Rhone currents

[scarlett]

Last summer I asked for advice about the current on the Rhone that summer. I was aware of the web site but wanted actual experiences at that time. We planned to go up with an 18 hp Etap 32i.

People interested in the Rhone may like to hear of my experience. We flew into Marselles on the 26th of August and was picked up by the Navy Service guy without a problem. In the water on the 28th and in Arles the following day. Less current than May 2007 and plenty of room on the pontoon. Avignon the following day and plenty of room on the wall. St Etienne and then Viviers with absolutely no problem.

In Viviers we were stuck for nine days after a storm which flooded up river towns and villages, sending down whole trees and loads of polythene etc. Viviers is a lovely place to get stuck.

Moving off the current was still strong. In Mid September we stopped at Pouzin and Glun but were still going OK until local rescue boat came out to us twice we were going so slowly. On the particular two mile stretch below Adancette it took all afternoon. One man watched us going up and went home and had his evening meal. He came out just before dark to hep us get onto a pontoon we did not know existed. We stayed there for four days while the current abated.

Something I had not thought of was the effect of silt on the raw water pump seal. It was running like a tap and needed replacing before the bilge pump gave up the task. I got one sent out from the UK to Condrieu marina [ 9 nights, friendly] and then on to Vienne, Curzon, Trevoux, Montemerle, [excellent] Macon, Tournus, Chalon 5 nights, Verdun, Seurre and finishing in Blanquarts at St Jean de Losne. We had six days messing with the boat to ready her for winter before a Trains to Digion and a flight from Lyon on the 16th of October.

It went exactly to plan, save storms and minor problems. A wonderful autumn on the rivers and now looking forward to a spring on the canals.

Since getting back I have not looked at the ybw site threads as when I saw forty thousand PBO posts etc I got phased and gave up.

By all means question/criticise anything and anyone wants to know anything more, please ask and I will help if I can.

 

[Grehan]

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to post some really good information.
Agree 100% with your comments about Viviers, Condrieu and Montmerle.
I'd like to ask some supplementaries . . . /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

St Etienne - looked like a nice place, but the pontoon was full when we went by in late July.
Pouzin - haven't stopped there but I think it's also a small pretty village. Against the quai? or I've got a pontoon pencilled in on my Navicarte? Did you consider mooring up at the new marina at Cruas, just above the big wide power station section?
Rescue boat - where did it come out from? Own initiative or did someone 'call you in'?
Andancette - yes, I've got marked up the possibility of strong currents, but above the village, where the multiple breakwaters are. I've got a 'floating pontoon' marked, just above the bridge - is this where you stopped? I guess you were somewhat buffeted by the current, when moored?
You also moored up on some pontoons alongside the river itself - were you much affected by passing barges and ships?

You made the trip in a 'relatively' low-powered boat (32m, 18hp) and obviously were forced to take your time . . . - you sound like you enjoyed it nonetheless although I guess it must have been a bit fraught/frustrating at times . . . ? Very reassuring for other yachts without large engines.

Seems like you're at St Jean . . . when are resuming the trip? We'll be out there May-ish.

Thanks again. Excellent. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[scarlett]

The log is on the boat so this is all from memory.

St Etienne We found it a nice little village with room for three small boats on the pontoon I guess but only us at the time. There is a vineyard nearby that sold us some very good red wine but I am not a good judge as I can drink 90% of the reds I have been offered. Two old women came to the boat and sold us some figs from their garden.

Don't remember Cruas or Pouzin at all.

The rescue boat was from the big town about two miles below Andancette on Saturday morning. The name might be St Vallier. I thought we could moor there but there were notices saying otherwise. The rescue boat came out of a dinghy marina /cut on the west bank. It was three guys in a rib who came twice, uninvited. We thanked them but 'were OK'. Maybe they would have given us a tow if we wanted. We did not realise how strong the current was going to be. The Andancette pontoon was on the east bank, just above the bridge, new, good for about two boats and most welcome.

I did not see the breakwaters either. Maybe they were submerged! I often crept along the banks if there looked like slower water but this needs great attention looking out for depths and rubbish sent down by the storm.

