Les Rues des Vignes to Lesdin

29kms, 7 locks, 2 tunnels (Riqueval 5670m and Tronquoy 1098m), 5.5 engine hours, 11.5 hours from mooring to mooring.

We had booked to traverse the Riqueval Tunnel at 17.00.  With only 15km (plus 7 locks) to the entrance, we gave ourselves plenty of time, leaving the mooring at 10.00.  

Very old retaining walls alongside the canal as it cuts through a hillside

We travelled behind a barge called Mexicali who was not shy about using his throttle between locks and by 12.30 we tied up in the old port of Venduile

just 1km from the “gare de touage” (towing station) where the convoy forms up.  Biggest and heaviest go first behind the “toueur” (electric tower which pulls itself along a chain lying on the bottom of the canal) so we knew we would be at the end of the line. Before 16.00 we tied up at the end of the quay with Mexicali way ahead.  Before long another barge, Stapper arrived, a beautiful old riveted barge, beautifully maintained .  Ian went to chat to find if they knew how many more barges were be joining the convoy.  2, they thought.  Shortly before 5, a VNF man arrived to say 2 more barges were still coming and we would be delayed, also checked to make sure we knew we would be last in the convoy.  Eventually, a third barge arrived and announced they had decided not to continue till tomorrow!  The 4th barge never arrived, we think the VNF informed them they were too late. 

The barge on the right is the one that delayed the convoy, getting rather too close to the barge which came out of the tunnel. 

So we moved ahead of them and passed our 2 tow lines to Stapper.  Ian said he noticed they had passed only one line to Mexicali ahead of them.  It was after 5.30 before the toueur set off.  

The toueur with Mexicali, Stapper and Njord in tow

Inside the tunnel

As we entered the tunnel the problems started.  Njord was sucked to the starboard side, with our fenders scraping along the tunnel wall and both of us pushing the boat away from the wall.   I tried adjusting the length of the tow lines to pull us into the centre but which helped a little (the port line now completely slack).  Then Ian put the helm hard over to port and we crabbed along at a silly angle but at least we stayed away from the wall.  Meanwhile Stapper ahead of us was having the same problem, with his port bow scraping along the tow ledge on one side and his stern scraping the wall on the starboard side.   And his fenders weren’t doing much good at all, we heard lots of agonising scraping and grinding sounds.  From time to time he turned his engine on to straighten up and the prop wash caused more problems for us.  Two and half stressful hours later we emerged at the southern end, it was 8 o clock and beginning to get dark.  

The toueur

A sign informed us that there was no stopping between the two tunnels and the second tunnel, Tronquoy, closed at 21.30.  Mexicali had disappeared into the distance but the heavily laden Stapper could only crawl along, we were really concerned about not making it to the tunnel in time so asked if we could pass them.  

The Riqueval Bridge where a famous battle took place in 1918 

After the battle

By the time we got out of the second tunnel it was pitch dark, no moon.  Not easy to find somewhere to stop when you can’t see the sides of the canal!  Fortunately, we have a good spotlight.  However, our trusty guide books told us there was a quay for boats waiting to enter the Tronquay tunnel 1 km away just above the Lesdins lock.  And there it was brightly lit, but only barge-spaced bollards, i.e. too far apart for us.  However we were prepared to moor fore and aft to one bollard when we spotted a short fence section and tied up to the hefty fence posts. It was well after 9.30 by then; we were both tired, cold and hungry.  And we had to put up the bimini again(which comes down for the tunnel crossing).  Lesson learned – do not traverse the Riqueval canal in the evening convoy!  Then Stapper appeared also looking for a place to stop and gave us a cheery wave.  

I had put some pork chops in a marinade during our lunch stop and put some potatoes on to boil while still underway.   Ian fired up the barby, I made a salad and dinner was served at 10.15!  It was a long eventful day, and we haven’t found any scars on the hull yet.  Looks like the fenders did what they are intended to do.