2007

BACK TO CALENDAR 2007

22 July 2007          Sunday      in St Jean de Losne   

 

Crown Blue Line boats all out, so moored lengthways - privacy and convenience.   Properly breasted up close means no privacy whatsoever - loo window to saloon window, shower window to bedroom!    Lots of people seem to take it for granted, and will travel for 6 weeks, happily breasting up each night. 

 

Still recovering from Burgundy trip - muchly knackered.

Reckon problem is L.K.s are considered idle by all of us and their employers (this time of year they are all temporary employees) if they are not seen to be putting max no of boats through their 2 locks, so naturally they keep the boats moving as much as they can.    In Albert's case - because we only need one gate, and don't tie up (except when made to) we go through very quickly - so long as we are not paired up, pausing only for a minimum lunch break, once we are off in the morning.   As far as the L.K.s are concerned, we are happiness, requiring a great deal less work than "normal boats", whilst moving a great deal faster even than singles, let alone doubles, and, of course, if there are odd numbers of boats starting, they try and make us the single boat and pair the rest.  

Unfortunately, although I sit reasonably still at the back, ostensibly doing nothing very much, a lot of boating concentration is required, and the days can get very long.

This, of course, is not the object of boating, as understood by us - one wishes to go slowly, starting and stopping at will, and taking a good look at the country.   However, there are a lot of boats, and hotel boats, on all the waterways in the second half of July, and August, and one must toe the party line, or the whole system will come crashing around one's ears and missing one's slot will result in not starting again until to-morrow - apart from spoiling someone else's once in a lifetime holiday! 

What it really comes to, is don't go on popular canals at this time of year, or stay in one place, or do what a lot of private boaters do - go home, and if appropriate lend your boat to a friend.

 

However, back to St J de L.   Fiddled about, thinking up various items that would take up the whole of to-morrow, so leaving on Tuesday.

 

23 July 2007          Monday      in St Jean de Losne 

Fiddled about!

 

24 July 2007          Tuesday     St J de L  to Auxonne,       River Saône

Up river over a "bit of a fresh" resulting from the recent rain.

Still managed 1 km every 10 minutes, by keeping into the sides out of the current - fishermen hiding behind bushes not pleased.

Auxonne is a horrid place - string of pontoons under huge blocks of flats.   Boulangeries - about 4 of them - in the far corner of town, with a weird 1 way system that includes taking all traffic up and over a pavement curb.   Fell off Brompton.

 

25 July 2007          Wednesday  Auxonne to "Nut Hatch Corner" above Pontailer,       River Saône  

Pleasant fast run - may be over pushing Albert - drive plate noises, audible since end of last season, becoming vociferous.

Nut Hatch Corner was probably our favourite spot on whole system.   Single boat floating pontoon nowhere in particular on the river bank in the forest, where we gloried in doing absolutely nothing except watch the 3 or more families of nuthatches, and occasionally swimming.  (see old logs).   Some idiot has cleared all the surrounding bush and made it into 2 boat stop (probably local cafe owner, 1.5 kms away along a forest track), and it is now clearly visible to all.

Was able to use back half, courtesy of friendly Dutchman, but the mooring is not the same, now.

 

26 July 2007          Thursday    "Nut Hatch Corner" to St Pierre Port            River Saône 

600 metre trip up to a low sand loading jetty, and site - in distant past - of a foot ferry.   Side roads on both sides of river come to an abrupt stop at waters edge!   Lots of camping cars arriving, and asking me the way across the river(!).

Object of the exercise - sort out fenders with proper mountings, and clean and paint sides.   Come here because  water height from jetty is such that one can work at convenient height on the lower sides of the boat without bending double and leaning out over the water, but rather sitting on the jetty with one's feet in the water.   I don't know of anywhere else on the system - other than a busy spot just outside Roanne - where this is truly possible.

 

The little village - 10 minutes bicycle back "inland" - has a tiny épicere which sells bread - albeit not very nice bread!

  

27 July 2007          Friday        St Pierre Port            River Saône  

As above.

 

28 July 2007          Saturday    St Pierre Port            River Saône          

As above - being as I am, most work I do has to be re-done in " a better way" after it is finished, so takes 3 times as long to complete. 

Woke to find complete other half of jetty occupied by wall to wall fishermen.   Wished to go for bread.   Do I ostentatiously lock boat up, or just trust to numbers (of them witnessing each other) and luck?? 

 

Shut doors, left all windows open, and trusted to luck!