Estrun to Cambrai

Left Estrun just after 9am and headed south to Cambrai on the Escaut.  What a difference the smaller canals make!  Not a single commercial barge; the locks are smaller and more manageable and on this section you are handed a remote control by the lockkeeper at the first lock and after that you are on your own.  100 metres from the lock gates you press the button for “Montant” (we’re heading up) and the locks sets for you and the gates open.  When you are in and tied up – in your own time – you press the “Go” button and the gates close behind you and water level is changed accordingly.  So easy.

At 12:00 we are tied up at the fuel quay so we can take on water.  We will get fuel on Wednesday when we leave here.  Having filled the water tank we moved over to a wonderful berth along the quay in the shade.  We got the scooter off for the first time and were both surprised at how easy it was.  Even easier still was the visit to the local shops for provisions!

We also realise we are right next to the public ramp, which proves to be the perfect pooch spa for the boys.  The final tick in the box is that we have a fab satellite signal and are still enough to keep it!!

We are looking forward to having a couple of days to explore and get some jobs done.  Watch this space!