A Massive Elevator For Boats, and Floating Through Tunnels ...

 

We are on a canal boat cruise, and not the kind you might think of. Many trips of this kind include deluxe accommodations, food and drink, guided tours and a pilot and crew.  Our trip is on a boat - and it's a nice one - but we are driving ourselves, on our own.


There are six of us, three couples, and we are exploring the waterways of northeastern France, on the Rhine canal. We picked up the boat on Friday and set sail right away to a nearby town for a break-in get-to-know-you with the craft.

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The next morning we set out in earnest, and even though we thought we knew what to expect we were still surprised by what we encountered.


Before long, we came up to the first of two tunnels which the canal travels through. Imagine piloting a boat through a long tunnel that goes through a hill. If you can’t quite imagine that, we couldn't either. 

It was a fantastic experience, kinda of unsettling at first, but we felt transformed. The tunnel was pretty well lit and the reflection of the round ceiling in the water gave the impression that you were floating in a round tube, suspended in air, in a boat. It was magical. And then we went into a second tunnel, this one over two kilometers long!
These amazing tunnels were separated with an open space in between, and we had to wait while other boats came out going in the opposite direction. All this boat activity is controlled by a central system with lights and timers and other equipment. While waiting there a high speed train raced by, and entered a tunnel side by side with the water tunnel we were on. We probably spent close to an hour going through the two tunnels and it was unforgettable. 

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And then not long after we came to one of the highlights of the journey, a long elevator for boats that travels down a hill to the canal below. This is hard to imagine without pictures, and even then it doesn’t quite convey the size and scale of the structure.

It’s about three hundred feet high, and we came on at the top. After waiting our turn, we entered what could best be described as a giant floating pool. The boat sails on to a huge water holding tank, which then travels diagonally down the hill to the bottom, where you simply sail out into the waters of the continuing canal below. It was spectacular.


The French were able to pull this off to quicken the travel time for the canal, which otherwise would have had to go through a series of locks, like water stepping stones. The only challenge was that we were there around lunch time, and once we entered the traveling waterway, the staff went off for lunch. We sat there suspended in space over this giant sliding water tank.

We eventually made our way to the bottom and exited, again, rather spectacular!

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Then began another “adventure” - a long series of locks down the canal for miles and miles through the French hills and countryside. We weren’t complete novices, but almost. We had to learn the process and the techniques involved in the transiting of the lock system. All in all, we went through around twenty the first day. It was fun, but you had to pay attention! It’s a bit tricky until you get the hang of it. 

We stopped in the next town and anchored up at one of the docks that service this waterway system. There were several boats and groups of people doing the same thing we were doing. There were hookups just like an RV park, with power, water, showers, and we even had wi-fi (most of the time). These are quaint little towns in the hills, picture perfect. There is usually a nice restaurant for dining and a market to stock up on supplies. 

The boat is mostly self contained and is equipped with everything you need for stopping, even you are not in a town or harbor dockside. This came in handy a day later, but I’ll save that story for now.


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The next morning I went for a run, which is something I try to do everyday even when traveling. I ran up to a castle above the town of Lutzelbourg, which shared the same name. It was a long arduous run uphill but was worth the chance to get a few pictures and enjoy the view and the historical setting.



This is the kind of trip where you are an active participant. There is always a lot to do - either while moving and sailing, or stopping and cooking, eating, sleeping, tying off the boat to the dock, or touring around the towns. We even have a couple of bikes for riding around. We will be on the boat for a week.


More updates to follow.