Barge Date:  02-25-2019

My French Visa

 

What I have been waiting for, what I have been worried about is now in hand.  Received a long stay visa for 12 months.  This give me flexibility to adjust my  stay should there be a reason to change my return date at the end this the 2019 barging year. Of course it also means I can be in Europe for more than 90 days which is the normal limit.

Some members for the DBA have been comparing notes about the process as France has made attempts to streamline the visa process. Still seeing some differences when you would not expect any so maybe some more to learn.  May need to travel to Dijon for some paperwork, maybe even an X-ray. I must register online with France once I am in the country (by email, which is good) and then we will see if there are hoops to jump thru.

So it looks good to fly out on April 4 with our first return for college graduation being May 15, I think.

 

 

Barge Date:  02-18-2019

Preparing to return to France

I am ready to get back on the barge.  Been working on a suitable visa for France, looking at departure dates and trying to get the workers in Strasbourg to get a few things done on Lionel...d'Antan. But some progress.

Marianne and I traveled to Atlanta to submit papers for a long-stay visa.  Been working with a few other DBA members to see if we can iron out just what must be done to stay either more than 90 day up to 6 months or, if you want, to stay longer than 6 months.  We think we may have the process under control.  Will see.  I expect my passport to be returned from Washington in about 2 weeks.

Tentative departure date is April 4.  This will be the first time Marianne will travel with me at the very beginning of the yearly adventure.  If all goes well with embassy, we will fly to Brussels and take the fast train to Strasbourg. If all the work is done on the boat we will take a few days to get some heat going and to get the boat ready to travel.  This is probably a 2-3 day job so plan on a week; just work, not difficult but takes time.

We have arranged for our winter mooring already.  We will end up the year in Auxonne, France. This is very near the junctions of several waterways and is a busy spot.  Some time this year, maybe summer, maybe in September, we will come to a small town just south of Auxonne, Saint-Jean-de-Losne, to have the barge pulled out of the water for a hull inspection.  This is normally done every 5 years for insurance purposes but it is a good idea to do it anyway so you can clean the hull, check the prop for any dings and examine the anodes which are attached to the hull.  We will hire someone to come and systematically measure the thickness of the hull.  Should thickness be too little then some steel is welded in place.  All of this is important enough that I should be there to watch and make decisions as needed.

The work on the barge being done now are the projects I think I wrote about last year.  New hot water heater - an on demand heater located at the kitchen sink but also feeds the wash rooms and shower. There will be a new water pump.  Much different than previous.  No holding tank.  It is electronically controlled and the pressure can be set to a specific point.  Why?  With a pressure tank in use, the pressure varies as it cycles thru from high to low.  In the shower this is a problem.  There will be more flow some times, less at others and the mix of hot and cold changes.  You burn or you freeze.

With the new pump and water heater (this new heater has much better sensors then the 40 year old unit now in place) we can set the temperature, just run hot water and we should be able to get a constant delivery to the shower.  We will see.

And some company is working on new covers for the cushions in the wheel house.  The old covers look OK for a beach house but not a 100 year old barge.  Don't remember what I picked out but I know it will be an improvement.  Too expensive because everyone else thinks boat owners are rich.

I have been working since arriving home on a number of projects that will serve to make life on the boat better.  I will talk about these as I get them working on the boat.

With both girls away at school this year there is the question of what to do for the house and pets. A call out to friends and friends of friends did not result in any house sitters.  So Marianne posted on a house and pet sitting site for the dates we need . Wow!  Been turning people away.  Seems this will never be a problem. She is about to pick the "winner".

We will return for LiQiong's graduation at the end of May, spend about a week and head back before June.  This year we know of one visitor that will be with use.  My nephew's daughter will be on board for several weeks. I am looking forward to having a new 2nd mate.

Travel this year will be in the east central part of France - Burgundy  .  Some of the waterways have had water shortages in the past so we will want to do these early on.  I looked at last year's travels and calculated that the boat traveled about 1100km. This year?  We will see. Working on some routes for this year now to be ready.

Barge Date:  11-22-2018

Yes, I made it.

So you have been holding your breath, wondering if I was languishing in a French prison or exiled to Napoleon's favorite island. No, not that at all.

Arrived at the airport and scouted out where I have to be the next morning. In doing so, I discover

what the shuttle train is called and where to find it (not as nice as Atlanta's). Look for CDGVAL; seems to be opposite side from tarmac. If you have to go from terminal to terminal in a short time you must take the shuttle. Have dinner with a lot of other tourists at the hotel and I bet all will be descending on the airport at the same time as me.

Nearly first in line the next day.  The guy behind me has an interestedly shaped carry on and I ask about it.  Would you believe a professional kite flyer who travels the world so he can fly at interest sites.  Some times you don't know what the next guy has in his bags, so ask.

