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Tour 2010

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2 - Douai to Hermies. Canal de la Sense, Canal du Nord.

Saturday 29th May 2010

First TNC "self steer" barging in France. 09:30 departure. Baptism of fire, from the tranquil Scarpe Moyenne backwaters / Barge "Garage", right into the thick of it, on the Canal de la Sense, the Grand Gabarit, La Liaison Dunkerque - Valenciennes. The right hand of the two locks at Douai (looking upwards) was out of action, but we slipped straight into the functional lock. 12:00 arrival at the junction with the Canal du Nord. After parking up for a bit and shuffling along in the queue, we eventually found a single Peniche to take our chances with. As John had advised, once we found a "friend" we did the minimum to inconvenience them and kept up with them for the rest of the after noon. We moored up (20:15), just short of the Ruyaulcourt Tunnel on an empty "private" wharf, just below Hermies. Rather shelving sides, but twin fenders kept us off the concrete. A few commercial late comers passed that evening, but all slowed down!

Once out on the Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway, we encounter our first lock, the double at Douai (Limiting size of the locks on this waterway are 144.6m x 12m)

In Courchelettes Lock. Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway.

In Courchelettes Lock. Mrs Go-Ry 2 appears to still be in her dressing gown! Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway.

In Courchelettes Lock. Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway.

Courchelettes Lock. Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway.

Looking back at Courchelettes Lock. Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway.

Go-Ry 2 goes! Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway.

Looking back at Goeulzin Locks. Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway.

Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway.

Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway.

Canal de la Sensée / Dunkerque - Escaut Waterway, the Canal du Nord branches off to the right at Arleux.

Canal du Nord. Looking up at Lock No1.

Canal du Nord.

Hanging about, waiting for Lock No1, Canal du Nord.

Lock No1, Canal du Nord.

Lock No1Canal du Nord.

Lock No1Canal du Nord.

Granary at Marquion, below Lock No2, Canal du Nord.

Marquion, Lock No2, Canal du Nord.

Marquion, Lock No2, Canal du Nord.

Looking back at Lock No2, Canal du Nord.

Lock No3, Canal du Nord.

Lock No3, Canal du Nord.

Lock No4, Canal du Nord.

Canal du Nord.

Lock No5, Canal du Nord.

Lock No6 Graincourt-Les-Havraincourt, Canal du Nord.

Lock No7, Canal du Nord.

Looking back at Lock No7, Canal du Nord.

Canal du Nord.

The cutting leading to Ruyaulcourt Tunnel, The first of the two summits on the Canal du Nord.

The cutting leading to Ruyaulcourt Tunnel, The first of the two summits on the Canal du Nord.

Our over night mooring, just before the Ruyaulcourt Tunnel. Canal du Nord.

The Tour Continues...

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