Friday 5th June 2015 Valenciennes to Antoing Belgium. 31.6kms 3 locks.

The weir and the moorings above it 

12.6° C Very hot and sunny until late afternoon, then the weather turned bad with torrential rain, howling gales and a cracker of a thunderstorm. The Capitan was not about at nine and there was still no water so we couldn’t pay him. The Capitan turned up and told us everything was free until Monday and used a swipe card to activate the water and we filled up and then Jill started filling MR’s tank. It stopped so Mike had a word with the guy at the Capitanerie again. Charges seem a bit steep, under 18m it costs 15€ a night, over 18m it is 26€, the far bank, rough with bollards and no

Old steel works Anzin

facilities is 20€, and water and electricity must be extra – obtained by using a card which can be topped up using a machine by the Capitanerie. We set off at 12.15pm, reversing to the main canal and winded, then had a short wait while an empty 80m boat came up in Folien lock, then we went down 3m on to a short pound, 2.8kms, leading to La Folie. Took a photo of the weir at the end of the weir stream (where we had been moored) from the canal end. Three loaded boats came flying up the canal, Manu

Junction with the disused (too shallow) Canal de Conde-a-Pommereoul

55m long, Tous-Nerfs 61m and Osma 58m, the latter so well loaded that his name on the bows was half under water. Through the city, passing a derelict steel works with new buildings in the distance, on our way to the lock, which was ready for us, so

Mooring at Mortagne at junc with R Scarpe

we went in and in no time we were another 2.9m lower (no floaters on any of these last three locks so I had our centre rope on a bollard, first on the lockside then swapping it for a bollard in a recess in the lock wall further down. Three more boats were coming up the cabnal, all loaded, two péniches - Shalendo followed by T-D from Vitry, then a 57m boat called Eclipse, all haring up the canal to La Folie. A Dutch cruiser from Amsterdam called Tomboy was not far behind them and another loaded Dutch péniche called Vania from Amsterdam. Two empty 80m boats were moored at either end of the next quay, Leughenauer at one end and Cervantes (formerly Scheldenkade) at the other. As we passed a container dock Mike shouted to the crane driver “I’ll take two!” but then said “Perhaps not, one might sink us!!” He laughed. A loaded pusher pair Saturne-un and

Bye bye sunshine!

Saturnin went past as we came to the end of the 6.3kms pound. Above Fresnes, the last lock in France (or first depending which way you’re going) there was an 80m boat loaded with scrap called Betharrum. Just us again to go down and we slowly dropped down 3.1m on to the long run to Antoing, 14.5kms to the Belgian border then another 8kms to Antoing. The heat was building up, over 34° C and not much of a breeze to cool us down. No traffic for the first couple of kilometres. Took a photo of the junction at Condé-sur-Escaut of the Condé to Pommereoul canal, the short route to Pommereoul (constructed for the very big boats) which has been closed for over 15 years ever since the Belgians

Old Belgian customs post at Bleharies

removed the lock at Antoing which made it too shallow for navigation. Today, as always, it was being enjoyed by masses of swans, ducks, geese, coots and cormorants. Both banks for most of the distance were lined with willow trees making it feel very remote from the industry and agriculture surrounding it. Loaded péniche Octopus went past at KP34, Pont de Santeau. Then a large Dutch cruiser called Companion went past, all its crew out on the side decks trying to catch as much breeze as possible. Two loaded péniches went past, Heerenschip NL and Picardie Belgian, they were followed by an empty called Bonita which went past at the road bridge by KP38. An empty French boat called La

