2004

BACK TO CALENDAR 2004

2.3     5 to 11 June 2004

 

This Weeks "We-think-we-are-here-map".  (Our estimated position at the END of the week.

 

 

The Map is a "thumbnail", click on it for full size whilst still connected to the web-site

5 July 2004   Monday                Villeneuve to Sens   River Yonne

Quietish night - sleeping over on a town quay does ask for mild disturbances from the local youth on scooters - or in this case, a noisy party on an English boat over in the P.de P. on the far side - or quiet - side of the river.

A quick shop at the local small S.M. developed into a big shop, and departure was delayed until 10.15 in cool grey windy weather.

We are enjoying this run down the Yonne - previous runs have been in utterly vile weather, but although changeable this time around, on the whole reasonable, so that countryside - small grain mining - and events are being enjoyed.

Started finding commercial traffic as we progressed down river - proper commercial peniches, not tarted up hotel boats.   So unused to it - really it's 2 years since we saw any - that minor panics set in "don't want to appear stupid and ignorant in front of genuine professionals"!   They were hauling gravel to somewhere downstream from an incredibly lonely belt conveyor right in the middle of no-where.   Study of IGN map (French equivalent of Ordnance Survey) showed that whilst we were wandering down river between tree lined banks, enjoying views of farmland on far valley sides we were in fact passing through a network of hidden gavel pits.

Lunch time picnic spot, duly "improved" with shears, secateurs and Swiss Army knife saw (the river bank had been revetted with willow withies, laid basketwise, and as is their wont, many had taken root and were growing well) on towing path shared with a Toyota Landcruiser whose driver - dressed in chefs gear - was eating his picnic in his car with knife and fork.

Into Sens at tea-time.   Lots of boats on town quay, but lots of room, too.   

Electricity now available from one multi (very multi) outlet - last time, 2 years ago (or was it 3) water only from a black pipe hidden in the bushes.   Black pipe now formalised in a proper stand pipe stand, but flow desperately slow through a push type washhouse tap with square outlet. Let assembled moorers loose on our box of plastic pipe fittings and our long hose, and by late evening all boats were watered up - but we still coiled up our own hose!

Couple of dramas with boat - pop rivets holding bimini supports to-gether are "disappearing".   How can they?   Keeping eye open, and replacing as required.

Also cable from mains charger to batteries terminal broken - don't see how, unless it got trod on.   The charger is at the foot of our bed.   Repaired that as well, and suddenly charge rate much higher!

Good gossip sessions with all and sundry - after being on our own in Villeneuve and above began to feel that everybody wasn't telling us something we ought to know.

Colin and Yvonne - and Bob - came to supper on their way from UK to their boat in Roanne.  Good fun!

 

6 July 2004   Tuesday           Sens to Cannes Lock, above Montereau,    River Yonne.

Good night, but once again inevitable noise of town centre.

Bread run.   Much hastlement - shot off on bike and got completely confused in favourite French pastime of organising traffic into 1 way systems so one can never get to where one wants to go, and still less get back.

Eventually succeeded - in fact there is a good boulangerie just over the bridge from the moorings on the left of the street. Walking distance.

Set off down river 0930 past the 5 acres of unassorted boats moored up at Evans'.

Lovely day, bimini in use from start.

Lunch at Sarbonnes - first sight this year of combining actually taking place.

Then got badly tied up, in steadily strengthening wind, with our first loaded commercial - charged past us on the river stretches, but crawled unbelievably slowly on the canalised bypass stretches, and in case both were held up in the locks for the other.

Lock sharing - all sloping sided, but except for bottom 3 all with little pontoons - quite exciting - strong wind blowing, and he - as is custom - just sat in middle of lock, and drifted very slowly - usually to-wards us.

Had intended to make Montereau by knocking off, but found Isjelmeer and Willie and Eilsa on good spot on bank near Cannes (2nd bottom lock) dolphins, so went between onto revetts and chained up.

Assumption was that we were too narrow to impinge on peniches area if he had wanted to straddle 2 dolphins.   No-one came, anyway.  BUT no-one told us there was a very busy main railway line just behind a line of trees over river opposite us!   Should have read the map.   Trees were just too thick, so we didn't even have the fun of watching the trains.

 

7 July 2004   Wednesday        Cannes Lock, (Montereau) River Yonne to Chartrettes River Seine.

Noted sign in lock that shows much extended hours at these lower Yonne locks - same as on the Seine.  0700-1900 Mon to Fri, and on Sats, Suns, and fêtes days 0800-1230, and 1330-1830.(Ask day before if you want 1900 to 2000!

