(#11) Water adventures in spades
The following blogs will be generic in location except for Narbonne and Beziers which deserve a combined blog if not separate ones.
Ok, so what next, where to after watching other boats vy for position. Somehow the pace of travel is quite relaxing and starting the travel part of the day sometime before noon does not impede our make it as you go plans. I took one of the bikes we had onboard, a bit of a challenge with only one speed, one seat position, handle bars that feel twice as high as the seat and miniature wheels. It wasn't long before I was well ahead of the boat which allowed for some decent pictures. After being picked up we pulled into a depot to get some of the deficiencies corrected. Well that was what we thought could occur, Instead the consistent answer to any of the many questions was "I must be honest I cannot help you". A relaxing glass of wine by the canal side before departing to parts unknown helped smooth the waters so to speak. It was also a day of going through the locks by ourselves, such a much calmer experience, for the time being anyways.
A few canal pictures
Along the way we passed some boats that would just fit into a lock by themselves. I would say their length would be around 30 M and thankfully they were moored. Most looked as if they were special touring affairs, with a dedicated captain and some crew with pampered pouch passengers. Passing one of these behemoths on the water is not something easily accomplished at a cruising and top speed of 8 KM/Hr. Also consider the thrust put out by the prop in a guaranteed depth of 1.4 M as it lumbers along at slightly less than 8 KM/Hr.
One of the brutes
Now about the three cruising rules I learned while piloting the boat but not in order of importance or occurrence. But first a slight preamble. Along parts of the canal are incredible long rows of Plane trees, which have been attacked by a blight brought over during WW II by American ammunition boxes made from North American Plane trees. These trees overhang the canal from both banks allowing for a very narrow clear passage for one boat without having to avoid any low hanging branches. The course of our boat is sometimes like a gazelle zigzagging across the Savannah attempting to escape a hungry cheeta, except in slow, slow motion.
So, rule #1. Don't talk to the captain while the boat is in operation and visa versa the captain should not initiate a casual conversation with any of the crew. Rule #2. Don't slow the boat when passing a boat coming in the other direction. Why you may ask? As these two rules came together, I was asked 'How's it going' and we were in one of those excessive overhang areas and had to allow some branches to brush over us. Unbeknownst and unseen was a dead branch right at the height of our outside table and my chest level as we pass another boat. I double myself over, cut the power as the branch expertly and effectively clears all items from the table and just misses propelling the BBQ into the canal. Cutting the power causes the boat to end up blocking the canal as we almost come perpendicular to the banks. Piloting requires intense, single minded concentration regardless of what else is going on around you, even if you need to slake your thirst.
Now for Rule #3. We come up on one of those massive barges and have no way to attempt a passing operation as the canal is twisting and turning so we need to cut the speed causing us to flounder in the prop wake. The captain realizes this and when he get a clear look of the canal with a straight section signals that all is clear and pulls slightly to one side allowing us to pass. What's the rule? DON'T PASS UNDER A BRIDGE. As I proceeded to maneuver by we just by chance were going under a bridge. Everything feels good until our boat is amidship with the other boat's prop and it feels like our bow is being lifted straight out of the water. Amazing just how strong the hull of a boat is as we descend onto the abutment with a resounding crunching sound and come out unscathed. I was certain we would find the type of cavity the Titannic experienced when it rendezvoused with that iceberg or the destruction left by the Enola Gay, but with all the previous rough treatment the boat had survived before our trip we found nothing that stood out.
Suffice to say only Rule # 3 was never broken.
Ok, so what next, where to after watching other boats vy for position. Somehow the pace of travel is quite relaxing and starting the travel part of the day sometime before noon does not impede our make it as you go plans. I took one of the bikes we had onboard, a bit of a challenge with only one speed, one seat position, handle bars that feel twice as high as the seat and miniature wheels. It wasn't long before I was well ahead of the boat which allowed for some decent pictures. After being picked up we pulled into a depot to get some of the deficiencies corrected. Well that was what we thought could occur, Instead the consistent answer to any of the many questions was "I must be honest I cannot help you". A relaxing glass of wine by the canal side before departing to parts unknown helped smooth the waters so to speak. It was also a day of going through the locks by ourselves, such a much calmer experience, for the time being anyways.
A few canal pictures
Along the way we passed some boats that would just fit into a lock by themselves. I would say their length would be around 30 M and thankfully they were moored. Most looked as if they were special touring affairs, with a dedicated captain and some crew with pampered pouch passengers. Passing one of these behemoths on the water is not something easily accomplished at a cruising and top speed of 8 KM/Hr. Also consider the thrust put out by the prop in a guaranteed depth of 1.4 M as it lumbers along at slightly less than 8 KM/Hr.
One of the brutes
Now about the three cruising rules I learned while piloting the boat but not in order of importance or occurrence. But first a slight preamble. Along parts of the canal are incredible long rows of Plane trees, which have been attacked by a blight brought over during WW II by American ammunition boxes made from North American Plane trees. These trees overhang the canal from both banks allowing for a very narrow clear passage for one boat without having to avoid any low hanging branches. The course of our boat is sometimes like a gazelle zigzagging across the Savannah attempting to escape a hungry cheeta, except in slow, slow motion.
So, rule #1. Don't talk to the captain while the boat is in operation and visa versa the captain should not initiate a casual conversation with any of the crew. Rule #2. Don't slow the boat when passing a boat coming in the other direction. Why you may ask? As these two rules came together, I was asked 'How's it going' and we were in one of those excessive overhang areas and had to allow some branches to brush over us. Unbeknownst and unseen was a dead branch right at the height of our outside table and my chest level as we pass another boat. I double myself over, cut the power as the branch expertly and effectively clears all items from the table and just misses propelling the BBQ into the canal. Cutting the power causes the boat to end up blocking the canal as we almost come perpendicular to the banks. Piloting requires intense, single minded concentration regardless of what else is going on around you, even if you need to slake your thirst.
Now for Rule #3. We come up on one of those massive barges and have no way to attempt a passing operation as the canal is twisting and turning so we need to cut the speed causing us to flounder in the prop wake. The captain realizes this and when he get a clear look of the canal with a straight section signals that all is clear and pulls slightly to one side allowing us to pass. What's the rule? DON'T PASS UNDER A BRIDGE. As I proceeded to maneuver by we just by chance were going under a bridge. Everything feels good until our boat is amidship with the other boat's prop and it feels like our bow is being lifted straight out of the water. Amazing just how strong the hull of a boat is as we descend onto the abutment with a resounding crunching sound and come out unscathed. I was certain we would find the type of cavity the Titannic experienced when it rendezvoused with that iceberg or the destruction left by the Enola Gay, but with all the previous rough treatment the boat had survived before our trip we found nothing that stood out.
Suffice to say only Rule # 3 was never broken.
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