Two Polish 80m boats moored at Bleharies

Proue from Dunkerque (72m long) went past. Dutch loaded boat Nadenos from Nijmegen overtook us near Rodignies, as loaded boat Henriette from Gent went past heading for Fresnes. Dark clouds were gathering in front as we approached Mortagne-du-Nord and two more loaded French boats went past as we went through the bridge, Furious from Douai and Maryland. A little masted tjalk was bravely moored at the junction with the Scarpe, where a new quay had replaced the pontoon mooring. Loads of buoys marking the channel around the bend indicating the lack of depth. As we crossed the border into Belgium at 4.20 pm Mike swapped courtesy flags as loaded boat Canberra went past. We could see the edge of a weather front approaching. Two 80m empties Notec and Odra (named after two Polish rivers that we have travelled on - their

Mooring at Antoing (site of the old lock) when the rain stopped.

skippers were Polish, but the boats were registered in Gent) were moored side by side at Belharies as were two péniches, Bona-Fide a loaded boat who was moored alongside an empty. Neptunia’s bunkership went flying past then we passed two loaded Dutch boats, Mazzel followed by Franto by the junction with the Peronnes-Blaton-Ath canal, just as it started to rain. We could hear thunder rumbling, then saw flashes of lightening and the wind picked up to gale force. Mike had put the brolly up but the wind was threatening to shred it, so we hung on to it until the wind calmed down a little then Mike folded it up,  by which time we were both soaked to the skin, but getting cooler. I changed my sopping top for a vest and put a waterproof jacket on then took another waterproof out for Mike. It lashed down as we approached the mooring at Antoing. Just one cruiser was moored at the entrance to the basin, we followed MR in and tied to the quay wall. It was 5.30pm and we were dripping wet. Got dried out, hung all the sodden garments on the front deck and found dry clothes, then Mike and Graham went to retrieve Graham’s car from Valenciennes.

Thursday 4th June 2015 Iwuy to Valenciennes. 26.9kms 4 locks

Daevenos coming into Pont Malin lock

4.2° C Warm and sunny all day, light breeze. Having been let down again by the dock (an old side slip) that we have used for years (for the second time in two years) we managed to book the dry dock at Seneffe for the 12th, so we're on our way again with fingers tightly crossed that nothing else goes wrong! One loaded boat (Noliser) came down the canal and an empty went uphill. We set off at 9.50am and followed MR into the right hand chamber of Iwuy lock, there were two VNF men on the lock island. Mike had

Keeper's cabin at Pont Malin

problems with the raw water intake, it was blocked, so I asked the VNF if we could delay operating the lock until Mike had sorted the problem. It only took him a few minutes to extract a big wedge of compacted water weeds. I took our rubbish across the other lock chamber to the bins on the far side and asked if we could leave the car’s old aircon radiator by the bins. The VNF man took it for us. Down 2.7m and continued on down the Escaut at 10.15 am. Not far

Pusher pair Anita and Twister

until we joined the Grand Gabarit (heavy tonnage route) and so Mike called the next lock, Pont Malin, and spoke to the keeper. OK, no problems the lock would be ready for us. The loaded boat Noliser was tying up on the quay above the lock. A loaded pusher pair called Kelvi came up the lock, the keeper called us into the short section of lock at the downhill end and we thought he was going to use the small lock (the chamber has intermediate gates) but he

Below Trith lock

came down from his high cabin and took all our details then told us there was another boat coming. Loaded Dutch péniche Daevenos from Weert came into the lock behind us and the skipper came to chat. He was keen to buy a narrowboat as he was going to retire in two years’ time and his daughter lives in London. He went back to his boat down the ladder as the lock emptied – his wife was on holiday in the UK with their daughter so he was working single handed. 4.3m down and on to an 8.7 km pound. A Dutch

Pusher pair Zeltina and Crao under the A2 motorway bridge

cruiser called Utopia went past heading upriver. Mike and Graham chatted with Jos on Daevenos on channel 77. It wasn’t long before the péniche was disappearing into the distance, on his way to unload at Einhoven. Empty 55m (643T) boat Cum-Deo was on the quay at Neuville and another Dutch cruiser (Ijsvogel) went past heading uphill, followed by an empty péniche called Anex at Lourches. G called Denain lock and we listened for the answer just in case he couldn’t understand the

