Dry dock, wet feet

A 38 metre hotel barge has just arrived for the dry dock at Saint Jean, she cruised down from Dijon after spending winter in the city's port.
Once the dry dock is ready, the barge enters and is moored in place with ropes keeping the boat in the ideal postion, whilst a diver places 8 steel "chairs" underneath the barge in line with the water tight compartments. Slowly the water is emptied and the barge will sit on the chairs.
During the last week of the 2005 season, the barge and hit an "unkown" object on the canal, which made a hole below the water line, she has been pumping water ever since.
Now the repair work can be done, the crew will also clean the hull with high pressure steam cleaners and "re-tar" the metal.
Saint Jean de Losne, on the river Saône and the entance to the Burgund canal is a strange place. The smallest town in land size of France, very friendly and intreseting because of it's importance to barge people.
Generally you hate the idea of having to go on to the dry dock, more often than not, it means you have a problem with your barge. Once your there, you'll have to wait your turn, as the other boats always spend more time then planned due to unforseen reasons. Finally its your turn and when your boat is succesfully mounted in the dry dock, you're relieved. Whatever the problem was, it can now be repaired, or maybe you're in for a surprise.
The whole is much bigger then you thought...
Worse, you can't find the hole even tough you where taking on water!?
The rudder is also bent.
There are many scenarios.

Well for me the best thing about Saint Jean is going to the cafe, after a day on the high pressure cleaner, spraying all the alga off the hull. No matter how water-proof your clothes are, you're always soaked, but at least you have clean feet when you take off those soggy socks.
Cheers...
P.S. It's raining.

Earth views of the Canal

There are some interesting views of the Burgundy Canal using Google Earth.

This link give a great view of the canal entrance at Saint Jean de Losne, with the basin and dry dock.

This link shows a 38 metre barge heading upstream.

This one shows a couple of smaller boats in lock 64.

For the moment only the southern part of canal after is available in HiRes images, from lock 63 down to Saint Jean de Losne, but I guess in the next few months more will be available. It's still possible to see the trace of the rest of the canal, but trying to place the locks is slightly more difficult.

You can also connect Google Earth to a GPS for real time navigation, but its very difficult to get lost on canal.

I've almost finished plotting every lock along the Burgundy canal, plus some of the interesting places along side. I'll publish the file in the next few days...weeks.

Let me know if you also find interesting places on these incredible images.

Water levels

I've been driving along the Ouche valley almost every day for the last few months, there are many pounds between the locks which are empty of water. Some of the locks are being repaired, which is a valid reason for emptying the water, but I'm surprised to see other stretches which have been empty for weeks, apparently for no reason.
I've walked around the reservoir of Chazilly which is extremely low (even if it is never filled to more than 2/3).
Also, it has not rained very much over the past 3 months. There was a bit of snow at Christmas and the New Year. The snow fall has always been an important factor in filling the reservoirs and increasing the water in the rivers, which is then transferred into the canal.
So at the moment I'm quite pessimistic about the duration of the 2006 cruising season.

First of all, low rain fall this winter.
Secondly, the reservoirs are low.
Thirdly many empty canal sections which have to be filled before the season opens.
For this to change, during February and March it will have to really rain...

So get ready to change your cruise program for early September 2006, the section Dijon to Saint Jean and Tonerre to Laroche will probably remain open, but I think you'll be doing some river cruising.

Mobile lock keepers

The canal has really changed.
Before each lock house was occupied by a lock keeper, who would pass the barges through, occasionally helping out the neighbouring lock keeper as well.
Well that is no longer the case. There is obviously a new policy to reduce the number of lock keepers on the canal. Today they are equipped with VHF radios and are mobile with Vespa scooters.
When you present your barge at a strategic lock in the morning, there will be a lock keeper ready to escort you for the next 4 to 5 locks. So be prepared for a delay if you arrive without giving prior notice. The advantage is that you are sure to have a lock keeper once you are underway, this is especially so when going downstream.
In the "Good Old Days", it was not uncommon to arrive at a lock and wait and wait, whilst the person responsible was out shopping for example.
There are also quite a few of the houses no longer occupied by lock keepers, I've also heard it is muxh simpler to rent certain of these houses if you have a solid and appealing project such as a restaurant or cultural activity. This helps bring animation and events to the quite regions along the canal. However I miss having those arguments with lock keepers who were always late...

Canal is open and we're cruising

Great to be on the barge and moving again.
I've cruised 24 locks upstream from Dijon, all the lock keepers seemed happy to be back at their stations and turning the handles.
It's pleasant to have some small talk with them about how the winter went and what has happened. Quite often comparing how much wood each other had to burn to keep the house warm; what work has and hasn't been done on the canal; and how is Mrs Jones.
The canal is still quite, but there some hotel boats already on the move which is a good sign.
I passed the barge La Reine Pedauque with Captain Max on board, he's been running that barge for the last 25 years, very skilled pilot. He turned the 120 footer at the port of Plombiere les Dijon, which is great fun to watch. The barge only has a 110 HP DK4, but at least he has hydraulic steering now, which makes things a bit easier for him.
I'll see his barge all through the summer.
By the way the lock at Plombiere is very easy to pass going up the canal, but coming down it can be quite difficult, as the round shaped port seems to create a slight whirlpool current, and when you're already turning a tight right to get into the lock, the stern is caught by the current and pulled out to the left. So if you are not careful you end up completely askew just as you enter the lock. Have fun.
I enjoyed arriving at Pont de Pany, as it marks the entrance to the main part of Valley Ouche. The canal is very pretty all the way up to Escommes. Passing though Gissey sur Ouche, I still look at the old cafe beside the canal with great regrets and fond memories of Emmie, the previous owner. Did we have some great fun, food and wine in there before! Last I heard, he was living in Corsica. The cafe was sold just a couple of years ago and is now a private home. France is loosing the traditional bars and cafes at an alarming rate. It's turning the country villages into ghosts towns, with everyone living inside the television box and not talking to one another.
Yesterday I passed through La Bussiere sur Ouche, had to smile, the Abbey has just been bought by an English family, some of the locals are upset and against the idea. What they forget is that the Abbey is falling to bits, and if no one puts money into it soon, you'll be visiting a ruin. Good luck to the new owners, hope the new plan is a success (and if you need to employ anyone, gardener etc I'm your man :)

