Wandering Canuck

I really want to thank all those who have made my boating experience a special one: firstly, to Pat and Kerry, who have been with me, beside me and behind me since the dream took shape; secondly to Nick and Chris, who I met by chance, in a small mooring near Warwick. Instant friends, with the supporting efforts that are such a part of the boating community; thirdly to the bell ringing community, with people from far and wide across the UK- those in Braunston that started me on that journey (Peter Wenham, now deceased, Pat Milner. Geoff and Carole Pullin, the team in Steveston, the team in Daventry, and the list continues…). And then those in France: the Pont-a-Bar folk, those at Toulouse (Nellie, Arthur, Max, and the rest of that crew), and those I have met along the way (sorry, too numerous to mention by name).

I have had an exceptional experience: seen and learned about a cultural series of things that native Canadians can only imagine or read about; experienced conditions and situations that no boating course could really prepare one for; and, enjoyed the company and experiences of people from an extraordinarily diverse set of backgrounds. The whole thing has been a really great experience.

But, now I move on. Covid has changed the world for me. No longer able to cruise into a town and meet people, no longer able to ring with folk in a new place, no longer able to welcome guests aboard; it is time to move on.

And so I am: Canada awaits and onwards I go. Thanks for following. The blog won’t die- it will just change from a boating travelogue into a different form. I hope you will follow along. Thanks for doing so in my journeys. Take care.

the France part of my journey: orange 2019, green 2020

off into the sunset… I have had an amazing journey

Well, the end of my era. I have sold the boat, and am preparing for a return to Canuckland. The marina at Hattem has been exceptional in providing the support, exposure, and everything needed for a very quick sale of the boat. While I didn’t achieve the maximum price, I was fairly treated, and the boat sold without conditions. So long for the European boating life, which has been exceptional over the past 7 and a half years. I have enjoyed almost every aspect of the journey: languages, dialects, new hobbies (campanology in Britain, astro-navigation in France), and the chance to meet so many extraordinary people along the way. One needs this type of international experience to be able to judge how special life really is in Canada. I look forward to the return, despite the quarantine and all.

my Wandering Canuck Too, which has been my home and ticket for exploration for 4.5 years.

Thanks for following me on this part of my journey.

with her new owners in charge, the boat sails off without me (first time in 4.5 years) to her new experiences

Wow. time certainly moves on. I am now into the Netherlands, and have made some important decisions. Travelling through Belgium, I mad ‘fast tracks’ because of Covid issues. No contact with the shore people, except at at a distance, and rapid movement through the country. Then into the Netherlands. I moored just across the border in a bumpy (lots of commercial traffic) mooring, at Gavre. Then, across the Scheldt to Sint Annaland, which was my first opportunity to deal with the complex issues about the future of me and boating. Sint Annaland is a large yacht mooring- more than 350 boats, on salt water and quite isolated by land. Expensive mooring, but the harbourmaster spent more than 2h helping me with next steps.

first operating traditional mill I have seen

private residence with affluence on display with their own carillon (drool!).

another municipal carillon. They are SO cool

Weesp. Waiting for the bridge is no hassle wen serenaded with this carillon. Bells…

I motored towards the northeast on the Scheldt and stopped for a few days in Gornichrem. Lovely city, lots to see, and (especially appealing) from my mooring, I could hear the city carillon, playing every hour during the day. The main route is the Amsterdam-Rijn canal which is the ‘superhighway’ that connects Amsterdam and the Rijn river, but that has tons of commercial traffic, no scenery (high banks), and no amenities like secure stopping places. I avoided that by taking the winding, slow (6 km/h speed limit) Vecht river, which has lots of stuff to see, and lots of places to moor.