Said farewell to Yonne, and out onto the big broad, grey Seine (Quote - The Great Grey Green Limpopo River, all set about with fever trees - Best Beloved)

First lock forgot lesson learnt in  previous years on Seine locks - we are very small profiled and must call the locks and tell them we want to go through, or they just shut us out!   This happened - we were about 500 metres short, in poor visibility, and the lock already had 2 or 3 commercials in it, and just shut us out!

Gilled around in strong crosswind for about an hour plus, saw a couple of loaded double peniches doing their crocodile act, saw them past, and duly followed them in, and "descended".

Weather steadily worsened - continuous strong wind and periodic heavy rain, and commercial traffic thickened - 55m peniches, doubles, 4 pan pushers - the lot.

Got wet, cold, uncomfortable, and tired.   Our precious and marvelous bimini keeps vertical thunderstorm rain off beautifully, but not driving wind borne rain, and we retract under those conditions.

Aiming for lock waiting quay at la Cave lock, marked all facilities, although looked a bit dicey from being bumped by fast exiters from lock.   Sure enough, on arrival, situation looked ugly, all electrics, water taps etc removed, and most undesirable.   Moored up as far from lock as possible, and worried.   This was a "bad" mooring.

Funny little buzz boat wandered along - guy nearly fell out of it amidst much hilarity - and he assured as that what we thought was merely a ski-boat mooring on the opposite bank had, in fact, become a full blown P. de P.  One assumes that the original moorings on the lock side proved themselves totally unsuitable, and some one took action.

Upsticked and went across, and found plenty space available on a new strong pontoon outside of the buzz boat jetties, and for €7.00 we had secure comfortable moorings, and all facilities.   Much to be recommended for light boats like us, but they discourage (by doubling their charges) bigger than 12m fellows. (Yes I know, we are almost 15m, but we don't look big and threatening, and counted as "small")

This mooring was a real result - a reasonably comfortable day's run from St Mammé or Montereau.  On the whole, we have found the Seine really difficult for overnight  - or indeed any kind - of moorings.  

Weather cleared up into a reasonable evening - but still not warm enough to sit out. 

 

8 July 2004   Thursday           Chartrettes to Corbeille Essons River Seine

Explosive start to day at 0755.

Voice from front of boat "they've a green and a red (light signal indicating lock being readied for vessels and there's a 4 pan pusher unit coming down".

Stopped fiddling - we can successfully fiddle a whole morning away, if so inclined - threw all mooring lines into bottom of boat in a wet heap (it rained in the night), wound elastic without doing engine checks, shot across river, and crept in behind push tug Kevin and his 4 enormous pans full of gravel.

From now on, as the name is so totally inappropriate, all 4 pan pusher units became "Kevins".

This was a good move - loaded Kevins go at exactly our speed, and we tucked ourselves 200 metres behind him and happily followed where he went - into and out of locks.   Super having his "escort" - river really very busy indeed, now, and our necks, heads, and eyes, were in an almost continuous spin.

Passed by some truly magnificent water front properties more Thames than the Thames.

The looming bread crisis - we hadn't been able to get off the boat for 48 hours to shop, even the big towns do not have appropriate landings for the like of us  - was becoming serious.   We had none - not even 3 day old.

Map showed a "settlement" on left of river, Ponthierry, and on a previous trip we had noted that there was a landing stage on the right.  There was a bridge across the river just beyond both.   Sure enough, it all jelled, we let our Kevin draw ahead, and made a quick dash on a bike through sundry traffic lights finding a very complete shopping street - small town shops including a large Petit Casino.  2 pains, and 2 quiche Lorraines, and back to business. 

Wind freshened, and heavy rain set in.  Ugh.   Too strong for bimini, and the rain blew under it anyway.

Waited awhile - reasonably comfortably - for Coudray Lock, watched 3 commercials and a hotel boat emerge, and a single and double péniche enter in front of us.   Went in, pause, and a Kevin and a double came in after!

Escaped out in good order - there were about 6 peniches waiting to go in below lock.

Soldiered on to a small ski boat pontoon we got to know last time down, moored up at about 1515 in a wild flurry - banged the pontoon quite hard as it was lying straight into the wind, and if Albert 's nose had gone through the eye of the wind whilst mooring "nicely" we would have been carried across the river again in a flash.   As we were only 300 metres below the lock round a blind bend - not desirable.

Settled down with ropes to trees on shore - didn't trust single pontoons in this weather - and had a very belated lunch with lovely new crusty bread.

Snoozed the afternoon and evening away, then as the weather cleared a nasty little noddy boat came up from behind, and desired our departure from the pontoon, and moving across river to a "port" consisting of scrap pontoons completely unsheltered..   As we had seen a sign on a tree near our pontoon facing the road - not the river - saying some ski club or other's pontoon, not really surprised, but felt slightly aggrieved - the folks were hardly queuing to go water skiing.   Gave him a nasty surprise when he got too close to our stern us whilst maneuvering backwards.

