Wednesday 29th July 2015 abv Remilly to abv Alma. 18kms 2 locks

Storks at Remilly

11.6° C Sunny spells with lots of grey and white clouds, windy but no rain. We were getting ready to move around 8.30am when the DB that had moored overnight behind us down by the lock went past, a large Belgian boat, heading upriver like us. We set off at 8.50am. It was 9.73kms to the next lock and over half of that was the long lock cut through Remilly, which cut off some tortuous bends of the Meuse where its tributary the little river Chiers joined it. Mike took photos of storks by Remilly bridge and noted that the posh new tarmac cycle piste ended by the bridge. The canal was wide but very weedy. Through the portes de garde (stop gates) and back on

Flood gates at the end of the lock cut at Remilly 

to the river, passing a long needle weir. A small Dutch cruiser went past heading downriver. Shortly afterwards as we passed Villers-devant-Mouzon there was a group of cranes circling, gaining height to fly onwards. A very noisy cruiser went past, we heard it before we saw it. How do they live with an engine that loud? On our right there was a cut off ox-bow lake; there were storks on the far side and a fisherman in one of those new-fangled floating seats. To zap the post

End of the canal section weir on the river Meuse

below Mouzon lock 35 we had to get very close to it on the wrong side of the river. There was already a boat in the chamber coming down, so we hovered sideways in the wind as there are no places to tie up and wait below these river locks. A small UK-flagged yacht with masts came out of the lock, its crew waved and shouted hello as they passed us. Up another 2.95m, ropeless again as we were on our own and didn’t need them. Took photos of the lock houses, an old one and an even older one,

Villers church tower

both uninhabited for a long time. Into the town of Mouzon, passing several modern blocks of four rise concrete flats, then as we went further into the middle there were houses both banks built on ground higher than the towpath on the canal section which was steel piled and had deepest pink wild peas flowering along the edges. The little hireboat from Pont-à-Bar was the only boat moored in the arm in the centre of town. Under the bridges and there were lots of roses planted on

Cranes circling to gain height

both banks in the centre of town. Two little lads were fishing, they shyly returned our bon jours. Further on there were derelict factories and an old man was unloading fishing gear from a rowing boat by a weir choked with reeds where we joined the next river section. Steep low hills appeared in front of us with meadows and arable fields, topped with forest where the blades of wind turbines were just visible. Terns were fishing, diving headlong at

Very old lock house at Mouzon

speed into the river. A herd of rusty brown cows were grazing the meadow to our left. A new bridge came into view, it had no top, and it had approach embankments but no road – we wondered, did they build it in the wrong place or did the money for a bypass dry up? A combine harvester was kicking up clouds of dust as it cropped the edge of the field nearest the forest boundary. Another Dutch cruiser went past heading downstream as we were about

Old lock house at Mouzon - both disused

3kms from Alma lock 34. Behind us we could see the little Eau Claire hireboat was catching us up. Mike called them past but they waved back no. The lock was ready for us so we went in and I lifted the bar and spotted the little boat was also heading for the lock. Sorry. Not a good idea for them to follow us into the lock. Soon full, 2.6m rise. We winded and moored at the quay by the picnic tables above Alma lock. It was 12.40pm. Shouted to the crew of the little boat as they went past that we were sorry we

Moorings in Mouzon

shut them out, they were OK, smiling and waving, we wished them bonnes vacances.

Moored abvove Alma lock

Above Alma lock

Old factories in Mouzon