Marquion to Peronne

40 kms, 11 locks (6 up, 5 down) and 1 tunnel 4.35 km long

Well, not the greatest day we’ve ever spent cruising, because it rained all day, and it was long day – 8 hours.

The day before we arrived in Marquion we received an "avis a la battellerie" (notice to boatmen, free subscription on the VNF website) that the lock at Marquion had been damaged by a boat. We were amazed that it was repaired overnight and by the time we arrived it was in full working order. 

Here's the evidence!

We set off at 8.50 – misty, moisty, dark and gloomy.  We were planning to leave at 9.00 but after a flurry of activity at the lock between 6.30 and 8.30 there was not a barge in sight heading in our direction (although I must admit visibility was not that great!). 

 But to make up for up the miserable conditions, we didn’t have many, or long, delays, and in fact we expected it to take longer than 8 hours.

This is all we saw all day

Ian doing his stuff in the lock while I keep dry

It was a good decision, we did not have to share the lock, or tunnel, with anyone else and could just move at our own pace.  Even better, we only called in once, at the first lock, and after that each lock was prepared for us as we approached, the gates were open and waiting and we just cruised on in.

Well, at three of the locks and the tunnel we had to wait for barges coming towards us to clear the lock (tunnel) but there were no long, time consuming, frustrating waits.

Waiting at the tunnel

On max zoom so not a good pic, but it tells us it is 12.48 an 10 degrees

The barge exits the tunnel

The lighting in the tunnel is not bad but we have a very good floodlight

Half way along the 4.35 km tunnels there is a waiting station where boats coming from one direction have to move aside, tie up, and wait for the boats coming from the opposite direction to pass them.  We got a green light and didn't have to wait

Exiting the tunnel, 2 barges waiting to enter

The most expensive weed-eater we have ever seen,  and doesn't even do a good job!

Lock number 11 is almost 8m high

The most excitement we had was at lock number 9.  We entered the lock, the gates started to close, stopped half way, closed but the alarm and flashy lights didn’t go off, opened again.  Nothing for a couple of minutes.  Green light came on to exit but in the direction we had just come.  Alarms came on again and the gates started to close again.  Well this went on for about 10 minutes before they sorted themselves out and the lock eventually activated.  Whew, we had visions of spending the night there with the alarm ringing!

At 16.50 we tied up at the Port de Plaisance in Peronne.  This is a pay marina – for our 9m boat it is €11.90 per day plus €2.50/day for electricity.  Water and showers are included.  We only expected to spend one night here but after checking the weather forecast – heavy rain most of the day tomorrow and we have another 8 hour trip of 47 kms, 7 locks and 1 tunnel ahead of us – we decided to pay for 2 nights.  Normally we would not have used the electricity but in order to finalise the new battery system we need electricity.  I don’t know why, I know Ian has told me, but guess what, I can’t remember.