Pulled upstream about 150 metres to an enormous high wall with mooring rings let into it at exactly our height, but at péniche intervals.  Map showed rocky shallows, but no sign of them where we were but went very slowly none the less. Surprised and pleased to find that the wall lay at exactly the right angle to shelter us almost completely from the wind and rough water.

Some clowns - not our friend - came out and braved the weather and commercial boats to do a bit of "swimming with skis" and rocked us a bit, but soon packed it in and went home, and we spent a quiet and secure night.

 

9 July 2004   Friday              Corbeille Essons to Port l'Anglais River Seine

Started early - 0715.   Didn't want to be bounced by yet more commercials hairing home for the week-end and next week's holiday.

In fact, we encountered "light" commercial traffic - just a steady one or two only, and no private boats at all day.

This end of the Seine is large, en-factoried, and grey.   However, there's always lots to look at! 

Onto the rough grass jetty mooring at Port a l'Anglais about mid-day, cold and wet!

Moored up - only boat there, and as it always seems a not all that nice area were quite pleased weather continued ordinary,- chained and locked boat to old re-enforcing rods in revetments. 

Rain did finally stop for the afternoon and it was over the hillock and across the roundabout behind with the little trailer for a "heavy" shop at le Klerk' s SM.

 

10 July 2004  Saturday          Port l'Anglais River Seine to Neuilly River Marne.

Started off fine, bright and sunny.   A beautiful morning to be happy about putting the Seine behind us.   

The question has to be, if the Seine isn't fun, why "do" it?   It is, of course, the connecting link between the smaller canals and rivers to the South West of the system (not SW of France - the system is, if anything, a touch NE of the Centre of the country), and Paris and the Marne - and unless bad weather - we hear June in Holland was the worst in living memory (worst month or worst June??) - strikes, then there is lots to see, to do, and to enjoy, and a chance to share a professional waterway with the professionals.

Through the last Seine Lock - did our light watching game again, and got going when lights turned green.   There were 2 doubles, so hung around until they were in.   Thus front half of lock 2 double 38 metre péniche combinations - 80 metres side by side, and in the back one 15 metre narrow boat.

Through, down last bit of river - meeting M.Filipe - acquaintance from 1999 - to the confluence Seine and Marne, actually a tee junction, where the head of the tee on the right is the Marne, but the tail is the Seine, and the head of the tee on the left becomes the Seine.

and agonised over whether to go on down river, and try for the Arsenal - Marina in the Centre of Paris, and "do" Paris.

Turned left up the Marne!   Bastille Day is too close to mess about, the Arsenal is indescribably noisy, and we would like to be on proper moorings at least 2 days before the holiday to ensure a decent one.

Now we are going up the Marne - uphill - we are reminded once again how much easier it is descending through large locks, than climbing..  One remains completely in the dark below enormous high lock gates as not seeing what is happening in a lock until the gate opens and green light goes on.  That is unless the L.K. makes proper use of his signal lights - and around here they all too frequently don't. Here red is  stay there you may or may not have been seen, and green is OK, come on, the gates are open and you may enter.  The usual red and green light signal intimating that you have been seen, or your transmission heard, and the lock is being prepared for use are not used..  All too often one can sit for ages in unfavourable currents, drifting across river in the wind, bleating over an unresponsive VHF, when possibly all is in fact, in hand and he/she has already seen you, and is preparing the lock for you.   

Took ourselves through 1st 2 locks - large and unbelievably slow - meeting or sharing with some 4 or 5 boats of all sizes and registrations.

Notice this year that we have met probably some 10 times as many French registered boats as on previous years.   This - if it does mean that the French are using their own waterways - must be a good sign for the future - they pay for them, through their taxes, after all.

Also noticed that a large proportion of French commercial peniches are flying their national flag. This appears to be a change in the custom of not flying a flag at all.

Lunch on the wall just above Nogent, where the river splits round an island, and traffic is split appropriately.   Dwellers on the island use fascinating little roofed square pontoons driven by oars or a outboard to get from home to the "mainland".

On after lunch but an almighty storm - green/black clouds and an icy wind bore down on us.   We made a dash for the side to moor up till it was over and went thoroughly aground on rocks and gravel.   By the time we sorted ourselves out, the storm had completely disappeared, so continued to Neuilly, to the moorings just above the lock.

Here all previous moans about Marne L.K.s withdrawn.  Green light and wide gates visible at least a km in front of us.   Only use for VHF was to ask him - up in his cabin - if we could sit in his lock and fill drinking water in fluent French.   One word answer "yes"!

