St Malo to the Black Sea,3500 miles without clean socks..

'Fear is a mans best friend'

                                           -John Cale.

In 2017 my brother Richard was diagnosed with a virulent form of cancer,he was 54 and being an older brother always protected me from harm,he was tough until the end.Feeling powerless I decided to help raise funds for Sue Ryder,who provided palliative caret.This is him looking uncomfortable in his teens trying to cope with us as kids,with my sister Louise on the left and me on the right.

Southampton,River Itchen and an enormous helping hand from Sandy and Rosemary Nelson,ready to go with the Just Giving site up and running,'Andy's canoe trip'.

 Travelling freight with Condor,via the Channel Islands,helpful staff at Condor gave me a £300 pound discount.

Tidy scran too.

St Malo harbour, and a quick nip onto the channel prior to the River Rance,the currents were doing curious things at the mouth of the river and appeared patchworky.

A shrine to sailors on the Rance,making rapid headway due to an incoming tide.

The Rance flows very quickly,the tides affect the water all the way to the first canal lock above the dam at roughly km 24,I arrived at 2am with 14 ft mud banks to contend with, and no way out,tidal bores were a surprise, as there was no notification or signage,these were 3ft high and powerful, almost throwing me against the lock gate,caution required!

Lovely canoe shelter at Saint-Domineuc.

Des- Onze- ecluse,and the first big port up the eleven locks,the 60 kilo food drum made this interesting.

So I was ready for scoff n kip at the top.

Canal d'Ille et Rance

Salvador Dali inspired local bicycle hire.

Trying hard to look French.

Approaching the lock at Rennes.

Rennes, and the benefits of a bridge T break,told by authorities if I had an engine I would be permitted entry to all of the locks ahead,time to fallback on decorum,diplomacy and begging.

Entering the Vilaine.

Chavagne/Vilaine.

Occasionally, a friendly lock keeper would ask for an estimate to the next lock to allow passage.

The heat became unbearable so some adaptation was required!

The Redon bridge provides shelter from thunderstorms!

Redon,and a nice lock keeper provides access to the Canal-de-Nantes-a-Brest

Picturesque to say the least...good camping on the banks unmolested by natives.

So wild camping- ish.

Essential supplies.

Hailed from the bank,I chat to a game of thrones actor! 

Lacking directions, I guessed it was straight ahead.

On the L'Isac for 50km or so,free berth in Blain,tidy.  

The end of the Canal-de-Nantes-a-Brest.

Approaching the Erdre,glorious weather

Erdre...

The idyllic fields of the Erdre in June.

Suce-sur-Erdre, 22km of easy water to Nantes

Initially refused entry to the tunnel and lock at Nantes, I coerced the local constabulary/harbormaster with reason/diplomacy and badly spoken french,I was warned the tunnel would be smelly,and it was. 

Kind fellows stood watching,perhaps anticipating disaster? who knows...,and finally...

the Loire! Intimidating to say the least,what I initially thought was the breadth of the river was a passage past an island,current was impressive around the groynes,causing impressive whirlpools, and required some welly to ascend.

The only way is up,canoeing tip provided by Yazz and the Plastic Population.

First night on the Loire and a room with a view.

Make yourself at home why doncha?

The Loire offers far too many good camping sites,I began to feel spoiled.

My first defeat,the current above this bridge became unreasonable,leading to my first portage.

There never seemed to be any problem with camping wherever I liked,I wasn't challenged by any authority throughout the whole trip.

A hunters lodge on the Loire.

The ruin at La Varenne.

Dwarfed by local traffic,everyone waves here but waving back means missing a stroke and momentum but I can't resist.

Montjean-sur-Loire. 

Heavy current means good sleeps and water appreciation steps up a level!

This is definitely not the Itchen,lovely clean sand instead of 6ft mudbank.

Need a paddling break? walk the Loire!

I become a tourist attraction, much to my dismay,feeling like the circus has arrived.

Sumptuous islands aplently. 

It was only a question of time before the Loire became a home.

Heavy rains swell the Loire,I'm paddling at max,swollen hands and carpal tunnel syndrome be damned but the occasional pull is required.

A quick port to somewhere.

