Sonntag, 8. Oktober 2017
Samstag, 7. Oktober 2017
Canal Lateral de l'Oise
Chauny – Compiègne; 40 km, 4 locks, 5 engine hours.
Wir sind unterwegs in unseren Winterhafen in Rouen. Die erste Etappe ging von Chauny nach Compiègne, 40 Kilometer Richtung Süden und etwa 2 cm unterhalb von Janville auf der Karte.
After our quick tour of Switzerland, we needed a couple of days in Chauny before heading to our winter harbor in Rouen. The first destination in Compiègne, 40 km down the line (and about an inch below Janville on this map).
Wegen heftigem Wind starteten wir in Chauny einen Tag später als geplant. Bei der Anfahrt gestern war das Wetter dann zwar nicht ganz windstill, aber wunderschön.
We sat out a wind day before leaving Chauny but when the time came to go, it was a lovely fall day.
Auf dem Weg trafen wir noch einmal einen Berner, der schon so lange in Frankreich lebt, dass er sein Schwiizerdüütsch fast ganz vergessen hat.
On the way, we waved good-bye to an acquaintance, a Swiss guy who's been living in Picardy for years.
Bootsleichen am Wegrand, finden wir mittlerweile schon ganz normal.
Dead in the water.
Wir verbrachten die Nacht in Janville, eine Schleuse und wenige Kilometer vor Compiègne.
We stopped for the night in Janville, just a few kilometers from Compiègne.
Blick auf die Schleuse bei Janville. Wir sind jetzt auf dem Canal Lateral de l'Oise à l'Aisne, einer Schnellstrasse von Belgien nach Paris. Der Verkehr ist hier entsprechend dicht, die Schleusen riesig. Zum Glück gibt es für uns Kleinen extrakleine Schleusenkammern.
The next morning, I took this photo from a footbridge over the lock. Until now, the locks had the uniform length of 39 meters but now they're another dimension altogether, over 100 meters long, to accomodate the really big barges that ply the route between Belgium and Paris.
Einfahrt in die Schleuse bei Janville. Auch die kleinen Kammern sind eindrücklich.
Here we go, into the Janville lock.
Immer diese verflixten Seile. Sie sind neu und noch weich, und immer bereit, sich zu verknoten.
Our new ropes are soft and flexible and, we're discovering, quite ready to literally tie themselves into knots. Bother.
Mobilität in jede Dimension.
Who needs a helipad when you can take a balloon? What a concept!
Wir kennen Compiègne schon von einem früheren Besuch und lassen uns deshalb von der ziemlich heruntergekommenen Einfahrt nicht abschrecken; die Badeanstalt.
More abandoned infrastructure---the old bathhouse outside Compiègne.
Dieser Kahn sinkt immer noch langsam vor sich hin.
We went to Compiègne a couple of weeks ago and we saw this endangered hulk. It isn't looking any better. We wonder when it will be hauled away....
Zunächst besuchen wir Guerdin & Fils, einen tollen Laden für Schiffsbedarf (wir brauchen eine neue Toilettenpumpe). Zuerst legen wir (auf Anweisung des Personals) an der Bunkerstation an, müssen dann aber den schnellen Rückzug antreten, als drei Frachtschiffe gleichzeitig zum Tanken ankommen. Nicola Guerdin hilft beim Anlegen im Grünen.
There's a very good chandler in Compiègne, Guerdin et fils. We stopped there for some bits and pieces, including maps and a new toilet pump, tying up first to the diesel tanker while we busied ourselves in the shop. But all of a sudden, Nicola said we had to move: three barges were coming in to get diesel. So we quickly moved to the shore and tied up again.
Das Toilettenpumpenproblem kann nicht unmittelbar behoben werden. Unser Modell – keine zwei Jahre alt – ist nicht mehr im Angebot. Nicola offeriert eine andere Pumpe, die ganz knapp nicht in unsere Toilette passt. Es bleibt nichts anderes übrig, als eine neue Toilette zu kaufen (was übrigens nicht viel teurer ist, als lediglich die Pumpe zu erstehen). Am Montag wird die Installation stattfinden.
It seems our toilet pump is no longer available(!) although the equipment is only two years old. The company was sold and a new model has replaced it, with slightly different geometry, meaning that we have to get a whole new assembly, which we will do on Monday. Another reminder of the validity of the old saying, "If you don't have any problems, get a boat."
Bis dahin begeben wir uns in den Hafen von Compiègne. Der hat drei Passantenplätze, die um diese Jahreszeit alle unbesetzt sind.
We'll spend the weekend in the Port de Plaisance in Compiègne, a bit run down but well-located and friendly.
