Writing on the last rest day, we were ecstatic to have completed the Loire.
We expected our first week of canals to present new challenges and these busy waterways certainly have.
While it took us 3 weeks to cover 400km of the Loire from Nantes on the west coast to Briare and central France, the last 6 days saw 230km of canals boshed.
It is much easier to paddle without an opposing current and there is no need to stop and tow in shallow sections.
The major difficulty with paddling on the canal are the regular locks.
Unlike the other canal traffic, a lock does not merely slow us down but instead presents the surmountable challenge of lifting the boat and all of its contents up, out of the water, and past the lock.
Nonetheless, it’s great to finally be making considerable distances daily and the locks are a necessary price to pay for flat water.
After three weeks of upstream paddling, we both hoped that the canals would be less of a challenge.
To some extent, this is true: the canals are safer and there is no need to worry about dangerous currents and rocks.
However, physically we are still being tested.
We are still on the water from 9am to 7pm – 6 days a week.
With no need to tow, our time on the water is now spent constantly paddling.
Finally, every lock requires each of us to carry around twice his own body weight up some stairs and then for a further 50m.
After a week of 30 or 40km a day with 8 or so locks, my blisters speak for themselves.
However this expedition was always about more than canoeing. It’s been great to watch as France has changed from sandy river banks and chateaux to rural market towns and farms.
The people we meet have also changed.
Whereas before it was cyclists and sunbathers, now it is cyclists and the community of wealthy tourists and residents who travel the canals.
Over the first few days of this week, the British flag was a common site.
It is a reflection of how far east we have come that the German flag is becoming predominant.
It’s also been great to see people’s changing reactions to a 17ft canoe with two sunburnt Englishmen and a lot of equipment.
While it was only when we explained our destination that we got the shocked reaction on the Loire, here just the sight of us gets the other boats and lock men out to take photos!
All in all, it’s been another great but challenging week.
For more regular updates, please visit www.canoeingthecontinent.com or follow the expedition @CanoeingEurope on Twitter.