River continues to swell,five feet in depth gained overnight...

so inevitably...

I paddle into a flooded field, of course,and have to go back 6 km to the main body.

Wasn't happy about sleeping separate from the canoe/gear,thinking of solutions.

Murs-Erigny,and the amazing bridge.

 A good example of flow rate on the Loire.

The first casualty of war is innocence? nah,paddles. In this case,scooting along banks to limit the resistance under bridges means whacking rocks,I shall miss paddle 'Daphne',I buried her nearby.

Admiring a local lady.

Sorry RUK but your inflatable canoe bladder has now become my temporary sail,wind permitting.

There goes the neighborhood.

Five pm is'grab an island' time,they seem very popular so I book in early.

No,I'm not an animal,I was gifted a bottle of apple juice,honest.

No bank access for thirty km? That empty apple juice bottle may come in handy.

Saumur,and a bread and cheese stop.

The viaduct at Cinq-Mars,push hard!

Montsoreau.

The Chateau-de-Montsoreau. 

The bacterial algae warning I noticed after my swim at Montsoreau,great.

The frog chorus is the local lullaby.

Tours,and a cushy camp south of the city.

Nuclear power stations provide interesting obstacles...

so the long lines prove useful for pulling against flow from cooling intakes,not without some hazards from malevolent foreign foliage.

No knacks were harmed during the making of this dinner.

What happened to the flood waters? well,this provides a good opportunity to wash my feet.

A wonderful example of the Island camping opportunities offered by the Loire

Passing the bridge at Nazelles,some of these required a small portage/water walk, but no serious obstruction.

Picturesque Amboise offers a campsite long the riverbank and a chance to shower at long last. 

Chaumont-sur-Loire,good currents here so bank switching became common.   

And good campsites too.

 The Chailles approach in near fourty degrees heat means dunking regularly.

Beautiful Chailles

Under Chailles bridge I find the cheapest room,alas no showers.

St Firmin-des-Pres residents invite me to sup alcohol.I regret this 4 hours later as I'm late to camp and receive many tokens of affection from the local mosquito population.

The Chateau at St Claude

Flow issues? swapping to the opposing bank became a regular thing.

Campsite on the bank of the nuclear power station at Nevoy, hassle free.

Tavers power station presents the first impassible weir but adequate porting facilities

The Tavers monument to Joan of Arc.

Tavers,and a re-supply.

The heat was so intense I had to pitch in the shade.

The riverbed at Saint- Pryve and an opportunity to grab a few souvenirs.

Heavy rain in Orleans,lets leg it to...

somewhere to dry gear!The whole area above Orleans had numerous islands perfect for pitching up either long or short term.

St-Denis-de-L-Hotel sandbanks,I'm losing weight rapidly fighting current ,consuming food at a rate previously unknown 

Sougy-centre...

and the necessity of bridge picnics.

The site of my first wild boar encounter,pig hugs at 4am? not my cup of tea,with only a mosquito net between us I resorted to weird noises to scare the big fella off.

St-Pere-sur- Loire... where I'm greeted by a Mariachi band.

Told to put my shoes on,since when did Aldi have a dress code?

The underrated joys of level,tuft free.ground to sleep on.

St-Brisson-sur-Loire,and I change the RUK bladder sail for my one man tent cover,purely experimental, I don't know if its too large and am worried it might pull the bow under.

Approaching Briare and...

 .
 

the start of the Canal Lateral! Quite a battle getting here,I break out the tea bags and chocolate biscuits to celebrate.

 Saint-Satur offers a boat sanctuary just adjacent to the canal.

Food wasn't scarce, but any opportunity of foraging was a good boost to supplies. 

 Distances were paid for in sweat,the currency of determination.

I find a great wide belt for portage,finally hands-free towing,even if I do look like Batman.

White socks or brown leggings?Neither sorry,the consequence of Decathlon neoprene slip-ons.

French lock keepers vary in the 'right of passage' rule but I'm quite happy to portage given its the traditional method and provides a nice break.

Gates of Mordor at Cuffy/Pont-Guetin. 

Proper baking at the Cuffy lock,I'm offered a shower by the local cafe owner Aurelia who speaks fluent english,thank you beautiful lady.

