Tuesday 5th June La Cassine to Lumes

Trip 27kms Departure 12.30 Locks 6 of 86

Two very large asperges were missing this morning. I could tell from the smile on their faces who was responsible. Following a good telling off from the horrified skipper the naughty girls returned the missing stalks amidst much smutty giggling. The skipper displayed his displeasure at his tips being tinkered with but Was interrupted by the incredible sight of one of our Dutch neighbours departing to enter the lock. We watched in slow motion fascination as he moved inexhorably toward the bridged entrance to the lock. He was going to stop and take down his beautiful wooden masthead wasn't he? It was 6ft in front of his eyes, the bridge was seriously low,

he was going to stop wasn't he? It was impossible, he was staring straight at his mast and the bridge now yards away. Steve and I both stifled a cry as the excruciating snapping noise and flailing wire stays answered us. He did not stop! Absolutely staggering. I so felt for him as he picked up the splintered remains of that beautiful highly polished mast. A sad start to the day and i am not sure his wife was going to talk to him much today.

After a hearty breakfast of cereals, fruit yoghurt and honey and omelette and baguette, and blessed with a lovely sunny morning, we made plans for the day. This consisted of Steve and I taking the car and 2 fold up bikes half way to Pont Bar our potential night stopover while Brian fished and began his rigerous recuperation regime. Collette was tasked with buying another dozen eggs from the lockkeeper.

The car was safely parked at a small town called omnicourt and we had a gorgeous 10 km cycle back to La Cassine. The dead cow had not moved. Collette had not yet gone to get the eggs. I refused to go and told her to go and try some French. She was so scared yet so capable. She returned laughing nervously. A yacht had entered the lock and the owner had jumped straight off and was at the door as she arrived. He had the last dozen. The skipper was not dumbfounded!

We set off in bright sunshine and Framlar took the helm. First obstacle was getting used to low bridges, Bri showed a confident demeanor as we hurtled straight through without a single rev dropped in speed, "it's not my boat" he beamed at the now ashen faced skipper lying prostate on the deck.

We were enjoying the scenery and the weather as we glided past small rural villages and a very narrow Romanesque church.

The romance of the trip was clearly having an effect on some of the crew

Our burly helmsmen was soon faced with his first lock which was negotiated with consummate ease by this loveable rotund skipper. Next test was the St Aignan tunnel. Again the nerveless gruff heavyweight slipped through as though he had been at it for years. The throttles were an extension of his rippling muscled arms.

The crew relaxed now and enjoyed the sunshine.

We were quickly at Pont Le Bar. A boaters village. The banks were lined with vessels and a boatyard and chandlery were the centre point of the busy little area. The town signals the end of the canal des Ardennes. After a quick chat we decided to crack on a bit but Steve and jacks would take the bikes to collect the car and we would head for charleville meziers. We had to wait for the lock to discharge its load, a beautiful wooden vessel with a rather spiffing 3 wheel car loaded on the coach roof.

Steve and jacks set off and we entered the lock. The engines were switched off while it filled and switched back on for exit and we slipped out onto the river Meuse and with a 2knot current behind headed down river. I went below to turn off an engine as we only use 2 for locking and berthing. I immediately heard a gruesome graunching noise and smelt electrical smoke. I knew instantly this was serious and tried to close down the port engine. It tried to close but was screaming and burst into life again. I lifted flooring in a frenzied Fashion and smoke billowed out from below. I tried again to stop the engine but it just wouldn't close down. I ripped the wires from the starter relay repair but still no stop, the smoke thickened, bri shouted turn off the batteries as he tried to hold the boat midstream. It did the trick, the port engine cluttered to a stop and thank god although plenty of smoke we had no fire at this stage.

We now had the problem of a lock fast approaching, no where to berth for 5 Kms and one engine which is a nightmare for any close quarter manoeuvring on Doucette. The approach would be made as slow as possible with the guys all round the boat with boat hooks and fenders to ease us in. We called Steve and asked him to meet us at Lumes where there was a halte. Locks safely negotiated, We rounded the bend and were delighted to see some 20m of free pontoon at the near end. Although with the current and a strong wind behind, I chose to try and duplicate the lock entry strategy which had worked well and try and go straight in.

Steve had not yet made it but a German from the boat moored came down the pontoon offering to take our bow line. As soon as he had it he started pulling, I told him to stop but it was too late, the current had Doucettes stern and I was not going to stop her swinging right round. The boat pulled the helpful German down the pontoon. Doucette is 7.5 tonnes. Our stern was clearly going to come round and hit his boat. A screaming lunatic of a Frauline was suddenly on the stern screaming at me. I had called the crew back to fender off. Whilst this was happening and actually we were very controlled and it was easy to hold the boat off and walk Doucette in but she had apparently suffered damage from 3 boats and had never received any compensation and she did not want me to be number 4. I gathered all this info in the 40 seconds it took to hand walk Doucette onto a safe mooring when she finally calmed down. They were both actually very nice and I gave the chap a bottle of wine in gratitude for his help. Doucette was safely alongside and the engine was cooling.

Steve soon arrived and we diagnosed a burnt out starter motor. Turned out the brilliant repair item of the battery isolator switch had stuck in the made position and had effectively been drawing 100's amps continually trying to start an engine which was already started. We had been very lucky indeed to escape a fire.

I got on the Internet to try and source a new starter and found an Internet site. We decided to try the chandlery at Pont Le bar in the morning and remove starter then. We fished and then all sat on the poop deck on a warm sunny evening and drank and BBQ'd chicken and steak.

It had been one hell of a day!