Bethencourt to Peronne

16km, 2 locks, 2 hours 25 mins

We spent a very comfortable night at the quay in Bethencourt.  The locks close from 19.00 until 7.00 the next morning so there is no passing traffic in the middle of the night.

Just a short run today from Bethencourt to Peronne where there is a Port de Plaisance with a washing machine – it is 2 weeks since I last saw a laundry. Quite apart from sheets and towels, I needed to wash cumbersome items such as jackets, jeans and thick jumpers.

Long before we arrived at the first lock we noticed it was showing the red and green light (in preparation) but I called anyway – not wanting to upset the lock keeper like we did yesterday – to be told that it was in preparation!    We noticed a bit of a commotion at the downstream side of the lock, it looked like there was an ambulance there and then another emergency vehicle arrived with siren howling.  As we started going down in the lock I noticed that there was a JCB type vehicle with its long-reach arm perilously close to the overhead electric wires.  

Photos taken long before we realised anything was going on

As we came out at the bottom of the lock a man was lying on the ground being attended to by the emergency services.  He was in the recovery position but as we passed by, the emergency guys stepped back, he move and started sitting up so I guess he’s OK.

    

The two locks we negotiated today were awful.   The sides of the locks have vertical “corrugations” deep and wide enough to swallow the fenders, and about 1 m apart.   

Ian was tending the hook on the ladder (both locks had a 4m drop, and bollards eons apart) and I was tending the bow with a mobile fender, moving it from one ripple in the corrugations to the next as the boat surged backwards and forwards.  

Unfortunately we have no extra crew member to mind the aft corner and it did touch.  We are not sure if it was the waterline rubbing strake (which is newly painted) or the stainless steel tube around the swim platform.  And we are wrong side on to the dock to check.  It all looks great from deck level!

As we escaped from the second lock, a barge was waiting to enter

The Canal du Nord is really rather delightful

We arrived at the Port de Plaisance just over 2 hours after leaving Bethencourt. 

This little marina used to be operated by the campsite right alongside but has now been taken over by the VNF (Voies Navigables de France = French Waterways).  We tied up behind another British boat (a beautiful Linssen called Marco Polo) who told us there is no one to take your money.  The campsite office isn’t interested and if you go into the VNF office in town, they are not really interested either.  There are water/electricity pylons on the docks: some of the electricity points work but there is no water.  After our experience of checking in with the VNF in St Quentin, we didn’t bother to go and check in at the office in town.  We found a good Orange wi-fi signal, and an electricity point that worked, and walked into town.  Just 10 mins from the boat there is a Lidl – with a small (29 litre), 12v/220v fridge.  We have a wonderful National Luna fridge already, which can be used as a freezer, but then there is no refrigeration for the lettuces, tomatoes, etc.  Every time we have seen special offers on cheap meat we have been regretful that we could not take advantage.  For €47 we have now acquired an extra fridge just for veggies and salad when the main fridge is in freezer mode!  Not exactly and essential, but pretty handy nonetheless.

The campsite office opened at 4.30 and I bought some tokens to do 2 loads of washing and drying in the laundry.  Aah, at last I can get all our heavy winter clothes clean and sweet again!