Langres hanggang Dommarin na may tunnel

After our shopping tour, we returned to the mooring place with our loot wagon. One boat had dared the ascent to the pass. Different crews had gathered along the jetty, there was a lot of hustle and bustle. Our Belgian had also arrived in the meantime, but unfortunately he didn't get a place in the harbor anymore and had moored 200 m further at the quay wall.

Now it was time for the mooring beer and also time for physical exercise. Before that, the auxiliary cover had to be put on, after all, it smelled like a thunderstorm again. I can tell you, it was just a waste of time.

Reviewing pictures, writing a report, setting the table, cheese and baguette, along with the best lamb.

What will it be like the next morning when our yellow angels open the route again? Will they all be standing in front of the first lock or the tunnel? Will we experience our first traffic jam?

Typical German, we leave fifteen minutes earlier, maybe the yellow angels will also open earlier and the others know more than we do.

After the daily routine was completed, we set off. We were the only ones. Probably everyone else was not mentally prepared to cross the pass and the European Watershed. Watershed, I would explain it to my grandson like this: after crossing it, the pee flows into the Mediterranean, so you can relax now.

There were only two locks and the tunnel left, then we would be able to smell the Mediterranean Sea.

After we had completed the ascent of the last lock, we were allowed to read that registration is required for the crossing. My first - and radio officer immediately made contact and behold, the response was, yes, we see that you are there, you have to wait another 5 minutes so that the passage can be prepared, we'll see you in the lock.

An invisible hand then set the upper lock gate in motion and off we went.

With the approach to the tunnel and the tunnel itself, the journey took about 45 minutes until we reached the descent of the first lock. We covered a distance of 4820 m underground.

On the south side, towards the Saône, it went downhill first. 8 locks in a row took care of the first descent. Our destination was lock 15 afterwards, a small mooring place in the village of Dommarin.

Upon arrival there, we immediately decided that we wouldn't stay here. So we continue and about 500 meters behind the mooring place, we were then able to moor at the quay wall.

Speaking of smelling the Mediterranean, it smelled just like before, only now it's coming from top to bottom.