All went to plan and we made it to Charleville-Mezieres just after midday and even found a space big enough for Waterdog, once a nice American couple on a small cruiser agreed to move moorings so we could go alongside the outer pontoon. We got 5 mooring lines on and started to relax. Within an hour we had a Swiss boat alongside us and had invited the Americans and the lady from the barge behind us to drinks at 5pm as a thank you for their help getting into a mooring spot. I cycled back to Bogny-sur-Meuse and fetched the car and then had a nice evening....

We stopped at a newly built quayside in Montherme and ate a Sunday lunch in the local Franco-Belge restaurant which was really good. On the following Tuesday 25th June we learned that a barge would be leaving the quay at Charleville-Mezieres so a space was available. We quickly took Waterdog to Bogny-sur-Meuse and spent the night at the pontoon there with the plan to leave early in the morning to get to the first lock for 9am when they start operating. We set the alarm for an early breakfast and dog walk.