Valenciennes to Tournai

Friday 20 May 2016

36.6kms, 2 locks, 5 hours (including 45 minute
refuelling stop).

 I suspect that Ian is keen to get back to Diksmuide to do some repairs to Njord especially as he has discovered another rusted skin fitting – if the rust eats through the valve connection they will sink so it is quite an important issue, especially as he had luckily been fixing a weed blocked toilet when the first valve broke off and managed to block the hole there and then. Close call! We hummed and har’d about staying another night in Valenciennes but eventually decided to fill up with fuel from the Neptune fuel boat which is moored at Tournai. So after showering (my only complaint about the port – the men’s shower drain was blocked and the bathroom could have been cleaner), collecting a free VNF pendant and t-shirt, buying croissants and a baguette, we cast off at the unusually late hour of 10h45. The first big lock is just outside the marina entrance so, after an easier than expected U-turn into the current which runs through the marina, Lynn called up the lock on Ch 22 – silence. As the green light was showing we drove in and made fast and after about five minutes a VNF employee arrived and after inquiring why we had not called on the radio before entering, looked at his radio and announced that the battery was dead.

As the drizzle set in (always, when locking through so Lynn sometimes gets quite wet) we dropped down the lock and proceeded through another two big locks on a surprisingly quiet river Schelde until eventually, passing under a stone bridge adorned with French and Belgian flags of opposite sides of the road, we crossed the border into Wallonian (French speaking) Belgium. And it poured!

The border

Just after the small town of Antoing

Mural of the castle

The real thing

and with the sun making an effort to appear, we drew up alongside the fuel boat, topped up with 200 litres of diesel at E1.12 per litre

Waiting in the queue

and headed downstream again

Tournai in the distance

Tin lizzie

to the halte plaisance which is conveniently close to a laundry, a big Carrefour, and the heart of the city. Being our last night together we decided to have Ian and Sian over for a steak and chips braai; delicious sirloin from the Carrefour which, despite not having spent any time marinating, were surprisingly tasty

and delicious Belgian frites from a nearby chip shop, bought while the steaks were ‘resting’ so everything was hot when we sat down to eat. And drink…

Tournai halte plaisance by evening.