La Ferté-Sous-Jouarre to Jaulgonne

20/10/2012

Despite a grey day through fog we had a good start, although the current behind the island was strong and all over the place coming out into the river this morning.

Smoke on the water? Nope, misty today!

 Our main complaint on the Marne is that signposts on the river are mostly obscured by brush; the guide book advises which side of an island we should pass (unless in Paris!!) but not when we should use the remote to activate the lock procedure, so when we got to the first remote lock we were pretty close waiting for it to prepare for us, and here the currents are CRAZY! In 75m width of river we have 20m of lock and walls, but the rest is a small waterfall, with white water churning the boat all over the place! Always glad A is calm in the face of such things and we quickly realised that slow and steady wasn’t going to get us into the lock at all, so the ‘pedal to the metal’ approach won out for the rest of the day, but WOW it was hairy!

Sliding bollards - good thing, but not always that slidey, beware!!

Check out the current!! Not fun...

 Of the 5 locks we did today, not one was a relaxing experience – indeed one had a huge log in reminiscent of the Montargis incident, fortunately no damage done – and the last was by far the scariest, white water overflowing in front of the lock entrance, Yikes! As always, A aced it...

Pity the fool who takes the right arch - passable as it shows a yellow diamond, but also a hazard right in the middle?!

 On arrival at the nights stopping point, we met a fisherman who advised that just round the corner a lake is being emptied into the Marne as its too full, so perhaps when we get past there things will calm down a bit?!

 We didn’t see another boat on the move all day; hope they don’t know something we don’t?!

To get water and electricity J & R trekked into town to the Marie – obviously closed at 16.30 on a Saturday, and we were able to get some numbers to call to get the keys for the box only from the boulangerie nearby; but the phone was on the boat so we trekked back, made the call, and off back to the Marie to pay our dues (4€) and get the keys... Still, plugged in and tanks topped up, so all good!