2004

BACK TO CALENDAR 2004

14 to 20 June 2004

 

This Weeks "We-think-we-are-here-map".  (Our estimated position at the END of the week.

 

The Map is a "thumbnail", click on it for full size whilst still connected to the web-site

 

 

Monday 14 June 2004        Chevroches to Clamecy  Canal du Nivernais

Got going smack on time at lock - 0900, before even carrying out pre set-off tidy up.   No less than 7 Rive de France hire boats, block hired by Checks, had same idea, but fortunately just after us, or we would have been properly stuck.   Tony of Adageo's idea - a good one!

Past new harbour being built on way by Club Med - so we're told.   Shops, restaurant, Chalets, P. de P.  Looked dreadful!    Very close to Chevroches and Clamecy - necessary (?)

Into Clamecy where parting of the ways saw Adagio going on and we stopping for Doctor and supplies. Sad - been to-gether since Chatillon-en-Bazois.

Dr visit not wildly successful, but did confirm our suspicions of Shingles, and appropriate medicines (strong pain killers) were prescribed, obtained, and duly taken.

Visit to Brico to get decent set of shears for cutting back and tidying up bush moorings - replace faulty cordless electric hedge trimmers..  Will dump trimmers in car and replace on return to UK.

Food shop.

Balance of day spent "quietly"   little port quite full, but managed prime position at mid-day after to-days leavers had gone, and to-night's not yet arrived.

 

Tuesday 15 June 2004          Clamecy to Chatel Censoir (almost).    Canal du Nivernais

Grey muggy weather. Cool.

Off at 10.30 after last minute jobs in Clamecy. (Somehow - however ready we are, there always are "last minute jobs".

Countryside now more bush, forest and rough grazing - but changes round every corner.  Still very pretty.   Notice most of small grain fields changing colour now.

Stopped at Pousseux for lunch - unchanged completely from previous years, except water point vandalised and not working, but nothing new.

Otherwise, a neat and tidy mooring.

Onto Coulanges - lots of work been done to beautify moorings, with new revettes sides, etc - but no dredging, and still shallow.

Started serious look for overnight mooring but into old Nivernais problem.   Side of canal, at base of revetts, lined with large stones and rocks to protect banks from wash with only 6" of water over them.  This preclude boats with our square to the bottom sides from getting close enough to moor comfortably.

Eventually found good stretch of deep sides between pk 129 and 131.   Long grass, but canal sides flat, with trees near enough to waster's edge for mooring to.

Manufactured comfortable and good mooring very quickly with nice new shears and a few nettle stings.  Good solid ties to trees, and proved totally necessary - one hire boat - Locaboat - was going so fast dropped Albert at least a foot.   All aboard had obviously drink taken.

Peace of evening broken, to a certain extent, by noisy mechanical hay making in field behind our mooring.   Went on to dusk - 2130.

Otherwise - comfortable night.

 

Wednesday 16 June 2004      Chatel Censoir (almost) to Chatel Censoir     Canal du Nivernais.  

Wandered into Chatel Censoir mid morning - only round 2 corners from where we moored up.   Not even long enough a run to charge batteries, so connected to mains in C.C. on arrival.   Mooring free, but electricity 3.00 Euros per night.   Think of it as moorings - incl electricity - 3 Euros per night, and value very good.  (for some reason the computers Euro sign has gone walkabout - needs thought.  € - got it - but in a very round-about way).

Faffed about for rest of day - Herself by no means right yet, but improving.

Odd jobs both domestic and boat wise.

A bit stymied by absence of mobile phone signal.   

 

Thursday 17 June 2004           in Chatel Censoir          Canal du Nivernais.

To-days project - fetch car from St J de L for use during family holiday in holiday house let in the Morvan next week.

Up at 0600,

Walk to station - 8 mins - and train to Migennes and Dijon.

Took taxi Dijon to St J de L.    Ridiculously expensively feeble, but slow train to St J not for 2 hours and conditions for long day with late night not appropriate.

Retrieved car, drove back to Chatel by 1600, after pleasant trip.

 

Friday 18 June 2004          in Chatel Censoir        Canal du Nivernais.

Sorted boat - 7 days unattended  Canal du Nivernais. Canal du Nivernais.30 Euros for 15 metres.

Paid - plus electricity used during our residence - then much cleaning of boat and shopping for forthcoming week.

 

Saturday 19 June 2004       Chatel Censoir to Rueres          By road.

Abandoned Albert (sob, sob), and set off to take up residence in Rueres in most complicated fetch and carry operation since the Normandy landings.   2 adults and 2 children to be fetched from Auxerre, 1 adult from Chatel Censoir, car in Chatel Censoir and only capable of 3 adults (incl driver) and 2 children (squashed, - car sickness a disadvantage)

 

Sunday  20 June2004.            In residence Rueres.

 

 

Pictures:-

1.   Entering Clamecy   _   Adagio leads.

2.   Village Wash-house.   Nearly all canalside villages have them - not now used, of course, but pretty for all that.

3.  Bush Mooring - cleared area hidden!

4.  Chatel Censoir in evening.

5.  Canal side.