FIRST EPISODE 2007 – HOW WE GOT TO WARSAW

We had planned to cruise to Russia in 2007. We got to Warsaw. We had left our home in Burgundy in April . The barge ”Xanthos” - was on dry dock in Saint Jean de Losne on the River Saone early in May. We finally left on May 12. On July 24 – we were looking somewhat bedraggled when we arrived at Zeran Sluza - some 5 kms. from Warsaw . The water level was too low to let us through the lock. The rudder had been damaged. Russia seemed far away. On August 24 freak rains caused the water level in the Vistula to rise by 80 cms. for about two hours. The Xanthos was towed up the lock and is now moored up on a lake 20 kms. from Warsaw. Springtime 2009 – the waters will rise and we will set off for Belarus – the Ukraine – we will skirt round the Crimea on the Black Sea…………….and so to Russia The journey through the Crimea and into Russia has perhaps never been done by a boat originating from France. – so the day we arrive in Moscow will be a very special day..

 

STOP PRESS !

I have postponed the cruise to Russia until 2009. In March 2008 I was told that water levels in Poland were low and that there was little snow to swell the rivers. I was also told that the channel into Belarus was not suitable for the Xanthos with a draft of 0m90. Getting the boat into Belarus may be very costly and my boat insurance is not valid east of Poland. I imagined myself stuck with no water - uninsured - short of cash and trying to explain things in cyrillic.... I have to check the entry channel intor Belarus and sort out the rest of the journey as far as the Black Sea. My freinds in Belarus suggested taking a smaller boat - so hopefully this summer I will be able to check out the route to Russia rafting or canoeiing ... Spring 2009 - the Xanthos will do it !



PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED LOG OF THE “XANTHOS” IN ENGLISH
Plus GEORGE’s “What I remember…………”


SYNOPSIS OF OUR JOURNEY IN 2007.

LEAVING FRANCE. My wife Susan and our 13-year old son George embarked with the dog Foxy on board the Xanthos on Sunday May 12 2007. We had just finished refitting the boat and we left that afternoon cruising a short way up the River Saone . turning into the Rhone/Rhine Canal. We drank a bottle of Burgundy wine and wished ourselves lots of “Bon Voyage”. We were finally en route for the Rhine River – our first major hurdle before cruising into Germany.

THE DOUBS. What a magnificent and beautiful waterway this is! On Sunday we visited Dole where George now goes to school – we cruised under magnificent limestone cliffs – winding and twisting our way up the River Doubs. It was “wow wow” all the way. Things were going too well. That evening mooring up, the boat failed to engage reverse gear. We had to stay several days in Besancon – a great place to breakdown – get repaired – to shop and take the dog for walks. …………

ALSACE. We arrived in Mulhouse on May 28.and on June 2 we began our 400 km journmey north along the Canal d’Alsace and the Rhine river. The locks are huge, taking large convoys of barges – the weirs produce megawatts of electricity . However mooring up on this vast river complex is not easy. The water is never still. We thankfully left the big boys and took the small canal into Strasbourg. We were rushing to leave France. But this was clearly an error. France has the most beautiful waterways – the best restaurants – and hardly any commercial barges to rush by causing waves and stress.

THE RHINE RIVER France however revels in rules and regulations. Over 15 metres even pleasure boats have to comply with some of them in order to cross the Rhine. The Xanthos was a hopeful – every day we called the inspector – but he was too busy. Only one inspector for 300 pages of rules and thousands of boats! On June 15 we picked up our pilot and began cruising upstream at 18 kms. per hour. We entered Germany at the enormous Gammersheim Lock and went on to pass the Rhine gorges – with romantic castle ruins – fairy-tale villages and the rocky island where the Rhinemaidens live. . Three days later we were in Duisberg ready to go eastwards across the vast plains of Germany.

GERMANY. There are several very impressive locks before the long haul of the Miitteland Kanal. There was a pleasant respite from commercial traffic and factories at port of Datteln. We then crossed over the Weser at Minden The Germans like pleasure boats to tie up on bollards marked “sportsschiffe”. – unfortunately this is not always convenient. In Hannover we tied up on a road sign and a tree – rather “French-style” and we were fined 40 euros! . .

BERLIN On June 29 we cruised over the River Elbe on a brand new aqueduct and entered the dreamworld of beautiful lakes and sailing boats and fantastic towns with good moorings. This is the approach to Berlin. Pleasure boats are treated better here. Berlin– has excellent mooring places,. Lots of shopping and walking the dog. We took the tripper bus around Berlin – this is a place where modern architects have gone mad. We looked the glass dome on the Reichstag – the University buildings – Potsdamer Platz ……. we then cruised in front of it all. Berlin by boat is a magical experience!.
.We continued eastwards to the River Oder, which defines the border with Poland. Here we had to show our passports. The OderOdra is a sandy river and the depth of water is maintained by artificial quays built out from the banks. This keeps the current in the middle. Birds and fishermen are everywhere. It took us the afternoon to cruise upstream to the junction with the Warta River and the beginning of our trip through Poland.

POLAND After Germany – Poland is relaxed. But it is also mysterious and different – where nature is still in control. The Polish language is difficult – we hoped to find people speaking our language. Mooring is free and tends to be where the boats stops. There are some villages along the Notec River but they seem to be clothed in a grey dust from the past. The rest is bulrushes and birds. and there are 22 locks to get to the Vistula. Bydgosczc is a proper town with good moorings right in the town centre - restaurants and pleasant walks for the dog. On July 15 we left Bydgoascsz and on July 16 – we embarked the pilot and set sail upstream on the Vistula.

VISTULA. The pilot said that the water on the Vistula was low. To go swimming – we simply grounded on a sandbank and dived overboard. That evening we arrived in Torun – an old university town where Copernicus was born in 1473. Water levels were going down – but I was promised help from tugboats who were also headed for Warsaw. Below lock at Wloclawek the water level is controlled by the electric turbines and the need for electricity. . We arrived too late and sat listing awkwardly on some stones. Fortunately the lockkeeper very kindly set the turbines in motion again. Within an hour the boat had righted herself and I was headed into the lock. .

WARSAW..July 19 we tied up in Plosk - which is pronounced “pwoska” - We were now on a big lake. The pilot arrived with the two tug boats and we set off without a care in the world………until we rose over a sand bank and I saw that the rudder had been damaged. Fortunately the tugboats agreed to continue pulling us and we turned left about 5 kms from Warsaw and ended up in front of the Zeran Lock. But due to the low water – the Xanthos would not go over the sill…impossible to get into the lock!

 

So on July 24 we became a resident of Sluza Zeran . On August 3 – my family left to go back to England. I kept myself busy messing about with the boat and taking Foxy on the dinghy to play on the sandbanks People kept coming to wish us well. We went on a small boat to the River Bug. This will be the next hazard – apparently with shifting sands and hidden rocks. My friend Francois came with a car and took the dog and I some 1500 kms. back to France. Three days later the waterlevel in the Vistula rose some 80 cms – the tugmen had been forewarned and they pulled the Xanthos through the lock and onto the lake Zegrzyriskie. We are now ready for an April departure. ……

FAMILY COMMENTS George was happy when there were skateboard parks and internet cafes. But when they dried up – it was BORING! The dog had some miserable days when it was impossible to moor up. There were however some great moments sniffing , towpathing, swimming and fishing. Susie enjoyed some good shopping moments – but there were days when shops were extremely far away. I was just happy still to be cruising - proud of the Xanthos which just kept going and pleased to have got as far as Warsaw.