 

A nice view from Pont-Guetin.

A generous traveler, walking the Lateral ,offers cheese much to my delight,nice guy.

so...

I have...

become quite adept...

at portaging.

Many of the locks have little or no facility for porting,no fear,the banks are adequately angled and turf means scratches are minimized.

'Only mad dogs and Englishmen...'

Decize and a quick hop to the supermarket,1km.

In the fruit aisle of the supermarket,hellish queues.

The banks provide a good supply of mint for a cuppa.

The Digoin approach and I master the levitating canoe trick.

The ecluse-de-Digoin bridge. 

Some portages require flexibility...

others require caution!

portage 100? not sure,lost count.

A not unusual example of the portaging required.

Montceau-les-Mines accommodate my needs gallantly,I bow to the lock keeper until I realize he lifted the bridges for the yacht behind.

Montceau lock,allowed to enter,can't leave until a boat arrives!

 Top of the world on the Canal-du-Centre,poorly equipped for canoe/kayak travel this approach,big climb through many ascending locks, downhill from here with the help of a passing boat.

Tony and Caroline on Imagine save me untold portages and do an excellent coffee,thanks for your invaluable help guys.

Chagny marina.

Shade at last!

Sweltering 42 degrees in Chagny.

I'm following this chap.

The next 12 locks I pass with the help of Jean-Luc and his mother,if I can keep up!

The last lock keeper told me if I make the distance to the Saone lock in ninety minutes I'm allowed through,push on then!

Bit gobsmacked they let me in this lock.

Entering the Saone and feeling privileged.

A quick paddle down the river to look at Chalon-sur-Saone.

 Beautiful stretch of water this,pity I'm only here for one nights camp but the Doubs river beckons.

Where the Saone and Doubs converge,no real current to speak of here. 

Verdun,a bit boat-shoe for me,pushing on after a free concert.

So begins the mosquito/horsefly nightmare,three paddle strokes to one whip across the back with a wet T-shirt to leave horsefly mouth-parts embedded in my skin,this was to continue until I reached Mulhouse and the Rhine,almost driving me crazy.

Leaving the canoe with a picnic family, I ran from Navilly bridge 3km to this location where google maps indicated a Decathlon,no such luck,but really need to replace the two Yampa paddles chewed up by the Loire.

Low levels on the Doubs,but its happy hour for the horseflies.

Navigational errors approaching Dole,I don't see any signs indicating an alternative, and paddle to a stream which then involves a portage into this ruin.  

Pretty though.

Along the bank...

until the Doubs actual again.

A water stop at Aviron club Dolois, where the manager offers scruffy canoe folk a shower,much needed thank you guys!

Dole...

and any shelter is welcome in this heat.

Loving these straights.

 Doubs portaging,sleeping mats,rucsac and any random clothing provide a scratch free experience from errant screws protruding.

The strange route to Montbeliard,port or not to port? The Doubs offers the option of a slightly longer route without locks but with low water levels to contend with,option 1 or option 2? hmm

I meet Tony and Caroline again! Am I being stalked?

Bless their cotton socks,they held the Thoraise lock open for me to enter...

and the lock keeper turned off the water feature.

Chinese take away meals are prohibited apparently.

Not all the amenities were suitable for canoes,ho hum.

The only weir that required using the 'fish ladders'.

The weirs provide a nice option to porting around the locks and a chance to cool off approaching Besancon

Approaching Besancon.

Besancon marina,free berthing much to my appreciation,such a good reception

Tiny islands above Besancon weir provide free camping.

The weirs are actually very easy to ascend and require alot less effort than a portage around an inaccessible lock. 

A curious portage by this mill...

up through this hole...

to this pretty place.

The 46th...

and the wall of trees.

This is really living,to heck with five star a-la-carte lah de dah,never felt so alive. 

All mod cons.

Some weirs prove more interesting than others.

L'Allan,shallow,weedy and a chicane of fly fishermen.

I believe I may be adapting to canoe life.

Canal-du-Rhone-au-Rhin and I'm promised passage for the next 15 locks if I'm up by eight am.

Mulhouse and the canal to the Grand Alsace.

