Marquion to Douai, via Corbehem

Total 24 km, 4 locks

We expected to have a short day on the water today, just 16 km and 2 locks to Corbehem at the junction of the Canal de la Sensee and the river Scarpe Superieur.  We set off from Marquion at 9.45 under rainy skies, nice and cool without being cold.  Guess who we passed along the way!

We entered the Canal de la Sensee at Arles, “the garlic capital of the world”, and now we are going back over ground (water) we covered in the opposite direction in early April when we were heading south.  At that time we poked our bow into the Scarpe Superieur to check the water quality.  We really wanted to go up the river to a cemetery near Arras where family members fought and died in WW1 and are buried in the  Brown’s Copse Cemetery.  We had heard reports of the river being choked with weed but in April we found it to be clear as far as the first lock and so planned to return on our way back – which is now.

But….that was 5 weeks ago and nearly 20 degrees cooler….

We arrived at mid-day and there was some weed but nothing to be concerned about.  Ian walked up to the first lock and saw more weed above the lock but reckoned it would be safe to continue.  We had lunch, read our books, took a short nap. I woke up, used the toilet – and it wouldn’t flush.  Uh-oh!  Looked out the window – we were surrounded by a carpet of wall to wall weed!  Where did it come from in 3 hours?  Obviously a trip up the Scarpe was not a good idea.  Change of plan required.

I walked into the tiny village to buy bread and wine and saw a fairground set up in the square.  At about 16.00  the music started!  Loud and strident; sirens and whooping noises included.  Not a good place to spend the night!  Time to move on. 

It is only 8 km and 2 locks to Douai so that’s what we did, leaving at about 17.00.  Using the engine just to pull away from the quay we drifted down the river to the junction with the Canal de la Sensee.  Under engine again we passed through the 2 locks easily - they have floating bollards :) - and tied up at the public quay in Douai at 18.40.

Horse chestnut in full bloom

Many barges parked alongside the canal

The turn off to the Scarpe Inferior, and public quay in Douai, also happens to be the route back to BElgium

Heading into Douai - last time we came this way the trees were bare

Lovely!

The public quay in Douai

Then Ian tackled the toilet problem.   Hmmm, not an easy fix.  It appears that the blockage is not in the valves but right at the inlet where the water is sucked in to flush the toilet.  In our long-gone sailing days he would just dive in and unblock it – not such a good idea in a canal!   Eventually, at 21.00 he gave up and fired up the Barbie!  His plan is to remove some of the boards on the swim platform tomorrow and hope he can reach it. 

Update at 23.30:  Ian being Ian cannot get to sleep with a problem unsolved.  So after dinner he was at it again,  managed to reach the toilet inlet from the swim platform and pulled a huge cigar shaped wodge of weed out!  Eureka – the toilet works again!  My hero – it’s great being married to a real life Action Man.