{"id":6220,"date":"2022-07-23T17:06:27","date_gmt":"2022-07-23T16:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/?p=6220"},"modified":"2022-11-07T23:57:07","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T22:57:07","slug":"2022-06-16-gray-soing-1-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/?p=6220","title":{"rendered":"2022-06-16: Gray -> Soing (1\/2)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With Trave being\u00a0 approximately 10h away, we had gone to bed with the resolution to get going at around 9:00 with the begin of the locks’ operating hours. Well, the day would develop quite differently from what we had planned. Here the (arguably overly exact) chain of events that unfolded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Time<\/strong><\/td>\nEvent<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8:26h<\/td>\nFelix was deeply asleep and felt no joy in waking up or let alone in getting up<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9:00h<\/td>\nWe had a quick breakfast<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9:25h<\/td>\nWe loosened the ropes and headed for the first lock — lock #16, \u00c9cluse de Gray. Only 30 minutes late – not too bad. There were other boats in front of us, so we lined up and waited.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10:00h<\/td>\nWe\u00a0 had ascended and had cleared the lock<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10:03h<\/td>\nWe had left the city center behind us and had entered the industrial zone in the periphery of Gray.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10:07h<\/td>\nWe were abeam Arc-les-Gray. I was taking photos of these interestingly looking silos wondering what they may contain …<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10:09h<\/td>\n\n

… and then it happened. The engine made a muffled sound and then it stopped. We sprinted down to the cabin and tried restart the engine to no avail. I turned the ignition key 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 more times, but the engine did not kick in. I had heard this sound years back when a car, that I had rented, almost run out of gasoline and I barely made it to a gas station in the middle of nowhere. Maybe the tank was empty. I went back up to the helm on the upper deck. We drifted in the middle of the river. There were no other boats in the vicinity. We were in a distress situation, but there was no immediate danger. At 10:14h, I called up the rental company and informed them about the breakdown. They promised to come immediately.<\/p>\n

I was worried a bit that a big barge might turn around the river bend with us being in their way without control. It would hence be good to bring the boat ashore somehow. There was a mole about 30 meters away in front of a plant with a bunch of silos. But without propulsion it made no difference whether the mole was 20 meters or 2000 meters away.\u00a0 We continued to slowly drift downstream towards Gray. We looked around for something that we could use as an oar or a paddle. Felix suggested to use the gangway that was tied to the fore deck. I had no better idea, so why not giving it a try?<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Around 10:15h<\/td>\nI went to the bow started to use the gangway as a paddle while Felix kept the direction with the bow thruster.\u00a0 Slowly, the boat turned towards the mole.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10:20h<\/td>\nStill rowing…<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10:22h<\/td>\nI could not believe it: Still rowing…<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 10:24h<\/td>\nThe sun was really intense. And I started to feel exhaustion and needed a break and a drink.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10:26h<\/td>\nRowing…<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 10:28h<\/td>\nStill rowing… The distance to the shoreline had noticeably shortened. I ask Felix for a quick foto of me with the gangway paddle to have prove for the posterity. He refused suggesting to concentrate to get ashore. igf?ds(\/)\u00a7fs!azifef$ — ok, then back to rowing..<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 10:32h<\/td>\nSomething completely different: Rowing. We had neared the mole to about 5 m…<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 10:35h<\/td>\nWe had reached the mole. Felix climbed onto the quay wall and we tied the boat to bollard. We then opened up the engine compartment. There was nothing obvious that would explain the malfunction. At 10:38h, I placed another call to the rental company to inform about our exact whereabouts. Madame Julien, the owner of the company, told me that a rescue team was already on their way for help.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10:45h to around 11:15h<\/td>\nThe team arrives. After exchanging 2 filters to no avail and more checking, the root cause finally became apparent: Diesel plague — bacteria living in the separating layer between the water and the diesel. The bacteria had developed a bio film that clogged the fuel line. The guys promised to come back with equipment to clean the tank. We started cooking.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 11:40h to around 12:30h<\/td>\nChange of plan: Lunch had to wait. The team was back — much earlier than expected and with a reserve canister containing 20l of diesel. The idea was to fix the canister into the engine compartment with some elastic straps. This would enable us to continue to Savoyeux which was about 4 hours away. The rescue team would go back by car and prepare some auxiliary tanks that would be swapped against the reserve canister upon our arrival. This would minimize our downtime and allow us to continue our journey towards Trave without loosing to much time.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 12:30h<\/td>\n\n