A quick portage at Niffer.

My first look at the Grand Canal d'Alsace and the big girls.

The Canal on this section has no soft banking,tie up for a moment and the wash from ships will scour your hull badly.

The stunning view from Breisach bridge and a pit stop for essential calories.

Just another 5km portage.

Yeah,big portages around the electricity generating dams on the Grand Alsace or the Rhine itself with smaller portages,the choice is yours, but no facilities on the canal means tough pulls,the longest was 5 km.

A,not so quick,portage along the Rhine actual.

But worth it to escape the canal for a while.This was a nature reserve.

Strasbourg,proper grand

Welcomed to the marina to tie up and shop.

Gambsheim and the water option around the hydroelectric dam,this is where things get interesting,the pace of the river increases dramatically,50 or 60 km a day isn't impossible anymore. 

The 'Old Rhine' loops, behind the groynes,make for fun exploring.

The old Rhine/new Rhine passage now provides excellent campground behind the groynes that extend outward,they also increase the flow rate,cushy.

Heavily industrialized Mannheim and a game of dodgems with the tankers begins,they are courteous but create impressive wash when combined with the flow especially around groynes which can suddenly drain,exposing rock hazards.

Worms,and the impressive bridge thingy.

Okay,I may have sniggered a bit.

Main/Donau canal intersection at Mainz,feeling chuffed,never been to Germany before.

So some of the dams have 'sports'locks,hand operated for the use of smaller craft.

The Main has numbered fishing bays,perfect for a tent and a small campfire,made to feel very welcome too by conservative 'guten tag' greetings.

Frankfurt,and polite river traffic.

Initially thinking the prospector was too large at 17 ft ,I became grateful for the stability,maneuverability in big swell caused by the industrial traffic.

A local beauty.

Finally devised a method for using the canoe as a camping aid.

Invited into the lock by the local fire brigade!

Many questions arise...

and given a lift,3km,to a boatyard in Aschaffenburg, where I'm given a free paddle to replace the two that the Loire consumed,meeting incredibly friendly people on this trip.

Occasionally the locks are closed,no sweat,nice porting.

Wurzburg.

I find a great tarp in the river...

and my accommodation goes five star.

I find a chummy local.

An example of the fruits growing on the banks,makes fancy porridge.

An example of the D.I.Y. lock system,tidy.

Push this...

pull that...

hey presto.

Questions lead to breakfast invitations...

and 'donations' ahem.

The current of the Main isn't particularly strong,but enough to build a sweat in the heat.

Schweinfurt.

Regnitz at Bamberg.

Chuffed to see this sign.

Yeah,no blagging entry into this lock system.

The Main/Donau Canal at dusk.

The isthmus before and after locks are great to pitch up.

Nice stretch at Erlangen.

Couldn't agree more.

Questions? yep,I'm stopped frequently for a chat but don't really mind.

My disguise complete,I now resemble a 65 year old German accountant.

Nuremberg and the Toblerone HQ.

Someone better call Arthur.C.Clarke. 

The mini-locks and portage trolleys provided on the Main/Donau.

Hilpoltstein, and offered coffee by a wonderful couple.

Could have kipped here but the canalside forest is much nicer.

I began to suspect German products held a subliminal message.

Reidenburg,and the picturesque landscape approaching the Danube.

Before the final bridge on the Main/Donau and the Danube, this inlet offered a good sanctuary.

Kelheim and the start of the Danube,I wasn't anticipating fireworks but a sign would have been nice...

so I made a cairn.

Not the frequency of the local radio station.

The alternative to porting near Bad Abbach,neat.

Regensburg,proper grand, and current at last.

A busy but considerate waterway.

Plenty of islands to chose from...

some of which have shipwrecked mariners to rescue!

October and fine weather,good flow too. 

Passau at last,stunning scenery.

Passau at dusk from the small island just below the convergence of the two rivers.

Today Austria beckons,another first.

 

Sheltered wooded valleys and good scenery all the way.

Big dams and easy portages in good weather,no rain since Nantes.

Camping somewhat limited here,finding somewhere not 45 degrees is interesting.