Moored in the weirstream in Valenciennes next to new pontoons.

keeper. OK. One going down (Daevenos) and one to come up, then we could go down with the 80m boat just about to set off from the port above the lock. The loaded 80m boat was called Waterworld and we followed him to the lock. Koala was still in the port (an empty 80m) and an empty called Beatrice (1000T) was moored on the lock approach quay. Miranda, a 46m loaded boat came up the lock and we followed Waterworld into the chamber. Mike had a floating bollard for our stern end, but the bollard level with the fore end had no counterparts lower down the wall so I had to use one long rope. Down 4.8m (watch out for that rope coming down!) and on to a 6.7km pound. The loaded boat gradually left us behind. Going through Denain we passed a loaded uphill pusher pair called Anita and Twister (with the oldest hippy in the world acting as deck hand). Mike put a call out to announce our passage on channel 10 as we approached the narrows and three bridges on a bend at Haulchin, no reply, but we kept well to the right – good job we did as loaded boat Avila went past, pushing on at a good speed, heading uphill under the second bridge. Two Dutch 1000 tonners we in the port at Prouvy, Merweland was unloading at the silo quay, while Rumandy was at the silo beyond the container quay on the left. Another boat was moored on the quay, another Dutch boat but smaller (only 503T) it was some type of tanker as it was pumping something at the silo quay. We caught up with Waterworld at Trith lock as they had had to wait for an uphill boat. An empty 80m called Las Vegas was just setting off from the quay above the lock so we went past the one we were following and tied to the lower piling to wait. A loaded 80m came up then we went down another 3.9m. Below the lock there was another empty 80m boat Will-Teir on the waiting quay. In our engine room Mike had heard a rattling noise and so he investigated and found a support for the exhaust pipe was loose, so I steered while he fixed it. As we went under the A2 motorway bridge we passed another loaded pusher pair, Zeltina and Crao. On into Valenciennes. We passed the rowing club, which still looked derelict, a cruiser moored next to it looked like it had been left there for years. Sunbathers had taken over the rowing club’s pontoons and G spotted the first female topless sunbather this year. On the way into the city there was a row of moored working boats, empty Casablanca with high pram bows, then two Dutch boats, Alyssia and Lavanda, with skippers sunbathing on the decks. A group of drunks were shouting something at us from under the bridge, but we ignored them. A Belgian boat, Ludovic was moored by the university, again the skipper was sitting out enjoying the sunshine. An empty 80m boat called Dubail went past heading upriver followed by a loaded péniche called Luxor from Gent. G turned MR at the entrance to the weirstream by the high school, to the left of Folien lock, and went astern into the arm. We tied against new pontoons and a chap off a cruiser came to tell us that the Capitanerie doesn’t open until Saturday as everything is brand new. He said that water and electricity were connected but they had no way of charging for it yet. Packed all the stuff away then Mike and Graham went to retrieve G’s car from Iwuy.

Tuesday 26th May 2015 Marquion to Iwuy (Escaut). 25.8kms 2 locks

Leaving Palleul lock

8.5° C Sunny start with a cold breeze, grey clouds gathering so only brief glimpses of the sun. There was a game of boating musical chairs going on as we got ready to move. A loaded péniche (called Priscilla) left the silo quay in front of us and an empty pusher pair (with the lovely name of Sweetness) moved into his place, while another loaded boat was reversing up the canal towards us to go on the quay opposite us where Sweetness had just set off from. We followed Priscilla from Douai to the lock. A loaded Dutch péniche called Jolise, followed by a Dutch cruiser called Waterman, went past heading for Marquion lock. The crew on the cruiser ignored us (invisible again) but waved to

A few of the boats moored below Palleul lock at Arleux

Graham! Priscilla slowed off and came to a standstill on the bend before the last lock on the Canal du Nord, lock 1 Palleul, so we hovered behind it. An empty pusher pair called Imari came up the lock, then the boat in front of Priscilla went into the lock and down, so we went around the loaded boat and tied up on the quay above the lock to wait. Mike tried asking the keeper on VHF radio if we could go in with Priscilla but got no reply, so Graham went back down the towpath on foot

