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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

23 August 2004 Monday Pont a Mousson (River Moselle), to Nancy, (Canal de la Marne au Rhine)

Test day to-day. Will Blenod lock really be open? Yes, we've been promised by several different authoritative people that it is open till the end of the month, or till Thursday/Friday 26th/27th. Fine, but all the world knows that in France if it so happens that some other authoritative person decides to close it on a different date - e.g. if the master welder finishes ahead of time, and the local engineer is ready to go - then closed the lock will be, without appeal!

Shot off cycle-mounted first thing for bread. First boulangerie closed to-day for fortnight - congé or annual leave, second and third both closed each Monday. Finally successful in 4th.

Just casting off when crane/digger workboat issued from VNF HQ in little pound behind little side lock at end of moorings . Realised that river lock would be worked in their favour, so worth keeping up with them. Unfortunately they showed a remarkable turn of speed for a square lighter pushed by a funny little tug, and although rang and VHFed L.K. asking him to await us, saw gates closing at distance of 500 metres.

Result had to wait, and were caught up by other boats from the moorings who hadn't bothered to start early.

Boat that rammed gates moored up below lock - no visible damage at all.

Once we were in the lock, damage to lock gate all too visible. Basically - boat was coming down river, into full lock, and was only stopped by downstream end gates. Mind boggles as to what would have happened if said rammed gates had failed - top ones were open, so whole of river would have been free to flow on down! If LK closes top gates in that situation, would they hold the flow, or just fold? Interesting!

They didn't, so it didn't, and they didn't have to!

On through - happiness, we can now relax - we will not be retracing our steps to Konz and back up the Saar!

Gentle run through countryside sort of country - woods, copses, forest, meadows, plough, minimum industry. Largely bucolic river valley.

Brought home to us that we were in Nancy sub-division of VNF when found Custinees lock containing boats

that must have been kept waiting at least 45 minutes for us. It appears that Nancy can never let 1 boat go through a lock on it's own - even if it means making them wait half a day.

Completed circle at Pompey/Frouard tee junction, and on into Nancy. Lunch moored at big bricolage (spent €1.56) just outside, then into Nancy P. de P.

To Post Office - moved the place since we were here last - then back to boat for noisy evening - Nancy P. de P. is not the quietest of moorings.

24 August 2004 Tuesday Nancy, (C de la Marne au Rhine) to Summit, Canal de Jonction (Nancy Embrochement)

Woken by monumental thunderstorm attacking high cranes on construction site opposite P. de P.

Pouring heavy rain till mid morning.

We intended going through first lock of Marne au Rhine, then doing a big shop at l'Attac, and Lidel, then turning up through the newly renovated shortcut to Richardmenil towards the start of the Canal de l'Est Branch Sud - now known as Canal des Vosges.

To try and avoid any repetition of nonsense's of last time rang every conceivable VNF number to tell them our intentions.

This paid off for us , but what a carry on!

Rain tailed off mid morning, so off to lock, to find LK in situ (hurrah), through we went, and moored up to SM in further rain, and alongside bank of stickiest most yellow, and most slimy clay ever.

Saw classic signs of mooring pins having been torn out of ground (there are no bollards here) so attached boat to steel revetts, laboriously firmly.

Monumental shops, then off about midday.

This is the canal that for years was shut - or commercial traffic only (which didn't use it) - so that all traffic up the Canal de l'Est Branch Sud from the South had to go all the way round the Moselle loop via Toul, and anything from Strasbourg, or the lower Moselle or Saar had to go anti clockwise in the same manner.

We had a taster 3 years by special permission of Nancy Head Office, taken through by 2 experienced L.K.s - quite frightening, the gates were so rusted one could see through them in places.

For slow boats like us this short cut makes an enormous difference - half a day across (and quite fun) as opposed to 2 days (very boring) going round.

