Friday 27th April 2018 Soing to Gray 40.8kms 5 locks

Early morning mist at Soing

4.2ºC After a chilly night (glad Mike lit the coal fire) a warm sunny day but with a cold north wind in our faces most of the time. Mike was up very early and we set off at 7.45am to make sure we get through the next tunnel before the keeper goes off for his lunch. Mist on the river, Mike took photos. 8ºC made us start off with fleeces on and they stayed on due to the cold wind. Back down the weirstream and rejoined the main river. After a short distance we turned left on to a lock cut leading to

Wooden landing stage at Soing

lock 11 Charentenay. Empty Dutch péniche Sperwer from Rhoon was moored on the dolphin above the lock, no one about. Down 3.3m. Below the lock they had strengthened the banks with piling and rocks which were only just above normal water level so they had put red and green posts to mark where the pilings were when the river level was up higher than normal. A short river reach then back on the canal with a floodlock open at both ends (they had renumbered the following

Empty peniche Sperwer moored above lk 11 Charentenay

locks by adding this one in as a numbered lock 12). Back on the river again at Recologne. A lady jogger kept pace with us until the first road bridge, then she left the river path. The sky was full of con trails, air craft leaving what looked like long white scratches in the blue sky. Big flocks of sheep were grazing on our left. The river continued to our left as we went into a canal section with flood gates that were wound by capstans under a road bridge. The port de Plaisance de Savoyeux looked pretty full, mostly cruisers, but we spotted a lonely narrowboat called

Chateau du Gray-sur-Saône

Woodpecker tied next to a péniche. There was a red light at Savoyeux tunnel but an electronic sign board said the tunnel was prepared and access was authorised. The lights changed to green, noted there was a new camera and waiting pontoons. The tunnel, which has no towpath, is lined with stone blocks, has rope or chains hanging in loops along the right hand wall and emergency intercoms set in the wall. 643m long and quite dry not many drips – we were soon back into the sunshine and wind. Along

Savoyeux tunnel

the narrow, high-walled tunnel exit channel VNF were cutting grass. A fisherman was set up with two rods at the very end of the high walls. More new pontoons and a VNF tug called Le Saône plus several pans were moored before lock 13 Savoyuex which had a resident keeper. Two large VNF vans were on the lockside. The keeper asked for our registration number (SSR = Small Ships Register) – first time in years anyone has asked for that – the SSR plates are on either side of our pigeon box. I was holding the centre rope which was looped around a new and very substantial vertical pole

Leaky lock walls Savoyeux

inset into the wall. As the lock emptied the walls leaked, pouring water down the sides of the boat and mostly missing me. Mike pushed the boat out into the middle and I reeled the rope back on board after we’d dropped down a further 3.6m. Back on the river, a 10.5kms reach before the next lock.  The last couple of kilometres bypassed the little town of Vereux and lead to lock 14 of the same name. Down another 1.7m. Had lunch on the 7kms reach. A French-flagged cruiser went past heading upriver, whoopee – life on Mars! Down another 1.9m at lock 15 Rigny then just 4.4kms to our

Tug and pans above Savoyeux.
New turn pole lock activators being installed.

last lock of the day. A Locaboat hireboat went past heading uphill – that’s two boats in one day! On into Gray. Strangely the big hirebase above lock 16 Gray appeared to be empty save for two cruisers. Down Gray lock, 1.7m and we moored on the wall beyond the DB and two cruisers that were moored there when Mike went past on the moped the day before.

Almost empty pontoon at hire base in Gray

Above lock 16 Gray