He can only just about lift it!

to talk to the skipper – he called the lock keeper who said one of us could go in with Priscilla, the other would have to wait, then Graham told him we could go side by side as we were narrow boats! OK! Another loaded péniche was catching up and we wondered if they would stop us going in. Then we spotted yet another loaded péniche behind that, so that would make another lock full and we’d be OK. Loaded péniche Sebastien came up, then we went down 7.1m with Priscilla. We followed the loaded péniche through the rows of moored péniches down towards Arleux and he stopped in a gap between the moored boats. As we turned right at the junction with the canal de la Sensée Graham called on the radio to say there was a fishermen on the apex of the bend who’d caught a big fish and so we both went wide on the bend and slowed down to watch him play it and land it – it was enormous. We’d not seen anyone catch such a big fish for ages. The canal de la Sensée is wide and deep and there are trees on both banks with a scattering of wooden chalets and caravans and small houses. The village of Fressies had an unusual tower (Mike took a photo of it) which was more like a town

Note the size of that tail - it's as big as the fisherman's leg!

hall clock tower than a church tower. Nothing moving. Lunch on the move. We passed a moored péniche called Cum Deo tied up at a quay waiting to load. Shortly afterwards a loaded Dutch péniche called Westropa went past, its young deckhand was busily painting the rust spots on its coamings. The Dutchman was being followed by a neat little Dutch barge conversion which was French-flagged. MR led the way into the old canal which leads to le Bassin Rond. A sign at the entrance warned that the depth was only 0.9m so Mike watched the echo sounder and noted that the entrance shallowed to about 0.8m below the bottom of the boat, making it about 1.5m deep, then the depth increased. A pretty little canal, much narrower with overhanging trees and lots of flowers along the towpath, which opened out into the wider “large” (basin) where some youths were having instructions on

Church tower at Fressies

windsurfing. Graham spotted a DB for sale and went to have a look. They wanted 150,000€ for it. Bit expensive. A guy on the trip boat moored on the far side asked if we were looking for somewhere to moor, thanks but no, we were just passing through, pausing to look at the barge for sale. We skirted around the windsurfers, most of whom were laughing, yelling and falling off (it wasn’t very windy). Turned right, no boats on the pontoon, past the retired péniches La Louve and Serenad, then turned right on

Le Bassin Rond

the Escaut towards Cambrai. A couple of kilometres to the first lock, Iwuy number 5, where the left hand chamber of the pair was activated by sensors, it emptied and we went in, then Jill lifted the blue rod and the lock filled, lifting us up 2.7m. A VNF man in a van arrived. He was shepherding a downhill loaded péniche called Baltes, which went into the right hand chamber. Graham had a go at improving his French and asked the VNF man if we could have a zapper (we’d need one to go back down the lock, which

Moored on the Escaut at Iwuy

isn’t manned - normally you have to call on the intercom and whoever you speak to presses a button to let you have a zapper which then slides down a chute). On our return we have to remember to post the zapper back into the box next to the lock cabin. A little further upriver we arrived at the silo quay which is no longer used. As I got off in the long grass with the centre rope, a man with a tractor towing a grass cutter asked if it was our car parked on the adjacent patch of grass that he was about to cut. (It was Graham’s) No, it’s our friend’s but we’ll ask him to move it. In the meantime Mike asked if he’d cut the grass along the quay first – he said he was only there to cut the square of grass where the car was parked, but OK he’d cut it for us. We shoved the boat out from the quay and stood off while he cut the grass. I handed Mike four bottles of 33s beer for him – he would only accept one. It was 3.30pm as we knocked pegs in and attached to a nicely mown quay. Mike and Graham went to retrieve our car from Moislains.