Then, on to the meers (the seas that have been reclaimed and ‘tamed’). I am headed northeast and sheltered in an island lagoon at de Schelp. Then, onward to the next sheltered mooring at WIJ-land. The weather is decidedly autumn-like- cool nights, showers and windy days. Then on to the very best mooring I have seen in 4 years: Eekt Island, just northeast of Elburg. A sheltered, island mooring. Absolute peace and quiet, no wakes, no cost, and…

ancient bottle kilns for making lime, with the modern facilities in the distance

the border between France, and Belgium, looking forward into Belgium

A strange illusion of a crooked tower, in Antoing.

old lime processing facilities in Antoing

The end of a chapter in my journey.

My journey. At the top, 2018 in blue. The center towards Toulouse (with a big loop along the way), 2019, in orange. And, from Toulouse northward, in green, 2020

I left France today, and entered Belgium. France has been wonderful, exciting, interesting, enjoyable, and altogether a good experience- but it is time to move along. The St. Quentin canal has been a very gentle route north, and a very much better choice than the industrial Canal du Nord. Lots more locks, but much less commercial traffic, and I got to do the tunnels (see previous posts). Even so, in France, there were not many commercial ships (2-5 per day) and very little other traffic as well, so I was often in locks by myself. All that changed as soon as I got to the first place in Belgium (Antoing). At the junction for the canal Nimy-Blaton-Perrones, Antoing is by far the busiest inland port I have encountered, and I met or had pass me, more than 25 commercial ships just today. A very different scenario than in France. Antoing is a major industrial center, and has been for more than 100 years. They have made lime (the bottle kilns and massive roasting kilns) and continue with the processing of aggregates, lime, cement and other building materials today. There are almost no pleasure boats moving at all, and Covid is certainly a reason for that. I had hoped to stop in Tournai, reportedly a beautiful place to visit, but the moorings are out of service as that city does a complete makeover of the waterway, removing major restrictions in width and maneuvering around ancient structures. So, onward I have gone and am readying myself for Gent.

After travelling up the Oise river, I am in the historic city of Compiègne. I am moored just upstream of a lock, and do have a significant amount of movement of the boat due to the wakes of passing ships, but the mooring is quite sheltered from the significant winds of the past few days.

Compiègne is famous for three major events: the Chateau of Compiègne, where Napoleon III set out to create a magnificent palace; the signing of the armistice of the first World War, in a railway carriage in a clearing of a nearby woods; and the signing of the surrender of France to the Nazis in World War II.

the dining room, set ‘en famille’

the map room

the king’s bedchamber

the library (I am drooling)

the Queen’s bedchamber

the ballroom (the white platform is modern, being prepared for a display of period clothing)

the forecourt

the front facade showing the huge nature of this structure

The Chateau is amazing: the state apartments are preserved as a museum. It is a huge palace, and the preserved state rooms are a small fraction of the interior. There are extensive descriptions of each room, in multiple

the tea room 

languages, so that help to understand the purpose, history and details of the paintings and tapestries. Another part of the palace holds the national car museum. There are

a carriage for a rich person!

every sort of ancient vehicles, from horse-drawn carriages, through bicycles, sleighs, motorcycles, and ancient cars. This is not a museum for vehicles after 1918! it was very dark in this museum and hard to get photos that would do justice to the displays

some of the ancient motorcars on display

a model of the site for signing the Armistice in 1918: on the left, the carriage of the French. on the right, the place for the German carriage

the replacement carriage now again on display, (with Daniel, former student, visiting me on the boat)

interior of the carriage, with the name placards of those present during the signing of the Armistice, Nov. 11, 1918

the central plinth now recovered from Berlin and restored as the focal point of the memorial, Marshal Foch’s statue in the distance

The Famous Railway carriage: Signing of the armistice.

The event of 1918 was to take place in the woods far from spectators and media people. There were railway tracks which would allow both the train with German functionaries, and, a similar arrangement for the French. The site was made into a memorial after WWI, and the building in the upper part of the model, a museum where the railway carriage was displayed.

