We now have two options: Wait or continue.

The VNF is ready to send us an ice-breaker and help us continue along the planned route, but we just know that the weather will stay cold and that even higher up the ice is getting thicker. We also know that other canals leading towards the South have problems with ice. Three commercial barges loaded with salt for the town of Nancy are stuck between the Sâone and Nancy. If we want to continue we have to decide quickly, as the Arzviller boat lift will close for maintenance in a couple of weeks (for over two months) . What if we get stuck further up? There is no guarantee that we find a place with drinking water and a village close by. Even behind an ice breaker we have to push big plates of ice to the side. The picture shows how the canal looks after an ice-breaker has passed.

We decide to stay in Hochfelden and wait. When the ice melts we plan to head back to Strasbourg as we also like to take care of the our temporary solution with the leak. Since we are required to have our periodical check on dry-dock by our insurance in 2007 anyway we might just do it earlier.