I felt like an eskimo

More than two months of snow...
Everything was black and white, I've spent the last few weeks trying to keep the boat warm. I've burnt almost every peice of wood that I could find. Today the temperature climbed upto 11°C !!! Spring is here, it really is.
The last few weeks have been very frustrating. Now I can make plans about getting evrrything ship shape. I must sand down the wheel house and but some varnish on, but that will have to wait.
This week I'll be getting the engine ready to cruise. I want to move the boat up to the top of the canal near Escommes (45 locks away).
I've spoken to the lock keepers and they say that the boats can move in the next few days. Can't wait.
I drove along a road which follows the canal through the valley where I'll be heading, there are still some pounds that are iced over, but if the sun keeps up the work, it should not be a problem.
I've got a problem with a couple of my injectors on the Leyland engine (6 cyclinders in line), it has been very difficult finding spare parts over the last few years...
There is shipyard at Saint Jean De Losne, Atelier Fluvial, I'll pop down there this week to see if they can help out.

Coldest yet, but the sun is on it's way

Freezing, can't do work on the barge. I'm even heating the engine room...
As it's been so cold I decided to begin to look for work for the up and coming season on the hotel barges.
Fantastic luck, I found a vacancy on a nice looking barge.
I saw the owner last Friday and he took me on straight away. I've known him for a few years, but I've been working with his competition for the past seasons. His offer was interesting and the barge has everything to make a pilot's job worthwhile and not a constant nightmare of breakdowns.
I piloted the barge a few times before. It's only 100 ft long, good engine, hydraulic steering, some keel to keep off the wind when locking through. There is a nice remote control for steering the barrge when going through locks, which means I can look along the side as I put the boat in to the lock. Better than hitting the wall :)
The boat will be cruising in a calm and pretty part of the Burgundy canal. I'll be off to check her out in a couple of weeks. You never know what has happened during the winter season.

Icy cold day

It began to snow Sunday late afternoon, the temperature has really dropped, Monday snowed in, too risky to try drive anywhere. So pilled as much wood as possible into the stove.
The canal is now frozen over, I can almost walk across. Anyhow the towpath is very quite, very few people walking of cycling since Sunday. I've just checked the thermometer, it's now -12°c outside. The forecast said it will slowly warm up... Can't wait.

Closed for Winter

Generally the canal has closed in mid November and reopens at the end of March. Here are the main reasons.

• The water supply becomes low. During the Summer the barge traffic consume the water supply which is stocked in the main reservoirs. This water supply is accumulated during the winter period.
• There is much less boat traffic during the winter, maintaining all the lock keeprs at their posts is not very resonable.
• The locks and canal require maintenace, which often requires streches of water between locks to be emptied. Therefore navigation is closed.
  

Although the canal is very calm with regards to the lack of barges navigating during the winter, it is still very interesting to watch the locks being repaired. To have access to the lock doors, the streach of water (called "a pound" above or below the lock must be emptied. The sluice gates are simply opened to allow the water to evacute at a pre-caluated rate, just fast enough to not flood the pound below.
Generally there is enough water tleft to keep the fish alive, however the fishing guards will come along to rescure the larger fish, netting them and then transporting them to the pound below.
The canal workers can now remove the pieces of oak used as seals, replacing them with new oak which is finished on site to have an exact fit. They will also repair or maintain the sluice gates when required.
When finished, the lock doors are closed and the canal pound is refilled with water from the lock above. The whole job can be done in 48 hours.

My barge

My barge was built in the 1920's, she's called "Vieux reve" which means the "Old dream". She is a "Luxe motor", type of boat. With a length of 30 metres (thats just a bit more than a 100 feet), 5 metres wide, the keel draws 1.10 metres on the stern, and 50 cm at the bow, there is just one lower deck, a large sun deck, the original crew quaters at the stern, the barge offers much space.
There are quite a few types of barges around, from Tjalks to Freycient to Klippers and others.
I really like the the outlines of the Luxe motors, smooth curves and a proud bow.
What used to hold the cargo, is now converted into two sleeping cabins, a kitchen/galley/breakfast bar and large saloon. The stern cabin, is still in it's original state, with wood panneling, a tiny shower/sink/wc, a large double bed and a small desk.
The wheel house is also original, but with a few modern gadgets for steering and motor control.

Guess I'll say Bonjour

I think I'll start this with the intention of sharing some of my barging experience and the passion I have developed for the canals over the last 20 years.
Just to situate you, I'm in France, in the region of Burgundy, on what is called the Canal of Burgundy or in French La Canal de Bourgogne I've been living and working on a barge for quite a few years. I guess like many other people, I decided to "throw" it all away and get out of the rat race. After leaving school in the UK, going to London to find a job etc etc. I suddenly realized that this was not what I thought it was all about. So... I just left and went to France.
I had heard about barges and canals, Paris and the river Seine, so at the age of 23, I packed my one and only bag, took the train to Dover, the midnight ferry to Calais and trained to Paris. This used to be a cheap way to travel to Paris.
I basically left everything behind... with no regrets.