Hitler was determined to erase all traces of the defeat of 1918, including the Treaty of Versailles. He was determined to humiliate the French by making them sign their surrender in the same carriage at the same place as the Armistice of 1918. Hitler  had the railway carriage removed from the museum (cut a huge hole in the wall,) and placed upon the track as in 1918. After the French signed the surrender of France in 1940,  the railway carriage was taken to Germany. He removed the original signed copy of the Armistice, and had the entire site destroyed (except the statue of Foch). The stones of the center memorial were numbered and taken to Berlin, where they were found in a hanger after the war. The carriage was eventually burned and destroyed in Germany, except for two handrails. The carriage now on display is an identical one, now carefully restored. The museum where the carriage is displayed, is an excellent one and carefully describes the individuals of all countries involved as leaders of both wars, the circumstances of both wars, and the results. It is an exceptionally balanced presentation.

After making the trek trough Paris, I am reflecting on the less cultural and more nautical aspects of the journey. The Seine is a heavily used industrial waterway, supplying the huge metropolis of Paris with a great deal of the heavy bulk things that are needed for construction and waste elimination. That means that the ship traffic mainly brings sand, stone, gravel and the like to Paris, and takes away recycling (mostly metals) and organic sludge from water treatment plants, but also construction waste, and such. The Oise is much less commercial, but is part of the connection between Paris and the north, including Belgium, so there is still significant commercial traffic.

unloading aggregates from the barge into one of the tens of concrete making units along the Seine and Oise

barges of aggregates awaiting unloading

using snow-making machines (not to make snow- it was +32C) to control dust and smell, I guess, as the machines load waste into the barge at a transfer station

a debris trap that skims floating debris from the water. They are common along the Seine, and make the appearance of floating garbage almost extinct. Awesome!

Melun prison not in use. Still very intimidating and impressive!

After departing the Canal du Loing, I entered the Seine River. As the Saone and Rhone (see previous descriptions) the river is an entirely different nautical experience than a canal. Current, locks that are humungous compared to the canals (water use is much less of an issue), and a very large increase in traffic. I fueled (a necessary part of boating), and then set of towards Paris. As I went along, the increasing urbanization was obvious at every turn of the river. There are lines of peniches used as homes, there are industrial activities evident, both past and present, and there are many commercial boats, mostly hauling sand, gravel, recycling, or grain.

sunrise on the Seine: crappy mooring, but beautiful way to start the day

evening cool down. Why I chose this mooring

I moored in a very uncomfortable place ( actually a bad choice on my part, as there were a couple of options further on) but there were incipient thunderstorms, with wind gusts that are not my friend, while trying to moor. So… But there were compensations!

one of hundreds of similar passenger boats ready to help you explore Paris or you could visit me!

Then, I set off very early this morning, advised to cross Paris before the Mouchettes begin (a mouchette is a cruise/view ship, and there are hundreds moored as I went through the city). In a non-Covid year, I am sure it would be very busy, but this trip, I only (narrowly) encountered one.

Notre Dame, after the fire. They have enough scaffolding and cranes…

Obligatory Parisien photo

But there are a few things to see as one passes through Paris. It IS a tourist destination for a reason, and I only got pics as I passed through. Most places might be easily recognized, but the angle, from the river, might be strange and unfamiliar (unless you paid big money to the tour boats!)

in the city of Nemours, the fortress (now museum)

The last of the freycinet gauge canals for a while (38m x 5.0m). It has been an hot but delightful journey through these canals. There is so little traffic (Covid has all but eliminated any trip boats, and all of the foreign rental traffic). People are very surprised to meet a Canadian because Covid has eliminated almost all international travel. I, of course, live on the boat and have been in France since March. Now, just about impossible to get out without quarantine.

I am at the confluence of the Canal du Loing and the mighty Seine River: one of the two major waterway systems for commercial traffic (the other being the Saone/Rhone system- see postings about my travel there!)

one of the city gates into old Morret-sur-Loing

the main entrance into the church in Moret-sur-Loing, sowing some of the exquisitely restored stonework

the ‘store front’ of a winery complex in Moret-sur-Loing. it has been here a while!