Moored for night just beyond - proper 2 boat concrete jetty withy bollards been built since our last visit when hire boats were pulling the bollards out of the ground when boats passed.   2 boats already there - Dutch boats we met last year up the top of the Doubs.   Very friendly, and closed up freeing a couple of bollards for us. - thankfully - so we chained our other end against sheet piles and used our fancy universal chain clamps.

Site, in fact, is an enormous municipal camping site - nicely laid out, but many campers have dogs, and a spot of shovel drill was necessary around the moorings before we could move safely..   (We carry an American army folding spade for this purpose) 

Weather continued "changeable" - showers followed by more showers.

Went walking, but distances to civilisation a bit much, so got bikes out. Found fascinating Tunisian run "alimentation" who sold only bread and booze.   The bread was particularly good, but wonders at the area whose supply shop limits it's sales to bread and drink.

Bicycle ride in evening for exercise and exploration resulted in wheels clogging with particularly glutinous mud which only the lavatory brush and buckets of water would remove.

 No the less - comfortable and pleasant moorings, with lots of interest going on.

 

 

11 July 2004   Sunday                 Neuilly sur Marne to Meaux     River Marne.

Rained all night - boat filthy from splashes of mud, from muddy feet, and general disgustingness.

Still raining when we wound elastic and left.

Boat seems to be going slower over land.   It is, of course. Now against current, not with.   Very little current either way seems to make lot of difference.

Vaguely looking for night stop - we want to be in Meaux by to-morrow - Monday - evening so we are established for the holiday in reasonable security.

However, as we motored on, it was reasonably obvious that if we got on with it would get there to-night without busting any guts.

Passed several good mooring spots - town of Lagny had a good public mooring - but very public.   The one shown in the Navicarte is for noddy boats only, this one is about 500 metres downstream. and very obvious. This was the length that we covered 5 years ago when flooded and only the top plank of the public benches showed above water and it took us half an hour to get through Lagny bridge hole.

Overtaken in a shower of spray by our friend from last night, but they were held up at Chalifert and we went through to-gether.   Very to-gether - couldn't see bollards to tie to - walls too high, and bollards too far back.   Libra red cruiser met last year and this (skipper retired boat builder, useful to know)

invited us to tie up to him.   Most successful, although not very comfortable for him - L.K. ungentle with paddles.

Through tunnel, and lock at end just in time to precede dinner hour.   Used looped rope made year before last fir quick dropping over bollards for first time this year.   Cock-up - had mis-used used it too often, and loop was squashed shut, and it would go over and fell in water.   Sorted it out, dropped it over, looked round in embarrassment, but other boats still busy doing own ropes.

 

A lot of this section of the Marne is paralleled by a canal cut - relatively dull, with high sides going through rough bush, or built up back areas of towns.   Not exciting, but all part of it.

Found brand new pontoon at the entrance to the old Canal Lateral Gd-Morin - matter of 2 or 300 metres after Esbly town quay, adequate, safe but not very exciting..   Was just inside entrance to canal, past the universal canal no-entry sign, but it was too good to miss, and in we went, straight into thin liquid milk chocolate.  Made the pontoon tied up, had lunch, and extracted ourselves problemless, but maybe we should have looked more carefully - we might still be there, and VNF would be peeved, the pontoon shore mountings looked recast, put into and leveled off in lard holes in the ground ready for concreting in.   All wires, etc, were fully braced, though, and don't think we hurt anything, and certainly nothing moved.

Ground on after lunch through the cut and rainstorms, till turned corner, faced right angle bend, and there were the entrance lights for Meaux tunnel and lock.   Not a soul to be seen, but suddenly light went green, and through we went.   The lock lifted us about half a metre and we were out in the river above Meaux.

Down to moorings, hearts in mouth, would there be space for us - looked terribly crowded from a distance.

All pontoons had one large boat each - or 2 small.   Got ashore and did some pacing.   No pontoon long enough for cruiser and 15 metres of us.   Ugly.

Decided to go through between pontoons past moored boat onto jetty side.   Just long enough. Tied up nicely, connected electricity from pontoon, and settled in.   More boats kept arriving, and our friends from the Nivernais took up the other equivalent position to ours.   The moorings are now full.

 Great relief to be in Meaux - although we will have to stay where we are until Thursday.

 

Pictures:-

1.    Yonne Valley

2.    Sens from moorings

3.    Port s. Yonne

4.    R. Seine (1 of few bright moments)

5.    A "Kevin"

6.    1 single, 1 double, 1 Kevin,  behind,  2 large in front.

7.    Busy busy.

8.    River transport on Marne.

9.    Marne above Nogent.

10, 11, 12,    Meaux