CHAINS OR ÉCHELLES AND BOUE

We are entering a section of intense locks formed into 3 chains or échelles (ladders). Échelle de Marigny 16 locks, Échelle de Chassey 6 locks and Échelle de Pouillenay 18 locks. 40 locks in total. These are in addition to the locks either side that are not included in the ladders. It will in theory take 3 days to complete! 

Page from our navigation guide showing the locks.

We got the feeling something was not 100% on the canal as we tried to arrange to leave a delightful mooring Pont Royal for the next day. The departure time was always 'plus'. We decided to check prior to casting off the next day with a local lock house. Calls were made and it became evident that there was a delay. We were told an éclusier would come and see us. He arrived and stated it was '....très compliqué'. OK it was agreed we will go tomorrow. We left as agreed and all good until we were waiting for the lock to be prepared in a short bief (pound, the stretch of water between locks). When ready to move forward into the lock I realised we had been beached (grounded). This got worse and Soraya was at an angle! We got ashore and after conversations with the éclusier it was agreed to reflood the bief as it was about 400mm lower than it's normal level. This took a long time! An hour later after a lot of revving and bowthrustering we eventually got off. This is the worst grounding we have ever had. So into the next lock. Things got worse. Lots of conversations and after the lock emptied and the gates opened we could see the problem. The next bief was 1+ metres lower than it should be. We draw 1.2m and the water level in the canals are normally maintained at 2.1m. Do the maths, if you remove a metre we are in the boue (mud).

Side of canal, the top of the dark mark is the normal water level.

We negotiated and said we would not move until the next lock was ready for entry about a third of a kilometre away. Hand signals were given and off we set in the boue. At almost full revs we were making little progress, literally ploughing through the mud at about a kilometre an hour. It was a long 3-400 metres. We arrived at the lock and I got the bow in. Soraya then seemed happy to go sideways. No. Foot hard down and we entered the lock with full revs, sucking out of the mud. If we release from the mud too quickly we will be entering the lock at 'grande vitesse'. Yes just a small amount of stress. Lots of conversation later, the bief must have developed a substantial leak. And the 'très compliqué' was probably whether we should go through or not. Personally I think they will have to close the canal and sort out the leak.

The good news is the rest of the biefs seem normal, we will certainly have honed our lock skills to perfection after this flight. Did I mention the other locks.......