Leaving the river La Meuse entering Canal des Ardennes
Sans Peur
Grete & Fred Vithen
Sun 5 Oct 2014 15:36
The "canal cruising day" starts at noon. A lazy day, five locks and only seventeen kilometers to go. The weather is grey and dull. Bye, bye Charlesville.
The first lock, Ecluse 42, looks a bit odd and very old. Very high walls and no places to attache our ropes. I am hounered to be first ladder climber (so happy for that....) and it was quite a bit to climb. Fred stayed on the boat and attached ropes in the middle, to a well hidden green slimy bollard, and to the ladder, in the back.
A new lesson to be learned, a bit scary. One of the ropes got caught while the boat (22 tons) was rising fast. Had to run down for the Gill rope cutter knife (I'm very happy we had one).
Something was going to break. Gill did the work. Released Sans Peur on her way up. Then the next rope was put on so much pressure Fred couldn't untie it. Next line to be cut.
No harm to Sans Peur. A new mooring line has to be bought. That was a cheap price to pay.
I'm a little worried about the locks in this canal, in the books it says they are 5,10 m BUT on the signs along the canal it says 5,05 m BUT i have a very skilled skipper so we will manage.
And the key word is slowly, slowly, slowly..........
Pont a Bar, what a nice place???
Absolutely so boring and because it's Sunday, everything is closed. Even the bar!! Closed just when we arrived at four o'clock. Lucky for us, we have our own bar and Sans Peurs bar never closes!!!