Started off - lovely new shiny gates, with lovely new hydraulic and electric gear. Up and through first 19 locks - 3 failures. Canal only reopened this spring - or was it last autumn? Not clever, but may be teething troubles. Also lock gates open and shut indescribably slowly - timed one set at 5 minutes from initial grunt, to fully open.

One very clever thing, however. Starting to fill (or empty) current occupied lock causes next lock automatically to set itself ready for your boat. There is, therefore, no point in that maddening game for boaters coming the other way, of "lock wheeling" - going ahead and pre-setting all the locks in the flight so that they are ready for themselves, and until they have passed through, no one else can use the flight at all. Common practice on English flights, where it is all manual DIY. Also these locks have "time expired" mechanism - if they are left green light on unused for more than a very few minutes, they shut and red light on!

So don't get over-excited - the most hurrying up one can do is to "zap" the next lock, when boat half way up or down in current lock, i.e. when next lock has filled (or emptied, as appropriate) and you want the gates to be open to receive you when you exit current.

Be careful, though - lock zap posts are very close to-gether, and it is easy to zap your last lock and turn it round in face of the boat following you up, by standing and zapping too soon and too close as you head for your own next lock!

See? Clever, isn't it! English flights of this sort have been known to end in fisticuffs between over zealous lock wheelers and frustrated boat crews. Believe there was quite a major riot at The Cratch once!

Back to here - slowness, breakdowns, and filthy weather saw us on summit with further 5 locks, and 2 kms to do at about 1800, so moored up, and although within spitting distance of autoroute, national road, and paint factory, were only lightly aware of them, as canal runs in thick belt of trees.

No photos taken at all - sorry - cold, wet, and windy!

Canal itself, although close to the Nancy conurbation, runs through open countryside for it's Eastern half (the other end weaves between autoroute and factory, and is quite fun in it's own way) - hill, plough, meadows and woods/forest. Feels quite remote and lost in the country.

Great relief to have it opened - cuts off grind all the way round by Toul up the Moselle, 2 days for us, of dull river replaced by, in theory, half a day.

25 August 2004 Wednesday Summit, (Canal de Jonction or Nancy Embrochement) to Richardmenil. (Canal des Vosges).

Up as late as we dared - neither the 2 motorways, nor the paint factory disturbed us, but our stern mooring was clamped to piece of rotten rusted revetment, and morale last night was of the "it's just too bad" variety.

Even so, completed last 5 locks of Embrochement - in the rain, of course - by about 1000, tied up to little halt at Richardmenil, coupled up electricity, and relaxed. No photos at all unfortunately - much too grey and dark!

Coupled up second electricity cable and put little fan heater on, boat quickly warmed up.

Did not a lot for rest of day, until p.m. when realised rain had ceased - albeit temporarily, jetty was very low, and shining hour improvable by painting out all scuff marks and scratches on black paint on boat sides.

Did so, then - after a lot of muttering and general rhubarbing, turned her round and did other side.

Much more rain in evening, but too late to spoil paint.

26 August 2004 Thursday Richardmenil. to Griport. (Canal des Vosges)

Started off in rain - and so it continued all day.

Left l'Heritage (Shell) trying to wind (turn boat in canal to face other way - canalspeak, pronounced as in gale) felt guilty about not helping as they seemed to be battling a bit, but they are so competent (they run a narrow boat pair, motor and butty, in England - any offers would have been impertinent.

Thoroughly enjoyed run. Efforts have clearly been made to abolish image of tatty old working canal not

interested in tourism, rather go down closure road complaining of lack of commercial traffic, to "let's try and get tourist traffic + any remaining commercial - back from C. de la Marne a Saone by giving service.

Last time we came through, the set up seemed to be seedy, run down, staff dictatorial and unhelpful and thought nothing of telling boats they must wait at least a day, possibly more, "there are no L.K.s"

This time - granted it was high season - we had a L.K. on each lock, boats were put through singly on arrival, and they were a thoroughly nice crowd of people with pleasant greetings and farewells.. (A lot of them were very pretty, as well. (the girls, I mean) Even so, there was no feminine helplessness - all 4 paddles whipped up as quick as any L.K. 40 years in the business would or could have done).

