Thursday 11th April 2019 Pagny-sur-Meuse to abv Toul lock 16.6kms 16 lks

Swan in the tunnel

Set off at 9.15am Sky clear blue, sunny but with a cold wind blowing. Freight wagons making a loud noise, then as we got closer to the tunnel we had jet aircraft, probably setting off from the air base at St Dizier, what a racket! Two boats left before us, a new build DB left before Mike got up, and an old DB with two men aboard left as we did but in the opposite direction. There were two swan swimming in front of us going through Foug tunnel. Took photos of the swans in

Foug tunnel

the tunnel, trying to take off, plus one of the wide at the top of the flight where lock 13 used to be. Short wait in lock 14, top lock of the Ecrouves flight, while a large white cruiser La Migrateur with Verdun on the stern end – came to join us in the lock. The lock keeper was a cheerful chatty chappie. Got the cruiser to go first so we went into lock 15 behind him and followed him all the way down the flight until he turned right into the port at Toul. Had a long chat with the lady lock keeper at lock 26 after the Port de France.  Photo of sensors for the lift bridge in Toul, the pont levant de Mansuy. Queues of cars at the very slow lift bridge,

Sensors for the liftbridge in Toul

nine cars one side and seven on the other plus a quadbike. Down lock 27, sharp right into 27bis and down on to the canal de l‘Est Sud (canalised Moselle). Waited for Toul lock, the little lock, which used to be for plaisance and péniches. The keeper came down and told us that the little lock is broken so we would have to us the commercial lock. That's different, non commercials aren't allowed up that.  We had a half hour wait for a Egee an empty peniche to come down then we went up. Tied up at 3.40pm on the waiting area above Toul lock as instructed by the lock keeper, right at the end to leave plenty of space for any big boats that might arrive late.  We used to moor in the arm that leads back to the river from the small lock by the silo. Nice quiet mooring with a bank separating us from the river – with a cycle path (well-used) at the top. A short length of 'new water'.