Corbie to Amiens 13 May 2022 Not many photos in this blog - we were too busy. Below the story of our voyage on Friday the 13th - which lived up to its reputation. The quai at the silos near the Corbie lock Friday morning didn't start well. I woke up with a sore foot. But it was my other foot. So, I was struggling a bit. We kept to our schedule however and called the Somme PCE (Le poste central d’exploitation - the central operating station for the Somme waterway) for the lock to be ready at about 9:10 am – in about 30 minutes. We knew it would take a while to cover the 500m or so to get to the lock as the weed was so thick. Also, we wanted to minimise the use of the bow thruster to limit the amount of weed getting into the tube. We travelled that short distance getting up to a maximum speed of about 3 km/hr. Closer to the lock the weed was clearer, and so we went to moor, however the bow thruster initially wasn't working and there were steps for launching canoes jutting out into the canal, resulting in us not being able to fit. However, we managed to moor, using a buffer between us and the canoe steps. We had known that the batteries for the bow-thruster were a bit doubtful after sitting idle for 2 and a half years. We had had them on a charger only since our return and they had been working OK, although quite weak. But of course, it is the day that you will need them the most that they finally fail. Almost immediately after we moored, the Somme PCE guy arrived, and so we came out and went into the lock without help from the bow thruster. Due to the weed, we couldn’t go fast anyway, and I did a good job of entering and leaving the lock (if I do say so myself). Below the lock the waterway is quite different. Above the lock it is weedy and slow moving, and we were on the canal which had taken out most of the sharp corners. Blow the lock the weeds are mostly gone, and we were travelling on the windy river, with some right-angle corners and several tight S bends. And there is a significant current. On our boat we need to have forward movement relative to the water for our steering to work (which is why we need a bow thruster to steer when going in reverse). So, with a 6km/h speed limit we weren’t using much engine, meaning we didn’t have a lot of steerage. Also, as our boat is flat bottomed, we slide around corners with momentum. Even after you have completed a turn there is sliding into the outside of a corner, so one needs to be vigilante and concentrate on every tight turn, especially if another is coming up immediately. So, there were plenty of challenges for us as we travelled down the windy river. The only photo from our voyage - the starch factory (Usine Roquette) As we were coming around the corner towards the third lock of the day, we got quite close to and then hit the side of the water way. There was a big crunching sound which sounded bad, but we could find no evidence of damage. Upon speaking to the lock keeper, we realised that what we thought was a small pedestrian bridge was actually a barrage and we had been sucked into the bank. This was surprising as all the previous and weak barrages had big warning signs which we hadn’t seen for this one. We were aiming to stop at a wild mooring about one km from that lock and the lock keeper confirmed that it was a nice quiet place to moor. Although the mooring was clearly marked on the map it was partly obscured by shrubs and we were on it quicker than we expected. I tried to slow down by going into reverse but that just moved us further from the side of the river. Howard missed his one chance at a long-range throw at the mooring bollard, so I tried to back up for another go, but without a bow thruster and with the strong current that was impossible, so we had to give up on that mooring. We looked out for other moorings on the cruise into Amiens, but they were either too small or too flimsy for us, so we ended up entering Amiens. There are three moorings suitable for us in Amiens. The first mooing in Amiens is just after a bridge. As we came through that bridge, we were surprised to see a large tourist boat (without AIS) leaving the mooring. He called us on VHF, in French of course, and we agreed how we would manage our passing. But apart from the place that he vacated, there was no place for us on that mooring, so we did the right angle turn into the calmer canal around the city. At the next mooring, just before the lock, there was a spot for us, so we moored. Howard decided to cycle down to the third and final mooring place in Amiens to see if there was a better place – he always likes to moor where we get sun on the solar panels all day, and at our original mooring we were in the shade. However, after a stressful day and with two sore feet, I didn’t want to move again, especially as there was an electricity outlet right next to the boat. Howard had called the Somme PCE when we were unable to moor at the first Amiens mooring to let them know that we may need to go through the lock, but he had only been able to leave a message. Our new mooring is opposite their office, so one of the guys, who speaks English, dropped by to see if we needed to go further. He was very helpful, and he thought this was the safest mooring for us. I was pleased to be able to relax after a stressful day. After a late lunch, Howard went into the Somme PCE office and with a mix of French and English worked out where we could buy replacement batteries for our bow-thruster. On the third try we got through to them on the telephone. They were very helpful, but we had trouble explaining exactly which batteries we needed in French. Howard suggested that we send a photo. We did this, and they confirmed in an English text that the batteries were in stock and would be delivered in the morning. Thanks goodness. That night at dinner Howard asked if I had brought in the flag. As I hadn’t, we wondered what had happened. Turns out that at some point we got a bit closer to those trees then we thought as there was only about 15cm of flagpole left. So, we have lost our second Dutch flag, having lost one in our first season. After dinner I realised that the date was the 13th. Friday the 13th. Was that a coincidence or … Our mooring in Amiens under the trees
2 Comments
Hazel
16/5/2022 06:51:54 am
Wow, sounds like an exciting day!😜
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Karen Melchior
16/5/2022 08:23:13 am
How stressful! Despite all the difficulties, the picture of your mooring spot in Amiens looks great! Friday the 13th, indeed! xx
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