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July 22 Sunday
Arzviller Incline Plane to Steinbourg (lock 36)
Beautiful morning.

Early start to get down to Saverne through 12 lock automatic chain before totally clogged with terrorists on 1st day out.
Virtually succeeded until after Lutzelbourg, when - believe it or not - slowest terrorist ever joined us.

Lots and lots of boats going up, but they made little difference to us, the significance, until we were past the Locaboat base at Lutzelbourg was that the outward Sat eve/Sun morn spread of the big Crown Blue Line at Hess were still behind us.
Lovely run through beautiful valley in superb weather. (high time).

Bought bread and quick photo session in Saverne - met a pair of Germans with a sense of humour whilst tied to the railings below the lock.

Lunch on the move, looking for shady spot to eat, and eventually moor up.
Found one at once below S.M. after corner and bridge, but joined on landward side by grubby elderly female, and her nit-witted sun.
Also lots more children on bikes.

Left and had to embark on next chain, where sods law dictated we fell in with the same boat as held us up this morning.
Found some shade further down canal, but a bit noisy with trains, and very fidgety with speeding terrorists - and it has to be said - one or 2 private boats as well.

However, stayed put, and had comfortable cool night.


July 23 Monday
Steinbourg (lock 36) back to Saverne.
Started grey, turned sunny and very hot.

Once again, change of plans.
Decided not to make a run for Strasbourg - probably 1 and three quarters days, in case we got held up with a string of terrorists in automatic locks, and whole plan, including catching trains, was shamboliered.

Gentle start, turned round, and headed back for Saverne.
Shared locks (5 off, an automatic chain) up with Iron Maiden an English boat.
Asked them what sort of knickers an iron maiden wore - but lead balloons weren’t in it. Probably been asked every other day since trip began.
Large iron boat after style of Dutch Barges. Rather nice, and very practical looking. Met them at first lock of chain, pulling out of their overnighter, as we were doing tirette.
Looking back, wonder if they didn’t know what to do with a tirette - especially as this was a pull one, rather than grab and turn.
On the other hand, they had just come down the Rhine - so who knows what?

Requested them to go in first - some quite interesting driving and rope work followed. Must be shared, hired, or whatever.
Did their best to ram a poor innocent Dutchman in the last pound by turning through 90 degrees and heading straight across the canal for him. Dutchman put foot amidst clouds of black diesel smoke and escaped - just - and looked to us for sympathy.
Could only be facetious!

Into Saverne, and onto jetty mooring at base of finger pontoons Ffr 50.00 - ouch.
Hot and sweaty, so hid under trees, and did nothing until after lunch.

Up to town, bought S’s rail ticket, visited Information Centre - unskillfully managed by dumbest blonde ever - sat in pavement cafe and ate most expensive, but most delicious ice creams ever, visited Super Market and bought right oil for engine, and returned to boat in a rush hour, on Bromptons, when all the traffic lights had failed, or been switched off - Interesting driving.

Found moorings had filled up with Germans, all talking loudly to each other, just like Brits do at St J. de Losne.
Many small children - very small - still playing around at 2100.


July 24 Tuesday
in Saverne.

Site seeing, - very old, interesting town with some lovely architecture.
One of their chief claims to fame is the rosarie, a large beautifully laid out rose garden with thousands of plants, of hundreds of varieties.
Appeared to have had no maintenance of any sort - grass cutting, weeding, nor dead heading - for 3 months. Looked an absolute mess, and a real tragedy - and they were still advertising it in the Tourist Bureau, and charging entrance Ffr15.00.
It was obvious that up to that time it had been beautifully looked after, but, apparently, there was now no gardener! Just like that.
Shopping,
Watching hire boats - a never failing source of interest.
Getting S ready for departure.

July 25 Wednesday
Saverne to Schaffouse-sur-Zorm.
Saw S. off at 0700 for UK!

Cleaned boat, watered, bought bread.
Very hot, clear and stinging sun.

Down to-wards Strasbourg, through 2 chains of locks - the first lock in the first chain after Saverne didn’t work. Hire Boats moor up in the radar beam and it gets bored, and switches the system off.
Otherwise peaceful trip, most of the way unaccompanied, although the navigation seethed with pairs of hire boats and German cruisers. Perhaps they were telling me something, letting me go on solo!
Moored up in shade on canalside, hot, tired and thirsty, about 1330 - 1400.
4 pegs well beaten in, but still had problems with the occasional terrorist or German cruiser lifting Albert off her pegs. The canal is not all that wide here, and the water gets very fidgety both before and after these great ships force their way through at 15 kms an hour

Opened every window, and removed all hoppers - hot, even though we were in total shade.
To get even better shade, moved about 200 metres at 1700.
Very boring and very sweaty, but in long term very worth it.