Moret sur Loing was once a royal retreat city: somewhat like Sandringham, or Balmoral in Britain are today, or (if you are Canadian and thinking primeministereal, Meech Lake, though on a much less grand scale). There is significant evident of this city’s impressive past: major (old, stone, and intact) bridge across the Loing river, exceptional city gates, a fantastic church, recently having undergone extensive restoration, and the remnants of the royal residence, though this is significantly reduced in scope and grandeur from the days of the 14-17th centuries.

Given that this city (and St. Mammes on the east bank of the Loing, plus the companion cities of Champgne sur Seine across the Seine,and Thomery just downstream on the Seine), this area is one of the important crossroads of the waterways of France. Lots of industrial traffic used to come down the Loing, and there are still remnants of that, especially in the transport of sand and rock. The Seine is still a full commercial river, and there is daily traffic of all sorts of ships, particularly as the Seine has locks 180m long by 11.5m wide, so the ships can be very large (compared to my cockleshell!). I stay far away as I can!

The next days will be completely different as I deal with these large ships, their wash, and their absolute right-of-way (might has right!). I will also be back in a river with current, and a significant expectation of following all navigation and safety guidelines.

The 4 canals that make up this route from the Rhone to the Seine (Canal du Centre, Canal Lateral de la Loire, Briare Canal, and Canal du Loing), have the much shorter sections of the Briare and Loing at the northern end. Each about 55km in length, the Briare is a summit canal, connecting the watersheds of the Loire and the Seine.

The peaceful, rural character of the Briare canal

The Loing is a lateral canal, following the valley of the Loing, until it joins the Seine. This year, this canal route is the only one remaining open because of the worst drought for France in a long time. Fortunately for me, they are pumping water from the Loire river upwards to the summit of the Briare canal, and keeping it open. The water levels have been reduced, which makes for some uncomfortable noises as the keel of my boat drags along the gravel in places. It is also incredibly hot: more than a week of temperatures above 35C. There was a thundershower last night which certainly helped cool things down, but today is again hot, and very humid!

The summit reservoir of the Briare Canal, with morning mist, right beside my mooring place

the old lock staircase, replaced with separate locks when they were enlarged to frecinette standard (38m long by 5m wide)

The Canal Lateral de la Loire follows the Loire river, which, at times, has plenty of water (a torrent) for navigation, but by midsummer, is a maze of small lagoons, huge sandbars and a nightmare for navigation. The French realized this and several plans were made for canals alongside the river. The result was a canal from Roanne to Briare. I met this canal at Digoin, where the Canal du Centre branches off to the valley of the Saone. Now, I will be climbing over the summit of the Loire valley to the valley of the Seine.

The pont bridge over the Allier, showing the source of some of the sand that causes such navigation challenges

The canal bridge (aquaduct) over the Loire at Briare. An impressively long canal bridge!

The Loire at Briare, showing the challenges of using the river bed for reliable navigation

This canal has experienced many changes, and especially in how the canal accommodates the major rivers of this valley. There are three major canal bridges (aquaducts) to carry the canal. One at Digoin, one crossing the major tributary, the Allier, and the last at Briere, which eliminated 7 locks and a treacherous descent on the Loire river, with it’s constantly changing channels.

The Briare canal links the Loire valley and the industrial sites I’ve passed through, to Paris, and then the sea. Because the Loire is so seasonal and difficult to use for navigation, other canals have been used in the past to try and link the interior of France to the sea. The Berry Canal, (now abandoned), and the Canal d’Orleans are two of those attempts: they worked, but were plagued with water supply problems, and were swallowed economically by the railways, and are now closed.

A small chateau, really like an old, but significant mansion

The chateau and formal buildings of Sancerre

a rather common crop of something that looks like corn maize) but isnt.

The trip has been interesting: the very gentle descent has made lock work easy, and the scenery changes significantly depending on the commune (municipal district). Goat cheese factories, lots of different wine areas, and many cattle farms, with concomitant fodder and pasture lands. All making for a varied scenery.

And alongside the canal in the river valley are some amazing chateaux. Mostly stately homes, in a variety of sizes and degrees of opulence; some preserved and used, some in decay and really mostly ruins.