Moored up on a nice length of mown grassy bank just outside Griport, opposite a little compound of 2 or 3 caravans and holiday chalets. Obviously someone's cultivated fishing stand and holiday lodges, but place dead, so risked it, and tied to appropriate trees.

"Main" road just on other side of canal old National road superseded by autoroute just over hill - 1 lorry all night!

27 August 2004 Friday Griport. to Igney (Canal des Vosges)

Bread and water in lock first thing after quiet night and very late awakening and departure. This means we filled boat's water tank in the lock (quite a common practice, service provided by VNF), whilst a quick dash to the local boulangerie - just up from the lock on the main road - provided the bread.

Quite spooky going down this stretch - it used to be a corridor of industry, with gravel pits in the river to the East, and lines of factory's - some with own rail sidings - on either side of the railway line, road and canal to the west.

Virtually all the factories - except the Vitel bottled water one - appear closed. It was second week in August, maybe they were on holiday.

The railway - electric, 2 track, carried 1 goods and 2 "clattery-bang" local trains all day. At least, that's all we saw, and canal and railway run parallel through the valley. However, come evening, after we had moored up the pace hotted up, and several goods and passenger trains ran.

The weather really cheered up, and there's nothing like sunshine to improve the view. We even had lunch sitting out in the sun, and both have sunburn noses.

The countryside is, of course, bottom of river valley - general crops - particularly mealies - and pastureland, with woods and forests, and of course, great areas of river bush and gravel workings in and around the river bottom.

We moored up at one of our most favourite places on the whole system - and to add to the pleasure the

L.K. who ran the lock - no 22 - see Hugh McKnight - and who retired last year - but 5 years ago sold us the little penichier who spins around and waggles flags ineffectually on our boat roof, was wandering along fishing. We greeted each other enthusiastically, and meant to go and talk - but whilst we were having tea he disappeared.

Whether co-incidentally, or part of the general clean-up, the canal side has been close mown, and looks very neat and tidy, with mooring rings (we only remember 1, but there are probably more) painted yellow. The area under the big old plane tree is grassy and tidy (last time we were here it was the collecting place for the local youth, and was ankle deep in fag-ends and the grass was worn down to bare soil). Alto-gether, a good spot for low boats, such as ours.

Evening fine, but autumn cool.

28 August 2004 Saturday Igney to Chaumousey Canal des Vosges

Lovely start to day, and looked forward to another sunny day like yesterday - both got peeling noses - first time this year!

Pushed off after admitting yesterday's comments about railway line nonsense - it was really quite busy yesterday evening.

Gentle routine pleasurable boating through last 6 locks of series between Epinal and Richardmenil (Nancy Embrochement).

Weather deteriorated to chilly windy overcast, but run through light industrial and gravel pits still interesting and fun. Last section is through a concentration of car selling establishments - can compare prices from the boat, and dream on.

Suspect student L.K.s had their end of season/end of employment party last night - body language showed hangovers all the way. Still, they did their jobs fine.

As we leave this section of canal must say, again, how vastly improved it is over the last twice we've come along. Except for pounds 24 to 22 - which were always solid brambles, bush, and broken shallow sides, in state of considerable disrepair, high banks and failing revetts - bush has probably been left deliberately to hold it all to-gether - the canal seems to have thrown off it's air of seediness, most lock gates are in good fettle - one or 2 are elderly, we noticed several sets that had the original riveted wrought iron framework, covered with planks, and some covered with metal sheeting with lots of holes.. A lot of the chambers look as though all the grouting has been dissolved from between the lovely old cut stone walls, so there has been the odd fall, and a lot of herbage growth between courses cannot be improving matters - but it all worked well, smoothly and pleasantly.

For the first time on this canal, we met no commercials at all.

