Wednesday 24th August 2011 Pinon – Berry-au-Bac. 40.1kms 9 locks

Square lock cabin at Pinon lock 6

Grey clouds, much cooler with spits of rain, brightened up around lunchtime – hot and sunny until late afternoon. Two péniches had already gone past before we rolled out of bed. I went to get a few groceries from Carrefour Market and spent nearly 30€. Mike asked if he could park the car on their car park all day. The lady manageress was most surprised that he should ask and not just do it! Up lock 6 Pinon (2.30m) we zapped and went up ropeless as usual. The horseshoe shaped cabins that are peculiar to this canal had here been replaced by a much larger square one. Mike went in to make a cuppa on the 5.1kms pound. I was attacked by clegs (horseflies) whilst steering but thankfully didn’t get bitten. Chaillevois N°7 was a deep one at 3.25m and its concrete walls were in a very bad state of repair. 

Braye tunnel entrance

I finished off the cuppa Mike had started making and made toast with marmalade. A cruiser went past heading downhill and I never even noticed it! Mum stayed inside while it was cool outside. 2.6kms to the next. Another deep one (3.25m) Chavignon 8. The VNF man from the house was getting his mowing machine ready for after lunch, then he went in the house. It was 11.45 a.m. 1.3kms to the last uphill lock. 9 Pargny-Filain (2.84m) had four VNF vans on its lockside. We zapped and went up, no problems. I made a quiche and put it in the oven to cook while going through the chilly tunnel. Had a short wait at the end of Braye tunnel while Relicat, a loaded péniche, came out heading for Abbécourt. I picked wild marjoram and wild parsnip flowers from the bank before the tunnel. 

Out of focus but this shows the yellow sodium lighting
in Braye tunnel

We took photos inside the tunnel, lit throughout with yellow/orange sodium lights, using the new and old cameras and Mum’s new one (after I’d fathomed out that it had no batteries in it and how to switch it on). Waved to the keeper (and lock controller?) in his cabin at the tunnel end. As we set off on the last 2.5kms of the summit level he set the last four locks for us, which were all linked so no need for the zapper. Mike wondered if we should have posted it at Pargny, but we didn’t see any notice to say “post your zapper here”.  Lock 10 Moulin Brûlé (3.35m) was the only lived-in lock house on the flight. The resident (young) VNF man was mowing the grass so we put a rope on to go down as we remembered from last time what a stickler he was for rules. 

Mike's Mum sitting out on the front deck going through
Braye tunnel

Down lock 11 Metz (3.45m) with no one around, a sadly decaying beautiful brick lock house – then a lad on a scrambler went past to shatter the peace. On down to Moussy-Soupir lock 12 (3.45m) where an empty péniche called Loma was coming up in the lock. Monsieur walked the dog up the towpath to lock 11 while Madame steered the boat. Down to the last lock 13 Verneuil (3.70m) where Albemar, another empty, was coming up. Another empty, called Landfall with his wheelhouse dismounted, was below the lock - he pulled into the landing on our right below the lock to wait. We dropped down in no time as usual, which we think surprised him as the batellerie are used to yachts and cruisers taking an age with ropes in locks. The skipper was on the bows and asked what horsepower our engine was as we passed. 

Ventilation fan at Braye tunnel

Again Madame was steering and she took the empty barge into the lock as we left. On down to Bourg-et-Comin where we hoped to find space on the pontoon to moor for the following day as it had free water and electricity. We passed a British flagged (defaced ensign on the back) catamaran (no masts), called Rage, heading up toward the locks. Perhaps he’d just left the pontoon? No chance. There was a VNF workboat on dry dock and three boats moored by the VNF workshop, tug Le Brisant with a digger on a pontoon, tug Chateau Thierry and pan Rethel, plus tug Sanglier. The pontoon was full, not an inch to spare, with four French cruisers who looked like they’d taken up permanent residence. The space around the corner above the lock (La Cendrier on the canal lateral à l’Aisne) was occupied by two empty péniches, so unless we turned round and went back across the aqueduct over the Aisne there was nowhere to tie up. 

Lock 11 Metz. Canal de L'Oise a l'Aisne

The weather was now glorious, Mum had sat out, and so we decided to keep going to Berry-au-Bac. 20kms and another lock. Péniche Invicta was waiting to load at the first silo quay. A retired péniche called Nautica from Antwerpen was moored in the wide by the village of Maizy as was a British replica DB called Ferrous. The lady of the latter vessel came out waving like mad just after we’d passed. Lots of sandpipers flew off in front of the boat. At 5.00 p.m. we attempted to moor in the layby at Pontavert, but it was far too shallow as they’d left the old sloping stone wall below a 50’s concrete wall and new piles were arranged along the bank for the next new edging. We carried on to Berry. A large DB from Groningen called Cinclus was moored at the very end of the péniche moorings below the lock. 

Recessed lock bollard with deep rope grooves.
Lock 13 Verneuil

Two men were walking down the path towards it, they waved. The lock was full but the keeper emptied it for us. I put a rope on a bollard and went up the ladder to ask if we could have some drinking water. The new lock keeper, a young blonde lady in her late twenties, came out to speak. Yes, no problem the tap was on the side of the house but there was no hose. She said she’d fill the lock first. OK. Meanwhile I held the rope and Mike found the hose out of the gas locker and connected it up. Asked if it was OK to stay in the corner of the “large” – yes, no problem – and parking? Fine, no need to ask. I said it’s only polite to ask first – she smiled. She said to let her know when we want to continue on VHF channel 22, as she has to set the first lock on the Marne à l’Aisne for us. Great. 

Passing Landfall, an empty peniche,
below lock 13 Verneuil

Tank refilled we moved into the corner (well not quite, as it was silting up quite badly) opposite two Dutch péniches, Moshulu (empty) and Babytonga (loaded) with another Dutchman Wil-Jas (also loaded) on the same side as us but right by the lock. On the far side of the junction were four more empties, Vagebond and Logica, one I couldn’t see the name of (Maryland) and Medea. The shop/café on the corner by the lock was shuttered and the fuel seller had packed up and gone. It was 6.40 p.m. by the time we’d finished tying up. Another loaded Dutchman, Liane from Maastricht, came down from Rethel direction and turned to go up the Marne à l’Aisne but was a few minutes too late, the lock lights had all gone off at 7.00 p.m. so he moored on the corner with his bows almost touching the gates. Gave Mike a hand to get the bike off the roof down a plank and he went to get the car. It was almost dark when he returned and we had a very late dinner.