We’ve heard enough rumours and consulted enough professionals to realise that we aren’t able to go through Nancy to Strasbourg and up Basel as hoped. There is a shortage of water on some canals and everyone we’ve spoken to have said the section on the Rhine from Strasbourg to Basel is far to fast flowing for our boat. We could be lucky with the lack of water at the moment but we could get all the way to said section and one rain burst would prevent us from being able to enter the Rhine. The only guaranteed way to do it is the other way round, and come down the Rhine instead of trying to go up it.
Having had such a scorching hot summer we’re in no rush to do the Midi, so next year we’ll aim to go up the Canal du Rhône au Rhin and down the Canal de la Marne au Rhin.
In the meantime, we have continued down (“down” as in “South” – we’re actually going up through the locks) the Canal Entre Champagne et Bourgogne to tackle its 114 locks and 4823m tunnel over 224 kms. By far, the nicest stop was the one we were in for the last couple of days at Chamouilley. Next stop? Who knows at this moment in time – but we will, when we see it.
Adventures with Thirza 