Tuesday 17th May 2005 Malbork to jnc Kanal Jagielloński.

2.2º C Mild with hazy sunshine at first. Rain, windy and cold later. Bill went to the Post Office first thing, still no sign of his package from Hans. We set off downstream on the placid little river Nogat just after 9.00 a.m. At ten to ten we arrived at the first lock, Rakowiec. It was empty, the keeper filled it and we went in. Mike paid for the two boats 11,36 Zł (back to the old price) and then we descended. Surprised to see the Dutch boat, Uhuru, waiting below the lock as we left it. The German skipper said he’d been to Ostroda and the moorings were better at Iława, he’d also managed to get to Gdansk. He said he’d gone straight down the Wisła first and crossed the Szkarpawa canal to get to Elblag. He had been pushing on as he has to be home by 1^st June. We noted his home port on the stern of the boat was Lingen (on the Ems

– almost in Holland!). We wished him well and said we’d meet again no doubt. Below the lock the river was narrow with

Map of location courtesy of Wikimedia

broken topped dykes on either bank. Nesting black terns were hovering over the lily pads catching insects. We had an SMS from Hans, he told us that in Germany they keep Poste Restante mail for two weeks and asked what they do in Poland. We sent one back to say that EU regulations say post should be kept for one month, but there is no guarantee of that anywhere. It began to rain. We arrived at Mikałowo lock just after midday. A lady keeper had just arrived on her bike, with two dogs trailing her every move, and opened a gate for us. She'd come from a farm house two hundred metres further back up the river – the lock house was unoccupied and slowly rotting away. We asked about water. She replied OK, we could have some in containers from her house. No, but thanks a lot, we needed our tanks filling, we need a tap near enough for a hosepipe. The bottom lock gate looked really heavy, shame I couldn’t get off to help her. The paddles had looked hard work too. It was now pouring with rain and getting colder. We pushed on. Lunch under the brolly. We were really cheesed off with the weather by the time we reached the junction with the Jagielloński kanal. We turned right, under a bridge with stop gate and moored next to some piling beyond the bridge. It was 2.45 p.m. and I was soaked and cold. Mike put the satellite dish up and we got changed into dry clothes. We watched the weather forecast, rain was indicated for the next day all over Poland again. We had the central heating on, which Mike switched off last thing, but left the coal fire burning all night.