The porting paths are clearly marked in advance here,usually providing handcarts,and lead to nearby bays that rejoin the Danube after a K or so.

They also have wooded areas for covert camping.

So,Vienna,nice, but crowded,I depart shortly after arriving, humming the Ultravox tune.yeah,that one.

Severe headwinds versus strong current? Hairy indeed,the bow of the canoe became uncontrollable,resulting in a sidelong careening,time to port around that particular corner methinks... 

and enter further downstream using the traditional log method.

Bratislava on a choppy day,and Slovakia for the next 50 km.

Heavy headwinds=early camp and at least three meals.

Hamuliakovo, and I'm slack jawed at the immensity of the river here,a long smooth crossing for which my gratitude knows no bounds.

So,straight on then I guess,although I missed the river option here and the 10 km, or so, canal section was grim,as seen below,featureless concrete with a high bank to port over to a camping area.

Hungarian border,queues are hellish. 

A good example of the tent cover with tailwind,I was shore hugging in case the wind grew stronger!

Despite the protein consumption I have lost 3 and a half stone,a shadow of my former self and can't consume enough calories in the evening to compensate.

Esztergom, and the Sorrowful Virgin Chapel,pictured below is the Maria Valeria bridge,flow has maintained a respectable speed on this section of the Danube.

A large island near Esztergom.

And a great sunset.

The beautiful stretch before Budapest,I could have filled a separate blog with the pictures of scenery from this trip!

The 35 km island just before Budapest makes for a great restover.

Busy waterway here in Buddo meant I had to shuffle for position with the other bigger traffic to get this shot.

The Hungarian Parliament building.

Crowded place this,I'm out of here.

Back to the river and the wild boars,they're very shy,but chunky buggers as you can see from the trotter pic below

Croatia, and blown away by the scale of the landscape,I may never want to go back to the UK.

 Woke in the morning at this site to loud shouts from a fisherman,had I camped at his site?were fires prohibited? Nah,he wanted to give me a handshake a beer and a sandwich for breakfast,I love Croatia.

It was a giant fried cheese sandwich,but I was not daunted.

This was the most isolated part of the trip,no complaints though.

Vukovar marina,free berthing.

And time for a few repairs to scrapes.

Crossing into Serbia.

I arrive in Novi Sad, and am hailed,Donavski Rafting offer me three nights on their company platform,luxury.(stock photo)  

Brew up then.

The crew of Dunavski Rafting from left,Jugoslav Rudovic,Captain Charles and Sanja Nikolic.
Many thanks for the memories guys,and the warning about the Siberian easterly wind called the Koshava.  

The Belgrade approach,and the military firing range,on the right bank,described by James Warner Smith,is a trifle intimidating due to errant rounds buzzing overhead. 

So time for wifi and a quick brew on a river cafe.

Impeccable service in Grocka.

My first peek at Romania.

My first parking fine in Veliko Gradiste...( the sign WAS pretty clear)...

and the fee? one can of tuna to this guy.

Golubac fortress and the start of the Iron Gate.

Lets go in shall we?

Amazing.

Donji Milanovac.

Heavy wind means a room for seven pounds fifty,well within my budget.

The headwind began the second day into the 'Gate',the two foot waves were not an issue, but Koshava was a constant strength and became quite tiring with occasional big gusts that could blow from any quarter.   

The Tabula Traiana,busy here so I queue for a photo among the tourist traffic.

A ferocious camp visitor.

Djerdap dam portage...

and the eventual end 6 km later.

Around the dam creatively named Djerdap 2 into Bulgaria

Pushing on,weather has turned much cooler now,summer has finally ended in November.

Pulled over after the Derdap,Bulgarian police initially suggested I paddle back to the border for a pass,but after a friendly chat I'm allowed to nip into Vidin for the appropriate boat permit to continue,these are generally quick to complete as I don't have an engine,crew or cargo manifest. 

The Baba Vida fortress at Vidin.I was delayed for three hours by the Bulgarian border guards,documentation issues?nope,he was studying for a degree level english language exam and wanted help,coffee and local history was provided.

Nikopol.

Ruse, as an enormous storm passes.

This is a good example of the silence occupying this part of the Danube.

