2006

BACK TO CALENDAR 2006

 

3.1  4 to 9 September 2006

4 Sep 2006   Sunday     In Brienon.

 

5 Sep 2006   Monday   Brienon to Gergy, C. de Bourgogne to R. Yonne

Nice to be off again with some long term purpose.

 

Struck by extreme lowness of the last pound in the Bourgogne - 6 kms alongside the railway line - to Migennes.

Subsequently learned - from newspaper briefly read in news shop - that there was a  leak!   Just as well got out to-day, never know what is going to happen next - VNF quite capable of closing canal for unspecified time, and bottling us all up.

Weather chilly and bleak, but dry.

Otherwise uneventful trip, with L>K>s on Yonne happy to come out of their huts, talk, and tell me what gives.   Mention this, as it is not their reputation amongst boaters - all the way up the river from the outlet to the Seine found them good.

 

6 Sep 2006   Tuesday,   Gergy (R. Yonne) to Champs s Yonne C du Nivernais.

Very hot, dry, and windy.

Went straight through Auxerre, the hot dry wind was strong, and somehow didn't feel like waiting over - apart from the fact that there was virtually nowhere to wait.

 

It appears that, resulting from the lack of water in the first pound on the Burgundy, all the Migennes hire boats have been sent down here instead - I am told that someone sat in Gergy yesterday and watched some 26 hire cruisers pass down stream virtually nose to tail.

 

As a result of the extra craft on the canal, had a problem finding a mooring - canal sides perfectly adequate, so moored up by a rather nice country disused railway line and station.

It wasn't disused - a "tourist" line with lovely little 2 car bullet trains that the French are using to serve country replacing the dreadful old clatter bang red jobs that used to give me motion sickness.   Only 2 or 3 in the evening, and thoroughly enjoyed them!

 

7 Sep 2006   Wednesday,   Champs s Yonne to Pregilbert, Canal du Nivernais.

Long day to Pregilbert - hot and dry.

 

Spent most of morning cycling and wandering round champs sur Yonne.

Perhaps should remind that although technically we are on the Canal de Nivernais, this section wanders on and off the Yonne with the associated barrages and locks.

 

As with the whole of the Nivernais - it is very scenic, pretty, and enjoyable all along this route.

 

Regrettably, for people like me, this is one of the major tourist meccas of the whole system, and it is heavily locked.   At this time of year, it is very busy, and each lock has it's own keeper - many "non-professionals".   Combined withy the current "oversubscription" and the number of hire boats who stretch their itinerary just too far, boating here at this time of year is inclined to be a procession of 2 boat units being pushed over the ground and through the locks as quickly as possible.   

 

The answer, of course, is to avoid the Nivernais at this time of year!!

 

Talking of LK, sad not to see any of our old "friends", particularly those who really looked after the surrounds and gardens of their locks , no longer about, and their locks cottages abandoned, or occupied by strangers.

 

8 Sep 2006   Thursday,   Pregilbert to Chatel Sensoir,  Canal du Nivernais.

Still hot and dry, but resulting on recent rain, country looks very well - even prettier than usual.

Canal/River still crowded, and ran into problem of hirers and L.K.s seeing front cross section of narrow boat as being perceivedly very small, it is obvious a small boat, therefore we can put 3 boats into a lock.

In spite of continuously pointing out arithmetic (we are 15 metres + couple of metres for "safety gaps front and rear), it is difficult to convince a non-professional LK who has made up his/her mind, so had to resort to putting bow rope on appropriate bollard and holding boat hard against it, so that it is physically impossible to lift it off - hence no chance of idiot pushing in behind

Entry into Chatel Sensoir across strong wind quite exciting - including turning boat right round, and mooring across the oblique angle at upriver end of moorings.   Made it  without hitting anybody!

 

This is a lovely spot, with village etc high on the hill side looking down at us.

Met the Frenchman who owns a narrow boat, and spends every summer escaping Paris just living on it in the port.   Met him several times over the yeas, but have now forgotten both his name, and the name of his boat!

 

9 Sep 2006   Friday,    Chatel Sensoir to Clamecy,   Canal du Nivernais.

Off betimes to get ahead of crowd, to have peaceful day BUT

 

Dutch Barge got into first lock and persuaded LK to shut gate behind him.

Desperately slow performer, so by the time the lock was turned round for me, there was a string of hire boats waiting with me.

 

Once again, 3 boat syndrome reared it's ugly head, and once again had to be "firm".   Pity, this is not what boating is about, but what to do, when it is so obviously dangerous.

 

Caught Dutch Barge after lunch, having got away first on own - suspect hire boats either disliked me or were so frightened of me by now (one did give me a warm beer when I helped him with his knitting) that they wanted me over the horizon and far away!

Caught Dutch Barge at first lock.  L.K. wasn't having any nonsense about not letting me in (how one's tune can change!) 

It was English, bright and shiny, with a skipper that was clearly terrified of his boat, and a mob of bemused and overdressed guests.   He approached each lock and bridge hole at no more than half km per hour, so inevitably hit each one at least twice.   Quite funny, but sooo slow.

Followed him into Clamecy, 300 metres outside of which he lay stationary for at least 20 minutes studying - through glasses - the lock, which was set for him and open.   First time I've seen a French LK do the rolling eyeballs to the sky trick, when we finally got in.  This was the guy who has been doing this lock for years, and is normally very undemonstrative!  

Nipped in quickly to the only available mooring while he made up his mind.   Port full of hotel boats -4? 5? - can't remember, but did have to stop one character running his generator all night spewing his exhaust straight into Albert.

Changed moorings couple of times as better ones became available.

 

Having made all those moans, it was still a pleasant day's boating, through lovely country. 

 

 

10 Sep 2006   Saturday    in Clamecy,   Canal du Nivernais.

Grabbed chance to visit tiny genuine Orange France agent in Clamercy as they opened at 0800.   Mobile phone very nearly working and transmitting on GPRS, but still odd snag.   When it does work - unbelievably fast.  Claims to push information through at 292 bps, but believe this is impossible, and am assured that it really goes at about 50 to 60, same as land line, rather than the 9 it was doing down the mobile phone line.   Agent most helpful, and new which help line to ring to get intelligent help.

Finally someone suggested checking SIM card chip thing inside phone.   Much gasping - it was the original Itineris one we bought in Auxerre 7 years ago.   Immediate issue of new SIM - free - with all addresses magically transferred over.  Left well satisfied, and even more so on returning to boat that it all worked perfectly.   Shot back up to tell her, and all customers abandoned for congratulatory hand shakes!   Now all we worry about is costings, and won't really know that till next year.

In passing - can now pay tel bill b going on line (much too expensive even to think of going on line on old system), entering own zone, and paying with card.   Great relief and help.

 

Spent day in Clammercy dossing, shopping, eating, and watching world go by.   Always been fond of Clammercy.  

 

Finding stiffness in major body joints still a problem and not really easing with time.   Must be getting old.