2002

  BACK TO CALENDAR 2002

 
 
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May 21                                                                         Tuesday

Tannay (Cuzy) to Chevroche. Canal du Nivernais
Got involved in one of those silly get to the front of the queue first thing in the mornings, leaving just in front of a yellow hire boat, and finding that the Americans in the Nichol’s hire boat had already gone, leaving a trail of anarchy behind them - especially at the first lock that was a double. Fortunately a girl L.K. (highly competent) arrived quite soon, and tidied up the chaos of flooded and empty pounds
 
1646_other_canal_traffic.jpg (56871 bytes)Lack of L.K.s all the way down to Chevroches rather spoilt day, although weather continued kind, and countryside superb. Unfortunately, said lack led to competing for locks, boats rushing to get in front of each other, squashing too many boats into lock, etc etc etc. 
 
  Maybe these are the L.K.s leaving their posts.
 
S. tripped over mooring lines in Cuzy - Tannay, and wrecked shoulder, so life taken circumspectly, to-day. Extremely painful - further damage to 2 year old "frozen shoulder".

Very quiet afternoon at Chevroches, just reading and snoozing, hoping shoulder would get better.

 

 

May 22                                                             Wednesday

Chevroche to Clamecy. Canal du Nivernais

Taking it easy to-day.

Shoulder very painful.

Started raining before breakfast - the steady going to do it all day sort of rain.

4 kms, 2 locks, took us till about 11.00 a.m.

Tedious day ahead sitting out the rain, so used time available before universal shut-down at 12.00 mid-day to have hair cut. Initial quote was €9.75, until hat removed, when quote dropped to €6.45.  (very roughly - multiply  by .6 to get £s)

S.M. in afternoon - Benjàmin arrived in afternoon, and to drinks in evening.

Rain eased off in afternoon, but never really stopped until evening.

 

 

MAY 23                                                                     Thursday

Clamecy to Chatel Sensoir. Canal du Nivernais

Intended to get a reasonable distance to-day, in cool overcast weather, but once again the chaotic L.K. arrangements - or rather non arrangements - put paid to all that.

All fine till lunch time, then usual post lunch problems happened again - there just were no L.K.s, they seem never to return after lunch.

Due to arrive and re-start work at 1300, after an hour off, but by 1345 no-one had arrived, there were 2 hire boats and a Dutch Barge waiting to come up, ourselves waiting to go down, and not a sign of an L.K.

In fact, we spent the time - unsuccessfully - fishing with our big magnet for the tiller pin, that had come disconnected from left hand, and gone swimming, during a brass cleaning operation.

Net result was that we only covered 15 kms and 4 locks during the longest part of the day. (Locks only1649_chatel_sensoir_like_last_year_.jpg (67425 bytes) open at 0900, and close again at 1200 for lunch, then 1300 to 1900!)

Rain precluded prolonged sitting out, or re-exploring Chatel Sensoir, but lovely sunny cool late evening after rain cleared.

 

 

May 24 Friday

Chatel Sensoir to Mailly la Ville. Canal du Nivernais

Overcast, cool weather after yesterday's rain.

Still getting fun from re-visiting and commenting on places, views and sites that we now know quite well.

L.K.s still haven't hot it right, except "old faithfulls, who live on site, and run their own individual locks. Probably they are the ones responsible for a barrage, as well.

 

May 25 Saturday

Mailly la Ville to Bailly. Canal du Nivernais

Met Levant on windy reach. Much shouted gossip as both drifted onto rocks on canal side.

Weather very unsettled.

1656_young_vines_query.jpg (100669 bytes)Fascinated, at lunch stop alongside field, to see planting - very close to-gether - vine plants that look like tea stump seedlings. No roots, but small single shoot, all top half dipped in red wax. Planted about 1.5" apart in 2 rows, through holes in clear poly sheet.

Moorings at Bailly, normally crowded, empty. Change over day?

 

May 26 Sunday

Bailley to Auxerre Canal du Nivernais to River Yonne

Into Auxerre after lunch, very windy, stormy, rain showery

Discussed possibility of slipping Albert . Price apparently reasonable, but capacity of crane and chariot need confirmation to-morrow (Monday).

Met Juliet (Du Pontet) at information centre - to boat - for tea and to discuss visit to1653_greyhound_of_the_ocean.jpg (45753 bytes) Vieux Pechoir.

Enjoyed Auxerre.

Pleased to be off Nivernais - lock keeping, as we have seen it over the last 3 years, has improved enormously where-ever we have been on the system. However, there is no point in hiding the fact that on the top part of the Nivernais, where the system of traveling L.K.s changes to 1 L.K. to 2 locks, it is not working.   The L.K. is invariably "at his other lock", especially after lunch.

Interesting, noting the change in the countryside.   From Decize to the summit of the canal, small fields, paddocks, buttercups, and grazing Charolais.   Then wine country, vineyards, etc, and plenty "caves" advertising tasting and tourist tours.   Now we are into agribusiness - large fields of cereals - already just turning ripe with visible bunds where the  hedges have been grubbed out, suitable for large machinery.

 

 

May 27 Monday

Auxerre to Gurgy    River Yonne.

To France Telecom/Itineris/Orange to re-investigate non re-payment of deposit made 3 years ago. Assured cheque posted on 3rd May. Check post at home again, but cheque seems to have gone walk-about.

Paid telephone bill.

To Aquarelle to confirm slipping, etc. Seemed very promising and cheap. 3 days on slipway chariot, hull washing by own staff, slipping and unslipping - £182 equivalent. 2 big buts. No control over pressure wash - we need it done to remove rust, old paint etc, as well as weed, and secondly we are told NO mess at all. How do you pressure wash properly, and paint bitumen in 3 days with no mess? And who judges mess quantities.

Decided to go on, and see what Joe Parfitt could offer.

Slept over at Gurgy.

Back to listening in and calling L.K.s on VHF - very handy!