ok - mostly for cara - but, also some shots of interest
Mooring - or berthing or whatever ---
this is about the biggest fuss free thing - except in Paris and perhaps some of the real touristy spots -- the last thing you have to think about is where to stop
First up - France is very free in comparison to the UK or Oz -- as far as stopping goes -
unless otherwise specified - once you have your permit to move about (which you only have to pay for when the boat moves - if you moved for one day and stopped for 364 - you would only pay for one day - I pay for the whole year)
Ok - so, basically, unless told to bugger off or what would be common sense and obvious - the rule is you can stop anywhere for as long as you like -
these are the exceptions
towns have time limits in the middle of them - eg. - I stopped in Soissons - after 5 or so days - the river captain came to see me and told me that it was only permitted to stay 2 nights - after I told him that his wife was lovely and his girlfriend was really hot and he had good looks and great taste - and that I had mail coming to Soissons from Calais which had come by turtle power from Australia - he said - ok, then it's ok to stay until next monday - which (I think it was wednesday at the time -- so - 2 days permitted became 10 days - just like that.
then, when I arrived in Reims - I didn't want to pay at the proper marina place - because all I got was a place to tie up, power (which I didn't need) and water - which, I hoped to get somewhere - so, I cruised past there and found a few boats tied up at bollards ------ the bloke who became my neighbor told me that you could stay for 30 days -- free - so, that's what I did - and, I found water 350 metres away and a rubbish bin ---- done and dusted ( I don't know how long I stayed?? maybe 5 days, maybe 8 days - can't remember - there wasn't any hurry).
You can't park where there's no parking signs - there aren't many of these - and, normally, it's obvious why they are there (don't ask me why there's a boat there - I don't know ------------- I'm just this side of the sign - on bollards
So, why did I pick where I stopped this day --- Chateau Thierry
because - when I planned the route - I note when I run though it - where the marked stops are - then, unless I have an actual destination - I see how the day is going and if I'm tired or if there's something coming up when it's about time or getting about time to stop -- this is what showed up
so - sounds interesting ------------- hence - this is where I stopped - I had noted good stopping places before this - so, if for some reason - it was crap - I could back up if it was late in the day
this is it
Now - there's heaps of places to stop - in theory, you can stop at the billions of miles of grassy edges - but, I don't like that because if there aren't bollards - you have to spike to the bank - which - to me - is not my cup of tea - you can get spikes that screw in for soft ground - and, they might be fine - I haven't got them - I've got drive in ones and in soft ground, well - they just don't hold.
So, here's one little place I stopped at today - I just put a stern spring line on and kept the engine fwd and I made a phone call, I think I made a quick sandwich as well --------- this place - I would be certain that I could have stayed the night - it's some sort of Ski club thing - but, I reckon during the week would be ok - but, I wouldn't chance during the weekend or Friday night - except in winter
Now - as to common sense - here is a choice of stopping places - all within a few hundred metres of one another -- one I would not stay at for certain - but, I would stop quickly for making a phone call or doing a quick repair or a bog -
here's the one that I would not stop at for the night - just in case a bloody big barge came up with a couple of thousand tons to be loaded or something - Murphy's bloody law if it only comes once a month - guess when it's going to come???
now - just up the ditch a few metres is another ski club - again - same thinking as the other ski club -
but, then - just few metres on - is a place that's probably fuss free - but, you do have to pay a fee - it's fairly cheap -- I think - but, I don't need power or water, so, I would be only paying to pull up - so, why bother - even if it was pretty
It's almost impossible to get caught out because if all else fails - you end up at a lock which switches off at the end of the day - usually about 6PM - with places to tie up for the night wait -- they are more often than not, quiet, safe, beautiful
that's about it for staying and stopping --------- Paris is a totally different kettle of fish and it's very very popular in winter as well as summer
here's some sights from the travel to Chateau Thierry
here's our mate from Perth from yesterday - heading home from a raiding party on some poor French buggers
Here's a lock on the Marne River - a very flash lock with a floating pontoon - bliss
Here's one of the locks I just came through - different to what I've had
So, - just in case the wheels fall off and I don't get back here - I might do the tourist bit tomorrow - because it looks pretty special - in the morning - I will shower in the cockpit about 4.30 if I can get myself together, then, coffee in the wheelhouse, then there's a boulangerie open at 6.30, so, I'll have a baguette for breakfast - unless I find somewhere special to eat - which is unlikely. I might suffer a croissant - I'm getting to like them a bit - but, they aren't my favourite - but, I'm trying to be French
this is what I will head for as soon as it opens ----
there's a few things to see here- I would probably stay here for several days if the nights are quiet - but, I'm on a mission to Paris and, I don't want to hang about for many days atm ------- this place is only a few days back up the ditch if I want to come back
The Marne is a very beautiful river - there's quite a lot of stuff to see on the way - I spotted one really spectacular castle today - and, I went by a gap and didn't photograph it - I thought - the bugger will appear around the next bend ----------------- hmmmm - that was the last I saw of that one.
I also passed something that was hidden, but, smelled very very very expensive property - nothing showed up on the map or chart - but, there was a couple of sneaky places to park and one could walk easily to get near whatever it was - it had old developed gardens which just smelt of old money - and, it was big - didn't see things like that in the north
