Seneffe to Mons

28 kms, 1 lift (74m), 2 locks (10m and 5m)

It was a bit foggy this morning, and it got thicker before it started to lift, so we didn’t leave Seneffe until 9.45. 

The fog is beginning to lift - but the top of the wind turbine is still invisible.

Turning off the Canal de Bruxelles-Charleroi onto the Canal du Centre

Crossing a 500m long aqueduct ...

...with very high sides so it is difficult to see over the edge

A very heavily laden barge, full of scrap metal - we know where he's going!

We only intended to cover 16 kms, but that included the 74m Strepy-Thieu boat lift which can take quite a while if you end up in a queue of commercials.   But today was quite different: when we were still 2 kms away the controller called us and told us to hurry up because he was holding  the lift for us.  So Ian whacked the throttle up and we managed 10.8 kms/hr.  When we arrived at the lift the gate was open but the light was red; Ian called asking if we must enter and was told "Wait for the green light"!  5 minutes later we entered – so what was all the rush about?  We were the solitary occupants of the enormous “bassin”- it does make you feel a bit humble!

Entering the Strepy-Thieu lift

All on our own

The hydraulics that operate the whole system - impressive

Be careful - you might lose your head

Look all the way up there - that's where we came in

Just as the scenery was getting rather good...

...more ugly industry.

Seeing it all went so slickly we arrived at the quay at Thieu at 11.30 – way too early to stop for the day – so we continued to Mons, about 13 kms and 2 locks further.  Again both locks ran slick as oiled ball bearings; as we  approached the locks I didn’t even have to call, the lights turned green and in we went.  They  are big locks, one has a 10m rise/fall and the other 5m, but both have floating bollards - easy as pie.  By 14.00 we were tied up at the visitor’s mooring  at Mons.

This is not our favourite port.  There is a very busy highway close by which is very noisy, and just to add to the noise level the guy on the boat behind us was sanding his teak deck, and there was a bunch of teenagers (about 15 of them) having fun in the sun and letting the whole world know about it!  Yes, I know, I’m getting old and crancky!

The marina cost us 10 Euros for the night, plus 2 Euros each for the showers.  That was a waste of 2 euros – the water was so cold, even after waiting ages for it to warm up (it eventually got slightly warmer than freezing), I couldn’t bear to stand under the shower rose.  I stuck my head under the water jet to get my hair washed but the rest of me just got a lick and promise with a soapy sponge.  I probably  got perfectly clean but it really wasn’t satisfying.  Hmmmph!