We cast off at 8am for the 14 kilometre voyage from Pontoise to Isle-l’Adam. The marina at Isle-l’Adam has its own lock and we wanted to get there before it closed for lunch. We didn’t want to be sitting in the middle of the Oise for two hours – fighting the current and trying to stay out of the way of the large commercials entering and exiting the massive double lock just a few metres away. An early start seemed prudent.
It was a spectacular beginning. The cold, morning air moving over the warmer water of the Oise formed a mist rising up from the river. It was much more pronounced than this photo shows. It was gorgeous.
At least it was. But that was about to change. The magnificent mist turned into a frightening fog. If I had known it was going to be like that, I never would have left Pontoise.
On canals, it is easy to pull over and moor – just about anywhere. The canals are man-made trenches. There are no giant rocks lying just under the surface. The banks are lined with grass. Just pull over and hammer in a few stakes. Unfortunately, on rivers, it is almost impossible to get near the shore let alone moor. The edges are shallow and rocky. The banks are lined with heavy vegetation. Not inviting at the best of times. In fog, well, don’t even think about it. Soldier on.
The photo above does not do the conditions justice. The iPhone’s camera cuts through the fog far better than the human eye. On either side, the banks we dared not approach. In front, just before the barely visible bridge – an almost totally invisible 110-metre long commercial barge.
I had my eyes glued to the AIS. Jeannie stood at the bow – trying to spot any non-AIS traffic coming our way. Fortunately, there was no one stupid enough to be there. Besides us. We tucked in behind the large commercial hoping any oncoming traffic would have to go around him – and thus us, too. He’s about 100-metres ahead of us. I couldn’t see him – only on our AIS screen. He’d warn us on the radio if he was slowing. I could also see his speed change on the PC Navigo screen. At least he had radar. We don’t. Why would we? We’d never be silly enough to go out in heavy fog. Would we?