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Left
last log with "intention to go back to Montargis to-morrow to
sort non working SFR internet gadget".
Did! Weather now clear, hot (at times very) and
sunny. Grand to be traveling again - strong impression
that this year has been largely spent tied to France poking at
computers - boring, but as up to last week it was raining all the
time, not critical.
Why bother about communications to the outside world? - surely lone boater should cut off all contacts and be
really a lone boater? No. Psychological
(?) intense dislike and possible feeling of lack of security at not being in reliable contact with family,
and bank when required. As stated, have old GPRS
through France Telecoms and mobile phone, but although super kit
for a long time (8 years) not reliable any more, expensive, slow, and bits
keep falling off)
29 June
2010.
Chatelle Coligne to Railway bridge just short
of Montargis. Up here there are all the requirements
for good moorings - shade trees, deep water, steel sheet piles
with holes holding the banks, and it is reasonably quiet (lots of
rowers in evening, but bike traffic and walkers on opposite side).
It is within easy biking of the supermarket and town centre.
Hence there is no point mooring in Montargis P de P - very
expensive - 12.00 Euros for Albert and a large boat told me they
wanted 27.00 off him - and it is exposed to a not very desirable
part of town. Last time we were here bicycles were
being stolen. Not ours! The old commercial
moorings down through the locks on the far side of town by the
Police Station look pretty ordinary, with lines of railway trucks
along the jetty, but I felt a lot more comfortable down here than
up on the top - especially with Police H.Q. right alongside.
There is a super "brico" just over the
tracks. However, I see there are a couple of
complicated looking water/electricity points here now, and notices
say moorings are "regulated" by town - or words to that
effect. Probably now "payant". If one needs electricity than there is little choice, but I
watered at the P de P, looked for someone to give a couple of
Euros too, but no one about and went on down through the
locks and moored on the commercial quai outside the notices.
There are lots
of well spaced bollards down here. In fact one one can moor outside
the notices up on top - but few good places and usually full with permanents, and
no bollards.
Very pleasant run across to Montargis. Get a great deal of enjoyment
going over routes I know and have enjoyed (have enjoyed all
routes) - hence know best stopping places, lunch stops, views,
moorings etc. Naturally, know quite a few L.K.s now,
although with modern distribution of L.K.s over 2 manual locks per
individual with a van or scooter, or if automatic locks, then
several, one is no longer able to connect an individual with
his/her own lock, lock cottage, and garden. Disadvantage - have to search harder for "photo
opportunity".
Went to SFR shop with non working gadget. At
first usual business in France - "yes, we sold it to you, but
if you are in trouble contact help line at
www.somethingorother through the gadget we sold you that now does
not work". A demand for the return of my money raised a mild
storm, and eventually an English speaking member of staff, after endless conversations on telephone discovered gadget had not
installed itself properly, and my identity number had been given
to someone else as well as me, who had used all my 15 hours of
purchased time so my gadget was completely stalled.
Left after best part of 3 hours - happy, and went down to S.M. -
new Casino - (up
behind bushes on left about 500 metres/1 km back from lock out to
Nemours, look for concrete steps with blue
hand rail, and blue pylon thing over all, largely overgrown with
bush) and
bought 4 jerricans diesel. Further from boat than In I
like, and got very hot, sweaty, and tired, but splendid French
boater in tiny boat, voyaging with wife and 2 teen-age
grand-daughters ("cousines" I was assured, after I
referred to them as "cousins") came up trumps,
by-passing all my clever-clever rope and pulley arrangements to
lower cans down bank, and just carried them down the steps!
30 June 2010 Montargis. back to last night's moorings on forest edge above town for badly needed
sleep-over, and to play with now working gadget and compare
rowers' manners with Cambridge rowers' on the Cam - the latter
cursed us, the former greeted!
1 July 2010 Montargis back to Montcresson
2 July 2010 Montcresson to Chatillon Coligny. Very
hot. Clothes was, and changed fresh water.
3 July 2010 Chatillon Coligny Heavy thunderstorm
in morning - cleared air a bit, but not much. Overcast
but sticky.
Chatillon Coligny to Lock 12 Gazzon - lakes on summit.
Through Rogny - nice place but due to capitaine problems few
private boaters and no hotel boats stop here. Becoming
a ghost town except for dozens of road borne tourists.
4 July 2010 Gazzon to Jerry's Jetty. Stopped at
Ouzouer for bread and got some bits at small market.
Then through Briare - what a mess. Boats aparently
scattered all over the place - hotel boats, hire bases, repair
shops, abandoned boats, bateaux Mouches, shops in boats, full P.
de P. and moorings creeping up canal sides to-wards junction down
to P. de P.
On through to Jerry's Jetty. Becoming more and more fond of
this little bare jetty about a km out of Briare.
1 large bollard at each end, deep water, well built stone
wall. Shade from mid-day on. Reasonably
quiet. Who's Jerry? ask boat "Pebble".
5 July 2010 Jerry's Jetty to Belleville. Stopped for quick
lunch at popular moorings at camp site at Beaulieu.
All water taps padlocked. Did not want water anyway,
but hate this sort of thing - most unwelcoming feeling,
almost like a snarl, we don't like boaters, but if you must come,
don't ask for anything!
Hot and bothered as to whether will find only mooring at
Belleville with shade vacant. Didn't!
6, 7, 8, 9 July 2010 in Belleville. Moved mooring to
shady one at top end when 2 hire boats pulled out. Dis
some concentrated cleaning up, interspersed with periods of not
cleaning.
Very heavy noisy thunderstorm on morning of 9th. Never
heard such loud bangs, felt as though Albert was going to be
picked up and turned round or dumped on thje jetty.
Result of Nuclear power station's enormous cooling towers just
behind us?
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Briare Aqueduct
Pont Canal
Briare
Lock Cottage 2002
Lock Cottage 2010
Pont Canal from Loire
Jerry's
Jetty (again)
"Vide" in lick awaits descent
Down and Out
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