May 9th Wednesday - Long to Samara

May 9th Wednesday - Long to Samara

Departure 11.30am, 10.5 nautical miles.

After a breakfast of ham & cheese omelette & croissant with dan at the helm, we set off for Piquiny where stood a highly recommended restaurant called "Olivers". We soon reached the first lock of the day at L'Abbreloire The start of a 3km canal cutting. The lock was full of thick scummy weed. Not good. When the gates opened I saw with trepidation the whole stretch was a mass of this thick green carpet. I had no choice but to plough on. We got to the end of the cut & at the merging with the Somme a very narrow channel was marked. I aimed for the middle. Doucette stuttered to a halt. Silt, silt & more silt. We bumped through leaving a wake of ugly boiling brown mud. Within 10 minutes the starboard engine begins to overheat. I switch to port & go below to empty intake filters of thick green mass. Still overheating slightly so just go onto port & decide I will look at it at Piquiny just along the river. On arrival at the lock we have to wait 10 minutes for our l'eclusier who had agreed a 2pm rendezvous. This meant tying alongside a Locaboat hire moored at the lock. Very un friendly greeting telling us in no uncertain terms to moor behind him. This entailed fitting Doucette in a 34ft gap with 2 very large rocks protruding at one end. First tossed of the trip had been encountered.

At 3pm I phoned to see where our man had got to discovering a broken car to blame. Our new replacement arrived 1 hour later & through we went. 2km to Samara & it started to drizzle. 1/2 mile on & port engine starts to overheat. I turn it off & start starboard which I had been forced to use in the lock so disaster as it is still running hot. I cannot make it to Samara & turning back was not an option. Current is running me back so it's engines on to try & manoeuvre into bank. Thank god all is clear & I nestle Doucette bow first & get 2 lines ashore. Angela pulls stern gently in with engines off & we just touch the bottom. 2 stakes & Doucette is secure.

I leap down into engine bay & remove both in takes. The drain cleaning pump from lidls pays for itself as after 3 jets of air shot down, the stopcock blockage is cleared with a dull thud & gurgling of air under the hull. Process repeated starboard side with same success. Checked coolant levels, both ok. I was relieved to get her off the bank & mid river before another boat had passed us which had been my main concern.

With both engines sweet now we make our way to the glorious mooring at Samara. A simply stunning location.

 

Took bikes back to Piquiny to view the old castle & church & check out Olivers. All closed until June. Picked up provisions at the boulangerie & 3 bottles of bubbly for tasting on Angela's 50th, tomorrow.

A fantastic evening spent christening the new magma. Chops, salad & new potatoes washed down with beers & bubbly. All sat on upper helm in warm air as we watched the sun go down on what had been an adventurous day.

Weather - am drizzle but warm. pm hot sunny with a sudden mid afternoon shower from nowhere. evening beautiful & warm

Locks - 2 of 6