July 26 Thursday
Schaffouse-sur-Zorm.
Stayed put all day - blessed last evening’s move - got shade from 1100 onwards for rest of day, although a lot of the day was thin over cast.
However, just as hot as yesterday.

Changed engine oil and filter, changed fuel filter, topped up diesel tank - leaving 2 empty jerrycans to be filled. Had shower!
Took the whole of the afternoon to recover from extremely sweaty morning.
Did some boat cleaning titivation - but too hot to be serious.
Uploaded last week’s log, but it mashed itself.
Uploaded to wrong file name?!?! or just sod's law?
Now what?
Do some thinking.
Too hot to think - just sit in chair and greet and enjoy cyclists and roller bladers.


July 27 Friday
Schaffouse-sur-Zorm to Souffleweyersheim.

Charged off full of vigour after day off - but very very hot - brolley totally necessary, in spite of occasional breeze.
Stopped of at VNF depot at Briqueterie for water, rubbish, and bread from Hochfelden - about 2 kms, but worth the sweaty ride for peace of mind.

Found the skeleton of a brolley identical to ours in rubbish bin - scavenged bits that would be of use in repairing ours - ribs and support braces.

Note that the depot - that used to be quiet and silent, but had a very clever heath robinson type joke loo in the garden made of bits of inappropriate machinery has been "professionalised" with machinery and stores in the flower beds, and all along the canalside.

Lunch at "tables pour pique-nique".
A touch sordid and dusty gravelly, but some shade, at least.

Just at spot where we stopped last time to walk to the Cora S.M. for gas, saw something swimming in the canal.
Hedgehog with only turned up tubular nose and a few prickles out of water, but swimming strongly. Not a hope of escaping at that point - canal sided with vertical sheet piles. Requested assistance from boy cyclist, but took quite some time to stop boat and back it up gently and sensibly.
Managed, and tried to catch idiot creature in hat - it climbed out back into the water each time. Then unloaded front locker and extracted lattice sided collapsible boxes, and caught him/her in it, handed him ashore to be rolled into the grass, re-packed front locker.

Replaced wet hat on head - utterly delicious.

Went on to lock 50 moorings at Souffelsweyersheim which were the end or top point of this trip, where, in security and quiet and comfort, we could leave the boat and take a short bus ride into Strasbourg.
The moorings were next to a busy and noisy road bridge, they were also next to a set of public loos - invariably occupied in summer months, and as now, by young rowdies, there was not a scrap of shade, but it must be admitted there were some nice flower beds.
The moorings were shut and cordoned off with notices, floating ropes, and filled with a mass of floating and shore side machinery parked up.

Turned round in mouth of lock whilst small yacht came up - only just made it - and went back 400 metres to bank side opposite tarmac cycle/roller blade path and moored up to vertical, deep watered, neatly cemented, fully shaded spot.

Most satisfactory - yacht followed suit, and we were soon joined by a hire boat. Invited to drinks on the yacht, but only if you can bring your own cold beer. Both they and I had consumed too much at lunch time and forgotten to replenish fridge, but managed somehow. Australian Mrs, Canadian Mr!

Then invited to French hire boat. 3 toddlers - youngest 4 months, eldest 3? 4? they had had a difficult holiday, and although this was 3rd time, would not be repeating it for some years!
Quiet peaceful spot.


July 28 Saturday
Souffleweyersheim to Strasbourg.

Had quite decided last night to go back to Saverne in a huff, but seemed a pity with 4 days to play with not to have another quick look at Strasbourg waterways.
Once again turned the boat, and headed back in.

Past the incredible 3 buildings of the European Union - "Palais de l’Europe, Council, Justice", etc, etc. Should be ashamed of themselves, how can grown up people create such a racket - and round the corner and the next corner, past the very expensive yacht club we stayed at last time, and round through the docks and basins, to the first uphill lock since Rechicourt Deep Lock.

Mild contretemps - thought I had it to myself, then a little yacht and a motor cruiser appeared behind.
Backed out, let yacht in, then returned in, lady L.K. helped with bow line on, at my insistence, the rear bollard of lock, shutting cruiser out. Rather cross, but there wasn’t room for him, other than squashing up dangerously, and neither he nor L.K. understood the destructive power of 16 tons of steel narrow boat let loose on plastic!

Into Port de l’Hopital, right round on the south-Western end of the loop the canal makes round east and South Strasbourg.
These were club moorings, and no space for 15m Albert - Saturday afternoon - and really too long for fingers.
However, made to breast up to Back o’ The Moon - to Capitaine’s concern - but as he only spoke German, some confusion. Basically - he had not got permission to allow breasting up on Back o’ The Moon, and they (Allan and Denise) were away - so although she - the boat - had dirty great fenders out, it was - quite rightly - no go
The Capitaine is a fortnightly chore the club members do - they aren’t professionals, so not fair to try and pressurise.