We were back on the river with the propulsion restored. Felix on the helm, myself in the kitchen preparing lunch.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

13:19h<\/td>\nWe were in the second lock of that day: The\u00a0 lock #15 — “Ecluse de Rigny”.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14:15h<\/td>\nWe entered the lock #14 — Ecluse de Vereux to continue our ascend upstream.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 15:45h<\/td>\nWe entered the lock #13 — Ecluse de Savoyeux. There was a German sailboat in front of us that was heaved around heavily by the water rushing into the lock. One time, it was heavily tossed against the wall of the lock. Sometimes it is good to be second…<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15:54h<\/td>\nWe had cleared the lock.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16:10h<\/td>\nAfter some waiting, the signal lights indicated our permission to enter the tunnel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Approx. 16:25h<\/td>\nWe had cleared the tunnel and arrived in Savoyeux.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17:03 h<\/td>\nInstallation of auxiliary tanks finished. Car checked — windows were closed.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 17:15h<\/td>\nWe left the harbor of Savoyeux.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17:55h<\/td>\nWe passed an auxiliary lock that is only used at high water levels. Lock #12 near Ferri\u00e8res-l\u00e8s-Ray.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 18:15h<\/td>\nWe entered lock #11 — \u00c9cluse de Charentenay.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18:52h<\/td>\nWe passed lock #10 – \u00c9cluse de Soing intending to spend the night at the jetty of the camping ground of Soing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19:23h<\/td>\nWe arrived at the camping ground and realized that all places were taken. As the locks had stopped operating at 19:00 h, there was no option to go further upstream. We had to look for a place “in the wild” — without electricity, running water, internet and all the other amenities.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20:26h<\/td>\nWe found an opening in the trees lining the shore of the river and managed to come ashore carefully not to damage the boat. We tossed a rope around a tree and hooked up its ends to the boat. There was virtually no current, so this was enough.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 21:30h<\/td>\nThe sun had set. There was the distant sounds of shots. I hoped that those hunters had better eyesight than the average hunter in Germany and did not mistake us for deer or rabbits.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around 22:30h<\/td>\nBy now, it was dark. Some stars were twinkling in the unobstructed sky. Nature had come to a standstill. All the noise from birds, frogs, insects and other animals was virtually gone. It was quiet except for the chortling sound of fishes coming to the surface and the occasional bangs of the shots that ripped the quietness of the night. Reassuringly, they were still distant. Well, no reasons for any concerns — but I am just a city guy\u2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Around +1day 4:00h<\/td>\nFelix passed by my cabine with his blanket to not spend the night alone in the wilderness — apparently he is also a city boy…<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Getting up can wait<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
I have no luck in trying to awake him – les r\u00eaves sont trop magnifique<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
The motor is humming — getting ready to leave Gray. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Electric power plant in Gray<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lock #16 — \u00c9cluse de Gray<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
In the middle of the Saone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Silos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Zig-Zag-Pattern of Ladders on a Silo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
O my gosh — the engine is gone — what shall we do now?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
The engine compartment — nothing obvious wrong here.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
The fix: A tank strapped against the motor block.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Power restored — we are back on the river.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lock #15 – \u00c9cluse de Rigny<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
In the lock #15 — \u00c9cluse de Rigny<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Some winches left over near Rigny from former days. Maybe these were used to pull unpropelled barges along the channels.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
We are making good speed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lock #14 – \u00c9cluse de Vereux<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Another group of silos — the engine is still doing fine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
A couple enjoying themselves in the river.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
The scenery unchanged but pleasant<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
The next lock — #13 \u00c9cluse de Savoyeux<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
A sail boat waiting in front of us…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Leaving lock #13 — \u00c9cluse de Savoyeux<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Heading for the tunnel of Savoyeux<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
The signal just flipped to green — permission to enter granted<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
An “island” full of dragonflies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Nice and easy following the canal to the tunnel — this time we passed it as experienced sailors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
The extended fix: 2 tanks strapped to the motor block<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With Trave being\u00a0 approximately 10h away, we had gone to bed with the resolution to get going at around 9:00 with the begin of the locks’ operating hours. Well, the day would develop quite differently from what we had planned. Here the (arguably overly exact) chain of events that unfolded. Time Event 8:26h Felix was … Continue reading 2022-06-16: Gray -> Soing (1\/2)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6220"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6220"}],"version-history":[{"count":54,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6544,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6220\/revisions\/6544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gloetzner.net\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}