Tutrakan,much colder now and the predicted headwind is consistent.

Hills overlooking the Danube,Tutrakan is below.

The view from my cheap hotel at 5 am.The hostel owner is a retired boat builder, and they stored the canoe in their construction yard alongside the Danube.Very grateful.

 Tomas,a local guide, poses for a picture with the local history museum curator.

Many of the artifacts on display were still in use today,I began to covet the antique wet weather gear.

The weather became much nippier,fires got bigger and leather gloves were put on.

Silistra,where the Bulgarian border guards put me in front of a heater,fuel me with hot chocolate,drive me to a supermarket for a restock, and point me across the river to Romania, where I get a paper souvenir with a stamp.

This was a great hollow,on an island, out of the terrible cutting wind.

Confusion reigns.

Cernavoda,a quick chat with the water officials, and my first look at the Black Sea Canal.

The first lock of the Danube/Black Sea Canal,I'm not getting through there and the left turn to the power station is a horrible ,but do-able portage for 2km to re-enter the canal.

The heavy fog conceals the lack of any redeeming feature along this horrendously unimpressive trench.

Murfatlar changes things somewhat,I strongly suggest exiting here ( right bank if you want to experience the black sea because there's a horrible dangerous bridge)as the canal banks become sheer and the only possible portage to get out is through the storm drain inlets,combating the concrete log catchers up a 40 degree incline to the top of the bank.this rough path below  ends just below Cumpana village.This was the last day of reasonable weather,a Siberian snowstorm blew in with 3ft of snow,rendering the pulley useless so I pulled the canoe without wheels across the drifts.

Cumpana (stock photo) the blizzard became so bad I asked a pizzeria(pizza Mario) if the local church,across the road,would give me shelter in a garage,this amazing guy contacted the local police who put my canoe and gear in storage,then drove me to a five star hotel called Indeep,where Mr and Mrs Tudor welcomed me warmly and fed me a wonderful meal,so grateful, as my funds didn't allow for any accommodation other than the cheapest room.

Indeep,managed by an ex-special forces diver and his very kind wife.

After seven months of riverbank, with the occasional hostel,this hotel was the most luxurious habitation I'd seen in quite a while.

Meanwhile outside the blizzard continued.

After being presented a Romanian military coat by the chief of police and untold food supplies( he caught up with me,blue lights flashing,for a photo!) I walked out of town along the 39E ( STOCK PHOTO ) to the hill between Constanta and Lazu where a cold camp beckoned.

Constanta,at last.

Comfortable but chilly at minus 12.

The field portage to Eforie Nord,the dual carriageway is out of the question but a pull across the bridge remains ahead.I hail a local for directions.a chap called Faruk to whom I owe the greatest debt,he said I would die if I continue through the Balkan mountain range in winter,and admittedly it was chilly,he arranged a bed with a local mission 'The Lighthouse'where an atheist receives a warm welcome.

From left,Prosper,Faruk a bearded me and Doro,the pastor.

The Constanta Casino,1880.

Faruk suggests I fly home and return in May to continue,and family are beginning to worry,Faruk gives me storage for the canoe and gear at his cottage in Lazu

Faruk's cottage...

and it's ferocious guardian.

A tour of Constanta begins, with Faruk as my guide,his knowledge of the city and area know no equal and the next six days are a wondrous whirlwind of sights.

Publius Ovidius Naso,commonly known as Ovid,allegedly buried here, but no one actually knows the location of his tomb. 

The beach at Mamaia.

So many dilapidated buildings here that require restoration.

My photo of these street sweepers photo bombed by yet another beautiful church.

A proper Bruce Springsteen of Constanta is Faruk.

An interview by the journalist Faruk for the Timpul Times,an online paper

A 45 quid flight from Mihail Kogalniceanu airport.

Home for Christmas with family.

I strike a ridiculous pose to accept my award! ( weight 10.5 stone )
So the trip continues in May when I hope to raise more funds for Sue Ryder with the coastal section,approximately 5,000 miles,this really was the trip of a lifetime,for lack of space I couldn't include the many thanks owed to the organizers/supporters and donations received from well wishers and family,my love and appreciation to you all,here's to May!