I made the mistake when heading for a wall to go near the steps if available [ In Port St Louis ] Not again. Good for getting ashore but a real pain to rig fenders and boards when big washes were experienced. No other great problem with passing boats [Except in Paris 10 years ago]. Most a considerate and I like to rig some good size fenders. I also rigged a sat dish when stopping a few days to get news from home. I was amazed that once locked on there was often no loss when the boat was disturbed by passing wash.

A little bit fraught but never frustrating. More pleasant challenge. It was really weeks of mostly good weather and great pleasure. I went down in 1998 over four months, on my way to Greece and determined to take my time on the way back. We did the Canal Du Midi in the spring 2007.

The plan is to return about April to do something in the area but not sure what yet. Please PM me nearer the time and maybe we can get together.

 

[ThereAndBack]

The point about the silt is well made. Last summer we motored across the mouth of the Rhone and were intrigued to find how suddenly we were in the brown silt. We could clearly see the 'edges' where we entered and left it. Our speed dropped from 6.2 kts to 5 kts while we were in the 'murky bit'.
I didn't realise just how 'thick' the water becomes with all that silt.

Alan

 

[peterN]

I was very interested in your experiences. Our sailing boat, HR352 with a 42HP motor, is currently in Navy Service and we plan to take her up the Rhone in May this year (2009). Do you know where I can get information about the currents in the Rhone in the Spring.

I was also please to learn that the Navy Service 'taxi' collected you from the airport - we hope to do the same. Did you arrange this through Navy Service or direct with Helmut?

All the best,
Peter

 

[scarlett]

The current actual and historical can be found on the CNR web site. [The Company National of the Rhone translated by me] When you get there click on the Union Jack if not in English Then go to navigation. A bit of trial and error will get you around the site.

I will PM you otherwise.

 

[peterN]

Very many thanks

 

[samwise]

We did the trip a month earlier than you , from Port St Louis to Calais. We had received some gloomy predictions ( on the Forum) that our 18hp Volvo would not be up to the job of tackling the Rhone south to north. In the event we had no problems. Strongest contra current we encountered was around 2.5 kts.

Our engine is freshwater cooled but I did do regular checks on the raw water filter and removed about four strands of weed in total for the month long trip.

We were encouraged by the fact that Grehan, who has one of the best canals info sites, was doing the same trip a few miles ahead of us, so his blog was a good morale booster.

Biggest problem was our marginal 1.7m draft that made getting alongside a problem on occasions.

I have to say that we had no serious rain while we were on passage and for the most part winds were light. We managed to avoid most of the floating debris ( apart from one stray tree branch right at the end of the trip that removed the paddlewheel assembly from the speed transducer)

I found the Navy Service people very helpful and professional (We were ashore there for a couple of months) but I would advise anyone leaving a boat there unattatended, to remove anything that could be easily nicked. We lost a Kim MOB sling and a couple of spinnaker blocks -- both taken off the "blind side" of the CCTV. Security is a bit laissez faire.
Likewise mast fittings. We had three expensive snapshackles hacked off our halyards while the mast lay on the drums waiting to be shipped north. If you are not taking the mast on board, I would advise some serious wrapping with Clingfilm or similar

 

[samwise]

Direct with Helmut. The Navy Service office will give you his number.

 

[peterN]

Very reassuring - many thanks. Please see PM

Regards,

Peter

 

[whiteoaks7]

Re the water pump and silt - we went the other way last summer and discovered that thick, silty water doesn't remove as much heat from the engine as the nice fresh stuff. We couldn't understand why the engine temp was high and tied up to a barge to investigate but concluded it had to be the silt. This was bourne out later when in clearer water the temp returned to normal. Something to bear in mind perhaps. On the other hand in the canals you're going to get blocked up daily so watch for that too - when we came through the nice French canal people were constantly cutting the grass at the locks and it just happened to fall into the water ...

btw, Ani's blog is at www.getjealous.com/whiteoaks7 if you want to check our experience of the canals