Halte de Boucahin to Cambrai

12.5 km,5 locks

Yesterday we woke up to another lovely day: crisp, clear, a little chilly at 8 degrees but that suits me fine.  We were sitting in the cockpit having a cup of coffee at 8.00 when the mobile bakery came round.  I bought a baguette and 2 chaussons de pomme (pastry filled with apple), and then we set off for Cambrai.  This is such a lovely stretch of water, the canalised Escaut River. 

The Halte de Bouchain, in Bassin Ronde, is truely delightful.

A third boat arrived late the previous evening and left at about 6 in the morning!

 Scenes along the canal:

Arriving in the port de plaisance in Cambrai we found that the Capitainarie is now open and we had to pay, the first time we have had to pay for a mooring in France.  For boats under 10m it is €7.70 and that includes water and electricity – not expensive.  The only problem is that this port is full of long- stay boats that never move, indeed some of them look totally abandoned, and there is virtually only one spot for small visiting boat. Good thing we are small!  Lynn and Shaun were told to moor at the fuel dock (because there’s no fuel at the moment), but there is not electricity there.  Later in the afternoon an American barge arrived, paid for 4 days, then had to moor outside the port on the main canal with no water or electricity.  Apparently the long-stay boats, which pay a pittance to stay here (€800 a year including water and electricity!) have been told that they will have to move before May next year to make place for visiting boats.

In the afternoon Lynn and I went to the laundry.  The first one we found was really dirty and all but one washer and one dryer were of order!  So we went in search of another and found a brand new laundry in a port-a-cabin just 2 blocks from the boat.  Job done!