up at one of our better choice of moorings, looking out over a very
young R. Moselle, just S. of Bainville sur Miroirs. Put chairs out, and sat out
for drinks, but driven in about 1930 - cold - to have supper in boat.
Leaves are beginning to drop, and although it is the middle of August, there
is no question but that Autumn is with us.
August 18
Wednesday
Bainville aux Mirrors to Igney (just along from Steven and Anthea picnic).
Steady motoring - lock after lock - all up hill - i.e. boat into empty
cavern, and then filled with rushing water while boat rises.
We had run into a section of the canals where the L.K.s insisted we tie the
boat up in the locks - against our well tried custom, and as they are the boss
on this sort of thing it was back to Nivernais style. Self up lock ladder with
rope, tie bows and assist L.K. as is customary (The big Peniche skippers manage
their side of the lock completely - with the assistance of their wives- as well
as their boat, but at least it is easy, from their height, to get on and off the
lock side.
Unfortunately, we had lost the skill, and banged several locks, as well as
scraping along the very coarse concrete walls.
Weather overcast and showers, and strong wind - dull and ordinary - and cool.
Moored up at same spot at Igney as on way up, but weather cleared at 1800,
and it suddenly occurred to us that we could move the boat a matter 30 yards, be
sheltered from the wind, be in the sun, which came out for the first time
to-day, and have a nice view!
Did so, although we were on a 3 pin and a ring mooring.
August 19
Thursday
Igney to Charmoussey (same place on the summit as on way up)
Started fine and breezy, but developed into a rip-roaring hooly as day wore
on.
Flatly refused to tie up in locks - even with the wind, and without drama did
so no more, including the flight.
Jules off on bike in Igney - did French peasant act with lots of loaves in
bag over shoulder.
Called in to Epinal for a few S.M. supplies, and to find out for Jules if
trains ran on track marked on large scale map, and if so from where and when.
Up to station (Only 3 mins, says local person - and so it was - the freight
end. The passenger end was another km.)
Got info, and reckoned we needed taxi firms tel no.
To Tourist Info in town centre. lots more Kms - Mad dash - Jules walks faster
than me, Wanted to be out of Epinal and at top of 15 lock flight out to summit
by evening, as we couldn't stop in the flight - the pounds are too short and,
quite rightly, mooring up, apart from being uncomfortable and dangerous, is
forbidden. We did NOT want to stay on town mooring in Epinal - nice mooring,
clean and well organised and plenty of space, but too much traffic, and too many
people.
Got out of Epinal - interesting manoeuvre leaving moorings with lots of large
expensive boats, lots of wind from all directions, and not a lot of space. Made
good time up flight - no-one argued about tying up - and my presence wasn't
required to help run the lock - a couple even agreed to one gate only (the
greatest time saver of all).
Managed a quick search and questioning of the L.K. at the lock where our
remaining Natal Parks Board mug was left on the grass last month - but no joy!
Wind reduced as afternoon/evening went on, and it was a great a joy to be in
reasonably still - albeit cool - air in the trees at the top.
Endless planning and re-planning of Jules's departure. If only visitors had
close friends in the helicopter driving business.
Finally, ordered taxi to pick Jules up at Menomenil bridge, and take her back
to Epinal. The local train would have meant a 0600 start and a taxi as well! Not
on.
We were joined during the day by a tiny bug like boat driven by an outboard,
rather after the style of our Wilderness Otter, but even smaller. They were
covered in fenders, and took it all desperately seriously, tying up in the locks
as though they were steadying the Q.E.II in a force 9 gale. They wasted a lot of
our time, taking for ever to come into locks behind us, and faffing about.
August 20
Friday
Charmoussey (same place as on way up) to Menomenil
Jules off for bread - what a splendid system this is, we normally get new
bread for lunch every 2nd or 3rd day.
This was a nice day. Weather pulled itself to-gether, and while it stayed
cool, we saw lots of sun, no rain, and pleasant stress free boating down the
canal - lots of locks, but all down hill.
We eventually "lost" the little bug by not stopping for lunch where
they did - she was nice, and helped us with French, but he was bone idle, and
started to get slightly dictatorial over who stopped where, when, and for what.
Lock keepers still mostly the students we saw and experienced on the way up,
but the lazier youths seem to have gone, the girls stayed on (they were always
the more competent), becoming sun bronzed and good to look at.
Countryside pretty, agricultural, canal largely bordered by woodlands,
reasonably open and looking good in the sunshine.
August 21
Saturday
Melomenil to Ambevilliers
Wonder of all wonders - taxi ordered for 0830 at the bridge at the bottom of
the village actually arrived driving down the towing path at 0823!
Set off at 0900, fine weather, but ran into the trouble we experience on the
way up.
This canal is not high on the priorities for repair and renewal (there is no
hire base that uses this section, very little commerce, so all traffic is
private , and most of the canal banks were last revetted about a century ago
with wood stakes and planks. Since then numerous large rocks have been dropped
into the worst places to protect them from wash erosion. This results in the
banks either being far too shallow, or dangerously rocky, so there is no-where
to tie up to, so no stopping places, except a very occasional crowded formal
ones.
Thus we did not stop for lunch, but had it "on the hoof", stopped
briefly on the public moorings at Fontenoy le Chateau (a nice village, spoilt by
a small hire base, and the only one between Lagarde beyond Nancy, and Gray, down
the Saonne) to get our "lock zappers" and bread, and pushed on to a
poor mooring on a high bank at Ambevilliers.
It was at Fontenoy that we met the archetypal Englishman, who knows it all,
and has to impart his knowledge and advice to all other English speakers - be
they total strangers, and irrespective of their experience. It appears the
French when they meet other Frenchmen on the waterways, gossip, the Germans ask
technical questions - boat speed, fuel consumption, length, breadth, building
materials and what it cost and costs, while the English tell everyone what to
do, and how to do it.
Eventually, fairly late and tired, moored up in just enough water to a high
bank, but soft soil.
Unfortunately it was Saturday; change-over day at the hire base, and as all
their customers go down to the Saonne, we were treated to a succession of
lunatics lifting us off our pegs. The final straws were 2 very large ones - the
first being full of girls with uniform striped sailor type shirts, going much
too fast, (we were too busy holding ropes to "check them out"), and
the second and last one - 8.00 p.m. - plain drunk, and going like the bats.
Finally zapped the lock just above us, so that it awaited uphill traffic, and
wouldn't open for boats coming down until a boat went through from below, or
until a L.K. came and re-set it. No more traffic came past! A regrettable piece
of sabotage, and probably ineffectual, as too late, but it was some sort of
revenge, and hopefully may have prevented further singularly uncomfortable and
irritating bouncing about in ignorant buggers' wash.
