2012 Centenary Cruise Week 1 Woodbridge (Suffolk)to Péronne

After a frantic week of preparation, Nigel Askew and David boarded De Jonge Jacob on Friday 31 August to undertake the sea passage to Dunkerque. The calm Saturday which had been forecast all week was changing, with the shipping forecast offering SW 5-6 for Thames, so we postponed. A flat bottomed boat like ours is not safe at sea (nor insured) in anything over a 4. Sunday showed an improvement SW 4/5, so we were hopeful for the Monday. In the event we both slept through the 0515 shipping forecast but a call to Lynne Askew showed SW veering NW 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first. Since it was almost calm at 0630 we weighed anchor and set off for Felixstowe Ferry.

Once at sea the promised force 4 arrived, producing an uncomfortable rolling trip past Cork Sand and Roughs Towers, and an even more lumpy sea with wind over tide down Black Deep. The plan had been to pass through Foulgers Gap, a narrow passage through Long Sand, but the building of the London Wind Turbine Array has closed this option, so we were forced to plod on to Fisherman's Gap, a further three miles, before easing away towards the Kent coast. As the tide turned the wind dropped and we had a sunny end to the trip, arriving at Ramsgate at 1900, in time for a Thai meal out and an early night. 51.7 nm run.

Next morning was misty and light and after a cooked breakfast in a cafe, Nigel and David set out along the Ramsgate channel past Goodwin Sand, heading for the shipping lanes. The sea fog had lifted though patches still threatened, and we saw little shipping for the first two lanes. After Sandettié light that all changed, with eight vessels on slightly different courses and speeds all appearing in 20 minutes. No AIS or or radar for us, not even a chart plotter, so it was hand compass bearings every five minutes and a delicate pirouette round a Maersk container ship rather than pass ahead of her. From there it was straight across the sand banks, watching the echo sounder, as the French coast appeared. We made the Dunkerque approach channel opposite the Western Docks, and we were a mile short of the Dunkerque breakwater when the engine overheated, causing an abrupt change of speed and a late entry to the port at 2030.Day's run 48nm.

Dunkerque Harbour

That evening we met Linda off the train, and Nick Brown who was to accompany us on his bike for the next few weeks. The four of us ate on board at about midnight. De Jonge Jacob had performed well at sea, and was now to re-enter fresh water, which is more her natural environment. As an inexperienced crew, Nigel too, has had a challenging experience, which I hope he enjoyed. He set off first thing to return to UK. Many thanks to him for stepping in at the last minute to crew a boat he had hardly seen a week before.

On Wednesday morning we motored over to Trystram Lock, the first of three locks into the French canal system. By 1520 we were through them all, with new provisions on board, heading for Watten, the junction with the main commercial canals. Nick travelled on board with us on this first day, undertaking a training course in rope handling and lock procedure. We saw our first kingfisher of the trip at 1545, and apart from a grounding in a shallow patch avoiding a push-tow (one 250 tonne barge pushing another) arrived at Watten 30km away. 

Watch what's coming out of the locks

Inland, distance is measured in km, not nautical miles, so the log is changed. There is little in the way of facilities in Watten although we found a pizzeria/crèperie. This area is generally industrial and lacking much charm. We saw only three pleasure boats in the next three days, but dozens of barges carrying animal feed, coal,aggregate, fuel, recycled glass and metal. Commercial traffic takes priority and stopping points cater for 40 metre boats, not 15 metre ones. Over the next two days we passed through industrial wasteland, chemical works, factories, closed coal yards around Douai, Lens and Bethune. The economic fortunes of the area are poor at best, worse still in the present climate. Gradually as we moved south the landscape improved – agricultural rather than industrial- and small military cemeteries appeared in the middle of fields that were hell itself in 1915-17. We were on the canalised Escault, where David's grandfather saw action (and won an MC) in 1917, and then on to the Somme itself.

Entering Ruyaulcourt Tunnel 4.3km

 Locks came thick and fast, all designed for the huge commercial barges, as well as the intimidating 4.3km Ruyaulcourt tunnel. This has a one way stretch at each end, with two way traffic for 2km in the middle. The big barges can only alter course by a burst of engine power, one of which forced us into the side with the loss of a fender. No question of going back for it.





By the weekend we had reached Péronne, an historic small town with moving exhibitions about the trenches, and even a band of Highland pipers. De Jonge Jacob has completed 355km from Waldringfield, the sun is still shining (close to 30 degrees on Sunday as I write),and we have a day off. We are on our way.