Spaziergang in den ehemaligen königlichen Jagdgründen. Wir freuen uns, Compiègne etwas näher kennen zu lernen; morgen gibt's mehr Bilder.
The harbor's close to the old royal hunting grounds, so there are compensations. We really like Compiègne and we look forward to exploring it for a few days. But then, by golly, we will press on, Plan B-style, to Rouen!
After our quick tour of Switzerland, we needed a couple of days in Chauny before heading to our winter harbor in Rouen. The first destination in Compiègne, 40 km down the line (and about an inch below Janville on this map).
We sat out a wind day before leaving Chauny but when the time came to go, it was a lovely fall day.
On the way, we waved good-bye to an acquaintance, a Swiss guy who's been living in Picardy for years.
Gruppenselfie.
A rare group selfie that worked: here we are---Aila studying the map book, Neira studying Aila's knee, and me studying the water.
Dead in the water.
We stopped for the night in Janville, just a few kilometers from Compiègne.
The next morning, I took this photo from a footbridge over the lock. Until now, the locks had the uniform length of 39 meters but now they're another dimension altogether, over 100 meters long, to accomodate the really big barges that ply the route between Belgium and Paris.
Here we go, into the Janville lock.
Our new ropes are soft and flexible and, we're discovering, quite ready to literally tie themselves into knots. Bother.
Who needs a helipad when you can take a balloon? What a concept!
More abandoned infrastructure---the old bathhouse outside Compiègne.
We went to Compiègne a couple of weeks ago and we saw this endangered hulk. It isn't looking any better. We wonder when it will be hauled away....
There's a very good chandler in Compiègne, Guerdin et fils. We stopped there for some bits and pieces, including maps and a new toilet pump, tying up first to the diesel tanker while we busied ourselves in the shop. But all of a sudden, Nicola said we had to move: three barges were coming in to get diesel. So we quickly moved to the shore and tied up again.
It seems our toilet pump is no longer available(!) although the equipment is only two years old. The company was sold and a new model has replaced it, with slightly different geometry, meaning that we have to get a whole new assembly, which we will do on Monday. Another reminder of the validity of the old saying, "If you don't have any problems, get a boat."
We'll spend the weekend in the Port de Plaisance in Compiègne, a bit run down but well-located and friendly.
The harbor's close to the old royal hunting grounds, so there are compensations. We really like Compiègne and we look forward to exploring it for a few days. But then, by golly, we will press on, Plan B-style, to Rouen!
Mittwoch, 4. Oktober 2017
3x20 in Vevey
HP-60!
After Zurich, we headed to Vevey, a jewel of a town on the Lake of Geneva.
And it was all his fault: Hanspeter, one of Aila's oldest friends, who was celebrating his 3x20 birthday (and his retirement from Swiss International Airlines, the former Swissair).
Here's Nini, Hanspeter's wife, unfortunately photographed in a rare, unsmiling moment. Sorry. Normal Nini is a cheerful joy.
Hanspeter has always had a special touch when it comes to living well. He arranged for our rooms in the same house where the party was to be held. On our first evening, the terrace offered a spectacular view of the lake, the mountains and also of Christine and Herman, more friends visiting for the party.
On the evening of the party, however, the weather failed to cooperate, so we shifted from the glorious terrace to a nice room inside. The group was small and convivial. Hanspeter said it included basically all the people he really cares about.
Here he is, chatting with his sister, Ruth, beneath the wings of his former employer.
Vevey is certainly worth visiting even if you don't have a party to go to. Unlike the better-known lakeside towns in Switzerland --- Lucerne, Geneva and Zurich --- there's no busy street to disturb the peace of the shoreline.
Of course, we examined the marina. This sailboat has a clever weather shield, we thought.
Kunst im See: die Gabel ist ein übriggebliebenes Exponat einer Ausstellung zum Thema Tischbesteck im Alimentarium, dem hauseigenen Museum von Nestlé, die in Vevey seinen Hauptsitz hat.
Vevey hosts the corporate headquarters of Nestlé and this fork marks the shore near its former head office, now a museum.
The weekly market was a good one.
Hanspeter and Nini's sons, Jeremy and Simon, are true b-ball freaks, as is your humble correspondent. They arranged for me to attend an A League game, Vevey vs. Winterthur. I loved it! Thanks, boys, and Allez Vevey!!
Was das gute Leben angeht, hatte Hanspeter schon immer ein goldenes Händchen.
We had a great time in Vevey, catching up with old friends, meeting some new folks and rediscovering this lovely town.
Sonntag, 1. Oktober 2017
Hunde an Bord
Dogs onboard
This huge live aboard with the name of Night&Day houses two large dogs. They didn't want to be photographed, but we caught them anyway.
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