2006

BACK TO CALENDAR 2006

 

3.2  10 to 16 September 2006

 

 

10 Sep 2006  Sunday    Clammercy to Tannay   Canal du Nivernais

Cool and chilly start, but cheered up about 11.00 a.m.

Lunched at favourite lunch stopping place at Vincelles.   The village moorings are at side of a pleasure park, and just over a bank on the other side is the river.

 

Pleasant weather, very pleasant country, last week's frenetism seems to have calmed down, and everything went well.

Even the Nivernais' favourite bug-bears - the lift bridges seemed to be in good fettle.  At the only awkward one which  offeres true grief to the single hander - the one with absolutely no mooring place whatso-ever a Lock Keeper turned up just as I arrived and put me through.    All the rest are well maintained with well oiled and greased mechanisms, and very adequate moorings above and below.

 

Awkwardness - the battery on my watch died, so had to unscrew the big brass chronometer type clock from the wall of the boat and carry it around with me, or prop it visibly from steering position inside the boat on the swim.

 

 

11 Sep 2006   Monday    Tannay to just short of Chitry les Mines    Canal du Nivernais

Scenically and weather-wise could not have wished for better day.  

Nivernais at it's best - and for some reason spent entire day on my own.

Stopped just in time before Chitry les Mines at lively canalside  non-mooring for pleasant peaceful evening and night.

(Don't really like Chitry - the moorings are very concrete and gravel, usually busy, noisy (there is a cafe on the moorings, and dogs in the farm opposite) and one has to pay for everything - almost even the right to breath.

 

 

12 Sep 2006   Tuesday   Chitry les Mines to Sarde    Canal du Nivernais

Just off when Hotel Boat Papillon turned up from behind, and as is his right, took lock.

Unbelievably slow - long delay, think there was something broken, lots of little white vans rushing up and dow, but couldn't see, and once off - no problems.

 

Up through the dreaded cement works stone quarry lock with it's long abandoned lock cottage.   Imagine no one would live there - covered in dust, mud, and filth.   Lock likewise.

 

Into Sarde - this is the start - or the end - of the climb up to the summit.

However, there were only 4 or 5 boats, 3 of which were going down hill.

 

Went into Sarde Village in the vain hope that the depot de pain, there years ago, and shut certainly for last 4 years, had re-opened.   It hadn't, but there was a vague tourist information office in the first lock cottage of the climb.   She said she "normally" sold bread, but didn't to-day and to-morrow because the office was closed to-morrow!   However, look out for a white van with green stripe.

Poor old Sarde, the "moorings are just as deserted and vandalised as before!

Just as I was mooring, the French boat I had shared the last few locks with shot off up the hill - was I missing something?

Didn't bother to find out!

 

13 Sep 2006   Wednesday  Sarde to Bazolles

Prompt on 9 a.m. went through to bottom lock of flight, and equally promptly along came an LK assuring me there was no one else, I could go through on my own, and off we went - 14 or 17 locks on the trot.  Can't remember, at this stage, but it is quite a marathon, especially as some of the gates are experimental English style with big balance beams for pushing with bums, rather than standard winches or gear trains.

First lock, sure enough there was the white van with green stripe wandering down the towing path.   It duly stopped, and one relieved the famine.

On my own until stopped at the 4th lock,  and there found yesterday's companion being made to wait for me!

Poor fellow, come lunch time it transpired they had missed the bread van, and I helped relieve his famine!

Mid afternoon made the tunnel at the watershed at the top, complete with a green light ushering us through.

Tied up on the wall between the canal and lake and wandered into the village to get bread - had been too generous to the Frenchman - but there are no shops up here - it is all at Bazolles, about 2 kms away.

Went down to Pete and Christines house on the canalside just below 2nd lock, at the end of the road up to Bazolles village, cycled in to call - but they were away, so went on up, bought bread, and moored up under trees about 300 metres below house.   

Just enough depth to float Albert level and comfortably.

 

14 Sep 2006    Thursday,   Bazolles  to Morré

Quiet day to triple and double locks at Chevance, but decided to leave them for to-morrow, and slept over at the neat little lock mooring just above.

Shared it with a party of Canadian hirers who arrived late with no food in the pouring rain.   Sent them up to the cafe up top in the village which they assurede me, after, was OK - never been there myself.

Book claims there is water on this mooring - there is not!

Sunny, cool and relaxed day.

Felt in tune with the Charrolais chewing their cud in the fields.   Grass, of course, is unseasonably long and plentiful after the hot dry summer and early autumn rains, but there again, I have not tried it myself.

 

15 Sep 2006    Friday,     Morré to Chatillon en Bazoire

Started raining last night, heavy, and went on right through day.

Had to start for Chatillon, as expecting to meet family there - but could not remember when - probably not for a week!

Arrived in Chatillon like the proverbial drowned rat, being seen through by a succession of very damp but cheerful LOKs of the old school - what a relief.

 

16 Sep 2006    Saturday    In Chatillon en Bazoire