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Second day of lock "chains" - i.e. under control of L.K. stopping between locks not permitted!
Very hot indeed.
Eventually arrived in Maringy - got to stop there, nowhere else, to find moorings virtually full - amongst others - Pellican, and Dave and Heather in
Shared most of the trip with Dave and Heather.
They were not comfortable either with depth, weed, or "speed" we were capable of! Theirs is a large boat, and hit the bottom most of the way.
Arrived in Pont Royal, went across to closed down Locaboat hire base to ask about mooring chage.
Ridiculously high for a bleak unshaded jetty, so went acros canal to opposite side, concrete square sides and rings and had sitting out shade, although boat had to stay in sun and sizzle, all for free.
Quiet run - this is the ridiculous stetch where the automatic locks are manned by L.K.s.
Last lock saw us getting the usual equipment check brfore being permitted through the tunnel.
They do make a meal of it!
Round to VNF office to get tunnel ticket - departure time changed for 3rd time!
Tunnel usual excitement - for the record this tunnel is NOT lit, and took us about 45 minutes to pass through.
Simple run down to Vandenesse.
Ladder moor up under trees opposite B & B boat and Hotel Boat moorings.
Gent on barge next door - English - tried to disuade us from mooring with all sorts of rubbish about it being a hotel boat spot, or too shallow, or dangerous because of passing traffic. Transpired he wanted to run his perfectly disgusting smoky generator.
Let him run it for as long as it took to get off boat and suggest he stop!
Took taxi to Chateauneuf. Good fun, wandering around, although a bit hot - but return taxi not available, so jhad to walk! Could have been worse - all down hill, and actually only took about 75 minutes.
Out to supper at hotel in evening - good, but we should have asked for garden table - too warm and - the curse of this summer - too many flies in the dining room.
Joined on mooring by combined family of Dutch/New Zealand Pa and Ma, and most amusing son. Venus. In fact they had accompanied us all the way from Pouilly, but we hadn’t got to know them.
Noted wheat and barley combining already well under way.
Took more photos of Chateaneuf from canal as we passed.
Tied up for night to canal bank under trees, nice and shady and quiet to see Ricard and Linda and Vertrowen just ahead.
Drinks, then back to boat for barbecue. Great.
Went into Cistertian Abbey in the morning - only 500 metres from mooring.
As before - year before last - most successful visit, nice restful gardens, buildings to visit and keep cool in, and if we had wanted, a refectory meal, lunch and dinners.
We didn’t - as usual, preferring to eat what we want to eat on the boat - but tough on Herself.
Pounds still low, but improving.
Very intelligent L.K. - fat and cheerful - stopped us going through the last lock as we would inevitably end up beside Autoroute for night.
Stopped just above lock - water very shallow - but managed perfectly good ladder and spring tie up.
Ex hire cruiser crew - now private - nipped through to village and bought last loaf, but offered to share - very good of them! As we didn’t need it till to-morrow, decided to use crew to buy first thing to-morrow, and get it fresh.
Thanks to L.K. quiet night and fractionally cooler.
Good quiet night - Sister R fetched bread first thing while we slept! Then went back and got some more - very useful.
Richard and Linmda set off first thing to visit gardens reccomended in EDB at Barbarie, but not a success. We were going, but had already decided against them
Into Plombiere, and tied up opposide Locaboat hire base - now defunct, no water, electricity, some pontoons removed.
Old English Narrow Boat belonging to Frenchman still there on opposite side, but this time round his electricity and water point very securely chained and padlocked.
Bit of a blow - with the heavy consumption of electricity by the fridge in this hot weather batteries are battling, but nothing to be done.
Moored up, carefully - hotel boat alley, this - with 3 pins and a bollard, plus ladder, all neat and tidy.
Booked table at resaurant behind basin, took showers, and 5 minutes before departure hotel boat arrived - with VNF - and demanded we moved. Ver fatuous conversation/arguement ensued, it appeared hotel boat had, in fact, arranged the moorings, but the L.K. had not bothered to pass the message on to us when we arrived about 7 hours ago. Also hotel boat bus driver who was parked just above boat had seen us, but didn’t bother either to say anything.
Abject apologies from student L.K. - superb English and presence - but move we had to, although think this was a mistake - should have stuck to guns and pushed off to restaurant quickly!
VNF helped move and re-moor us, including putting a ropwe right across French N.B. entrance.
Owner chose this moment to appear, and completely lost the plot, muttering about troublesome English, and using filthy language to the girl L.K. He had some right - had long term mooring contract with VNF!
End result was we were 30 minutes late for our table, but still enjoyed an extremely good meal - duck steaks! |