At the Epinal turn off - lights. As usual long pause, blind corner, should we go ahead on the assumption that lights are repeater from a hidden lock around corner and should we go forward and see, or is it just that Jean-Claude is moving slowly to-day? In fact the latter, and green light shown just when we were giving up and going on.

Into lock, and same again. Operated tirette in tattoo on drum fashion, first gently, then noisily, frequently, and vigorously. Eventually Jean-Claude poked his head over lock wall - it was quite a deep one - and assured us there was no problem, he would be kind enough to operate the lock for us!

From here some 14 automatics in a chain up to the summit. All worked faultlessly, although noticed one or 2 that didn't return to point zero after we left. Hardly our worry - we are genuinely very careful to follow the rules in automatics!

Smoothly up to the summit - this is the summit between Central Europe waterways - Netherlands, Germany, Poland, etc, and the Mediterranean. - and on along to Chamoussey, where we have twice moored up before. Not at all impressed with mooring - has it, or have we changed? Steel pile revetts, but big holes in ground on bank side where the ground is falling through rusted away water level section of piles, and sheet piles collapsing further along. Overshadowed by trees - etc etc. Rather dark and gloomy. But safe, comfortable, very quiet, and adequate.

29 August 2004 Sunday Chaumousey to Forges d'Uzemain Canal des Vosges

Rained most of the evening and last night - left in rain interspersed with threatening rain.

Straight through to Girancourt - head of flight down hill - moored up, and looked for water - none - and bread. Rain eased off, weather improved, sun came out!

Had recced boulangeries last night in Chaumussey - village much smaller than Girancourt - and found full size artisan boulangerie to be open on Sunday. Assumed Girancourt same. No! Not only no, but local information adamant that there was, never had been, and never would be, a traveling bread van, or a depot de pain, or a boulangerie in Girancourt! Finish! All set to cycle 3.5 kms back to Chaumussey, literally just getting organised on bikes, when up drives bread van onto the moorings. Happiness!

Wandered gently down flight - automatics. But after first 2 locks, round corner, and grinning students again. Nice people, willing and competent. Convinced by now, contrary to our previously held opinion, that manual locks are quicker than the automatics, and at this time of year with at least one L.K. per lock, (not when herded into groups of boats, and pushed through by traveling LKs though) we actually get on quicker, and it's more fun with the old non-automatics. The latter are perforce, for safety's sake, geared to run very slowly, and have lots of bells, whistles and sirens every time anything is about to move. They are, essentially, if they work OK, boring, each one identical, and if they don't work - 20%?? - they are even more boring.

Run now downhill almost exclusively through forest, pretty for all that, and in fine weather.

Lunch at another of our favouritest spots on system - little mooring complete with tended garden right

below lock 8.

Quite a programme of automation on this flight, 2 or 3 advanced to stage where LK sits in booth and presses buttons. New gates and everything - beautifully - if impersonally - done.. Remainder have coloured pipes sticking out of earthworks or concrete, or earthworks in progress. To be ready for next year.

Good laugh at d'Uzeman - lock in process of being automated. Asked L.K. - sitting in his booth - for water as we always used to get it from tap on side of cottage. Pointed to tap and car wheel for the hose (no hose) and queried.. No water here any more. Then click, we recognised him - and he recognised us! Abandoned lock, backed us out to little VNF shed, produced a hose, tidied up end with my Swiss Army Knife (French for "Swiss Army Knife" is "Swiss Army Knife") and clamped it onto sink tap.

Settled down to gentle gossip while tank filled - not happy about automation, but appreciates without commercial trade, what to do, and anyway hardly a man's job putting little yachets through a lock by hand - only 3 years to go to retirement!

Moored up for night in big basin below lock - old péniche moorings with huge iron mooring rings.

Bit damp and muddy - especially since rain re-started - but what moorings aren't damp, dark and muddy this year.

Joined by the 2 large cruisers that we had left at Girancourt. Second one didn't like canal side - there was enough room for at least 5 large cruisers - and breasted up to first. Seemed daft - but nothing to do with us.

Rain!