Thursday 17 April
Another fairly early start as we wanted to be sure of getting to the boatyard by Friday. But we need not have worried too much, since the current on L’Oise meant that we could easily travel downstream at 14 – 15 kph. The locks all had a double chamber, so that waiting was minimal, as was the drop on each lock. So, in fine weather we motored on down, until we noticed that, again, our batteries were not charging. We found a place for a quick stop and I slightly tightened the belt again, trying to be careful not to over tighten. We started off again and the batteries were charging – for about 10 minutes. We found another stopping place (fortunate because they are difficult to find on L’Oise) and I was just poking my head down into the engine room when the VHF sprang to life. “Hilda May, this is Gulliver, do you have a problem?” We looked up and saw a a British barge heading towards us. We invited them to stop, but I had identified the possible cause by then – a nut on one of the cable connections not very tight. I tightened it and it seemed to do the tick. But this was a good opportunity to have coffee with Keith and Jenny and hear about their nine years in France on board their Sagar boat. They were on their way to the Netherlands, having explored almost every French canal, but were now a little tired of France.
Underway again the charging situation seemed fine and we sped on downstream, eating on the move as there was nowhere to stop. We reached L’Isle Adam mid afternoon and headed straight for the town mooring, only to discover another British barge, Aneter, taking up the pontoon. They begrudgingly at first let us come alongside, but they soon cheered up as we chatted. They had built their own boat and sailed it over the channel in a gale. They had been in France for two years and were heading south.
The town was very pretty and promised much in the way of restaurants, but we did not fancy the price or menu at any of them, so decided to eat on board.
Friday 18 April
The last leg for the first part of the trip took us through the lock at Pontoise, round the large river bend and to the marina at Cergy, where we had booked a mooring. The lady in the marina was expecting us and the formalities short. We decided to stay moored on the outside, since the interior was fairly crammed with boats.
Port Cergy is a pretty spot, with restaurants, shops and flats clustered around the harbour. We took the opportunity of a free day to have a good spring clean on the boat and get ready for departure the next day. We found out that the local station (more or less walking distance) did not go straight to the Gare du Nord in paris, so worked out that a short taxi ride to Pontoise was better.
We were moored to a floating pontoon, so the peniches that came past (radar turning to see in the dark) during the night did not move us around on our moorings.
Saturday 19 April
After a phone call, the taxi arrived within 10 minutes, and 10 minutes later we were at Pontoise station. After 40 minutes of wondering if we were going in the right direction we arrived Paris Nord and transferred to the Eurostar area for the trip to London. Our first class tickets meant a supply of Champagne, wine and food, and so the journey whizzed by. A speedy transfer to Paddington by taxi and then a quick connection to Reading meany that we were home by about 17:00. We passed the Thames and Kennet Marina on the way into Reading. A journey of two weeks by boat had been reversed in one day by train.
The next leg of the trip will start in the last week of May, when we plan to travel from Cergy to Vermenton, stopping in Paris on the way.