12-13th August Rueil Malmaison then into Paris!

I'm coming to the beginning of another stressy part of our adventure;  well, the vibration in the boat had become worse and worse so I did an odd thing, went into the engine room while we were chugging along at reasonable pace, a bit dangerous for anyone wearing a long scarf or tie, and then opened up a hatch to look at the prop shaft where it goes into the tube leading to the water;  there's a rubber flange there which stops the water getting in, and it was, but the drive shaft was wobbling badly and it looked very dodgy.  We slowed down, a lot, and it reduced.

So anyway, we manage all the bits where you drive on the wrong side, then back, and took the right hand leg that leads to our preferred mooring at Rueil Malmaison (where by chance I'd spend many a month with my exchange family).  There was a lovely pontoon there, so we moored:

Okay, so this pic was taken after we'd put up the parasol and I'd walked up onto the bridge.  Which was covered in flowers, like this:

And here's another fiew of the boat:

By the way, mooring was free for 24 hours (no services) - where would you find that in suburban London?
So anyway, the water on the Seine turned out to be the clearest we'd seen since, well, since St. Laurent.
Then these coypu arrived (very tame), some six, and I have lots of pix, but here's one pic for now:

I then thought, holding your breath are you?, let's have a proper look at the propellor from the weed hatch.  Well, it wasn't as clear as I'd hoped, but it was clear enough to see what I'd feared:

Now to you it may look fine, but the two nearest blades shouldn't have that decorative bend in the end.  It's a sign of damage, check out the further one.  Of course I'm pretty motivated (read, angry) so I with my pond gloves (up to the armpit) I "go in" with my best and biggest mole wrench.  Of course I can bend it back a bit just for now...  Oh, bother, didn't have any idea it was that rigid, not a chance.  Time for some art, no not me!  It's Renoir, some geezer who ate and (mostly) drank around here, behind me I believe.

Calmer now?  So the bend prop means we know we can't go fast, even tho' we're going against the stream on the infamous Seine for several days yet!  Also we need it mended, asap.  Lots & lots of 'phone calls.  Another bit of painting by numbers for you:

I seem to like this one.  Boats you know.  Well, we must press on, and next day, the 12th, we can stay in the centre of Paris and someone there may be able to help?  We'd hoped to eat at the restaurant (it was full when we arrived) but seems they don't do dinners today, and the art gallery was shut too!  Ho hum, next time.  So next morning we set off, very gingerly, at any speed that makes headway but doesn't cause too much noise or wobble!  We see one of these - is is a boat? - it's a pusher for those 4-boat arrays!

Then, as happens, certain things pop up you recognise but cannot name:

Then a few you can name, but seem to be the wrong size or just too close:

Or just a bit large (it got larger!):

And here's another one:

 If it looks narrow to you, how do think we felt!  Is this really two way??  We hoped not, in fact, it's not, but we'd expected a bit more, you know, wiggle room!  Next stop, we said to ourselves, The Arsenal, the big, expensive, reputedly crowded and doggy doodah covered marina in the 'heart' of Paris, but that's the next post.  Hold your breath!