Once Air France got the baggage conveyer going it was easy until the dreaded passport control. I passed over my passport and I could immediately see a raised eyebrow.  She asked where I live - a trick question.  I responded Thomasville, GA.  Three ladies just behind joined the conversation by says "we live in Tallahassee".  I think the friendly distraction made me seem more human.  Anyway, I threw in that I had had a residence permit for Belgium good through July to make her counting of days more interesting.  She asked for the Belgium card which I did not have because it had to be returned but I did offered a photocopy of the card.  Golden.  Have a nice trip.

Was home in time for the next hurricane. Lucky me.

In a few days I will visit the French consulate in Atlanta to apply for a French long-stay (more than 180 days) visa.  While we are in France this seems to be the best option.  Will be a type that takes into consideration that my wife is an EU citizen.  I have all the documents but I am planning on something going amiss and then needing a second visit.  But the paperwork should be done quickly (they are now using an outside company to do the grunt work) and I should have what I need in 3 weeks time.

Hope to return April 1, 2019 but the kids will be making it difficult for a solid stay. LiQiong graduates at the end of May and Andrew and Christina will be married in early July.  So probably will return to France only after the wedding.

Stay tuned.  2019 promises to be a great year in France.

Barge Date:  09-16-2018

Leaving - 2018

I am here in Strasbourg for a week before I depart for Paris to fly home with Delta.  Understand a storm may await me.

Lots to do to close up the barge for the year.  I worry about it and then will worry all winter whether I did everything correctly.  Some steps are important and they have to do with water. Water tanks must be nearly empty.  Water lines must be drained. Incoming water lines from the canal and water that goes back to the canal normally have a sea cock that must be closed so water does not fill the boat while no one is on board to see a problem.

We have a bilge pump in the engine room and will be having an additional one placed forward of the engine room bulkhead.

I will change the oil in the engine and will get to use the new spin-on oil filter.  Should take me 10 minutes start to finish.  The canal water that cools the engine must be supplemented or replaced with liquid that will not freeze. This is done by closing the inlet valve and pouring in the anti-freeze while the engine idles; keep adding till you can see it begin to leave the discharge port.  Will take 2 people as someone - me - must be in the engine room while someone turns on the engine, checks the discharge then turns off the engine.

Will be getting a new how water heater, new water pump (220v), and I have selected new fabric for the cushions in the wheelhouse.

Will lock everything up and give the keys to the marina staff.

Will take the TGV fast train to the Paris airport on Sunday, stay overnight, then face the French officials on Monday morning. Wink, wink, nod, nod? Hope they all had a good weekend. Then it is Atlanta and having to explain why the suitcase is filled with Belgian waffles.

I was told a hire boat drove his ship up and over the dock. Boat is OK.

Lionel...d'Antan Deck Tour

Barge Date:  09-13-2018

Lionel...d'Antan Deck Tour

Here are some comments and views of the deck of our barge Lionel...d'Antan.

Barge Date:  09-10-2018

Last Excursion of the Year

Making this a post for the short trip south of Strasbourg because I was so taken by the look of the canal and I took a good number of pictures.

The canal is referred to as Branch Nord (north) but it runs south from Strasbourg.  Planned to go to the town of Krafft or a bit further and turn around and return the next day.  It was almost a longer trip.

One of the features of many French canals is the line of plane trees along the way (similar to sycamores).  I would guess that 100-200 years ago this was a common sight.  Not so much today, or at least where I have been thus far. But this trip surprised. Leaving Strasbourg, very mature plane trees took their place along both sides of the canal. Because they are old and have been trimmed for maybe 200 years to make the shape of a canopy that covers the canal, on a sunny day you have shade.  Where much sun might result in heavy weed growth, the shaded canal has none.  And for this canal, the water was very clean. I just liked it.  So take a look at what I saw.

This will make a couple of good tables or perhaps turn it.

The Vosges mountains to the west.  We travel through them.

Sauerkraut

Woodpecker - all black with red tuft on head; perhaps white beak. Living in the hole.

Europeans, and the French more so, like to trim trees. Most of these planes have had limbs hacked off more than once and the result is a gnarly location that sprouts new branches and heals itself.

Fishing Derby

I missed the spot where I was going to turn around to head back.  Had GE unlinked with the GPS puck and was looking at the image upside down.  Of course the canal became narrower and I could not see a turn around for about 6k. So I did what I have been wanting to try - use the bow against a side and move the stern around with the bow as the pivot. Finally picked a spot that I thought was wide enough.  I did not want to find myself locked across the canal and stuck.  Just made it. Go slow. Yes, it works.

Lionel...d'Antan Inside Tour

Barge Date:  09-13-2018

Video Tour Inside Lionel...d'Antan

So again I have taken some time to do a video of the wheelhouse and the living quarters of our barge. About 30 minutes but perhaps you are interested.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Some have noted problems in viewing this video.  Don't know the problem but looking for cause.  On my Mac and the PC I don't see any problems other than a need to keep the cursor over the video window or it may not advance the video; audio continues.  Any suggestions?

I have loaded a new upload of this video.  Hope it helps.