Sunday 1st July Pompey to Nancy

Trip 13 Kms . Departure noon Locks 2 of 155

Our german neighbours had already left as we tucked into a light but long continental breakfast. It was a short hop to nancy so no rush. We finally slipped lines at midday and drifted toward the single transit arch on the first of 2 bridges. Unbelievably, particularly on a Sunday, we had picked exactly the wrong moment as I spied a large peniche just manoeuvring through the second bridge coming in our direction. I was forced to stand to for 10 minutes to allow him to pass. My timing was becoming questionable.

The first of the two locks was soon negotiated however on exit a Moselle cruise ship which had been tied to the wharf outside our plaisanciers lock was leaving on its days cruise. I stood off for 10 more minutes as it negotiated the tricky 180degree turn to enter the commercial lock and head back up the Moselle. My timing was now confirmed as bloody awful.

I nearly missed the next lock just 200m away and wrongly entered the port thinking it was a continuation of the river. The signs had been covered by foliage but the crew spotted my error and we finally lined up at the lock entrance. Red lights. I waited and waited for the lights to go red and green, signal that the lock was being prepared and usual form when you arrive and the lock is either in use or needs to be filled or emptied for you.

Still no change, something was wrong, I could see the lock tower but no movement. I sinned. The blast on my horns would get things moving and I knew potentially really annoy the lock keeper. I had no choice, unsure as to wether he had seen me or not.

It was a full 2 minutes before the lights changed to red green. At last! I now saw the reason for the delay as the gates slowly opened to reveal a lunch cruise boat exiting. At least I was finally underway.

The lunch boat exited and immediately there was a huge wash and it slowly started to turn.

It continued to turn until through 180 degrees it re entered the lock and with that the lights turned red. I was simply dumbstruck. I could not jump a red and yet crew at the stern of the lunch boat were beckoning me forward. Sod it, I was going in. It was a very tight fit but we were nestled. The lock keeper appeared and I feared the worst but he approached the lunch oat crew and clearly had a conversation as to why they had gone through the lock at all being as there was plenty of room to turn the other side. Apparently it was all to do with lunch timings. This was just not my day.

We took an eternity to get out of the lock and I was not surprised when the lunchboat skipper chose not to let me straight past and so I followed him all the way to nancy at 1.5 knots. I decided life was too short and took to drinking bottles of leffe to maintain my serene disposition.

The trip was typical city outskirts and we were left a bit be,used as to why you would choose this stretch for a luncheon cruise, but who am I to question.

We arrived at a packed nancy fluvial and were struggling to find a spot. A live aboard pointed to an impossible gap but by now I just wanted in so I went for it. I was pretty smug when I eased her in first shout to the the surprise of the liveaboards who I think we're waiting expectantly for some calamitous afternoon entertainment.

Once in we were starting to get really excited about tomorrows arrivals and set about prepping the boat and choring. I checked in with emannuel, a bohemian capitainairress assistant who had worked in London for a year and gave me a good brief on nancy highlights and stuff not to miss.

We went for a stroll to get vittals and I found my chair in leclercs. Collette persuaded me to invest so I was chuffed to get it back on board where I realised it was far too big and not very practicable but sod it I needed a good lounger. We decided against checking out any sites as we wanted to share that with tone and rose so back aboard we had a sausage based pasta dish and an early night in readiness for the coming onslaught.