2008

BACK TO CALENDAR 2008

 

1.6    27 April to 3 May 2008

 

Last fiddled with 03 January 2009 and should be on axmw44.

 

To the Map on the Contents Page Just click on the words, but you will have to find your own way back till I have worked out a fix. 

 

 

27 April 2008              Sunday              In Cercy la Tour, Canal du Nivernais

 

Had promised lady L.K. that would start at 0930.   However, 0900 rang her and delayed departure for day nice sunny day, nice empty mooring - why go anywhere?

 

Good baker, and charcuterie cum veg/fruit store opened opposite mooring since last my visit.   Very nice bread, and what looks to me like nice fillet of pork cum pork chops.    

Very pleasant time in fine sunny weather, doing nothing more energetic than washing bed linen, eating and reading in sun.   Sun warming up, but still in slacks and vest under shirt.    Did you want to know that?

As usual, tied washing line between trees on towing path, and in die course had to inspan startled by-passer to help me fold sheets - judging by wife's withering look, not a job this chap normally did.

Very heavy thunderstorm, in evening, followed by night of almost continuous rain.

   

28 April 2008              Monday              Cercy la Tour to Panneçot, Canal du Nivernais

Awoke to damp world - still raining and had been for most of the night..

L.K. arrived at moorings - on foot - to say she was short of L.K.s (wet Monday morning?) and did I mind sharing, or waiting for her to see her first boat through her 2 locks?.   The potential sharee was a large steel hire boat belonging to Burgundy Cruisers.   The sort of thing we used to call "floating bricks".   Warned her that there was little fun in sharing with me as I went so slowly, but was happy to give it a go.

Quite happy, as in fact the floating brick seemed to go at my speed.

Unfortunately, this resulted in very long drawn out morning.   Albert is quick through locks, making up for slow speed across the ground,  but combining my slow speed, and ponderousness of the brick into and out of locks with continuous cold rain resulted in a rather ordinary morning, especially as it was raining almost continuously.

Fetched up at Panneçot at lunch time.   The brick was going on, so decided to stay.   It was still raining, and I wanted some heat in the boat.

Don't like this mooring - very shallow, and they put notices everywhere that "harbour tax" is 8 Euros.   Ridiculous price, but there is never anyone to collect it.   (gather, in fact, that somewhere on the notices it specifies tax will only be collected in high season) Also, there is no village, and no facilities, unless you want to play tennis or pitch a tent.

However,  unlike Cercy la Tour, the electricity is full strength.

Pity I started this morning - the stretch from Cercy to here is still more Nivernais type pretty green bucolic farmland - very pleasant and restful, and would have been lovely on a nice day.   No point in waiting, however, the forecast for to-morrow is like to-day.

After my enthusiasm for the swallows high profile arrival worried wasn't seeing them.   No worries - they were swarming all over the moorings at Panneçot apparently feeding.   Seem to remember that "when swallows feed close to the water, it is going to rain".   As a warning, too late, but a bit depressing about to-morrow - we do this for fun, and hiding under an old school golf umbrella on the back of a boat is doubtful entertainment.

 

             

29 April 2008              Tuesday               Panneçot to Chatillon en Bazoir, Canal du Nivernais 

 

CUCKOO!

 

Yes - heard a cuckoo as I was unmooring.   (forgot to enter for last week - saw first ducklings in Paray la Monial).

 

Fine morning and was up be-times.   Chatillon - to-day's target - is 22 kms (by canal) and lots of locks.   That is a full day for us.

However - every single lock had a traveling L.K. awaiting me, and we made good time, being stopped 2 locks below Chatillon for the obligatory lunch break.   Rather a nice spot - canal very wide, with steel piles asking to be moored to quickly and safely.

The country closes in a bit up this stretch, which follows a very windy river course almost exactly.  Canal runs in woods, frequently in slight cutting, and due to the bends one has to keep an idea on the steering, so little countryside gazing possible.

Into Chatillon at about 13.30, being greeted by Frank of "Belle Etoile",  who we've been meeting any time these last 4 or 5 years, and now bases his boat and himself here..

Helped me into the last available space on town (free) moorings, adequate jetty, plenty depth, electricity and all just there.

Re-met Rhodesian - sorry Zimbabwean couple - in Pebbles  whom I last saw at Briennon on the top of the Bourgogne last year (or was it year before).

Sorted myself out, tidied up, and drained gearbox oil, with intention of giving it new oil.   People say there is no real need to worry about changing oil in PRM gear boxes - but as this will only be the second time it has been changed since we bought the boat, so probably a good thing to do.   Thought I had plenty new oil - didn't - but got some at supermarket.   Put it in to-morrow.

 

30 April 2008              Wednesday           In Chatillon en Bazoire, Canal du Nivernais

 

Rainy morning.   However, in a dry spell Frank - with car - took me up to S.M. for gas (ran out at Cercy, and was frightened of forgetting to obtain a replacement, so covered boat with post notes say "GAS").

 

I have similar notes every which where reminding me to take my pills, but they don't work, but the one reminding me to empty the loo works splendidly.

 

Re-filled gear box, ran engine, and it all seemed to be working O.K.

Fiddled about then realised electricity not working.   Out to shore power point, changed my lead into unoccupied next door boats terminal.  Still didn't work.   Took cover off power point, and saw a loose wire end.   Put cover back on, quickly.   Occupant of "unoccupied boat" - a New Zealander, Keith, - arrived to ask what I had done - fair question in the circs.   Looked at the box's innards, repaired them, but still no power in Albert.   Classic - I had unplugged to start engine, and forgot to re-plug.   Once re-plugged - all well, but nasty moment.   To-morrow is a total public holiday - no L.K.s - nothing.

Keith - whom I addressed as Australian, was very forgiving - one never ever fiddles with someone else's power point - unless one is German or Swiss -  so I had sinned exceedingly.

Otherwise quiet day doing not a lot in doubtful weather.

 

 

1 May 2008                 Thursday              In Chatillon en Bazoir, Canal du Nivernais.

 

Public Holiday - this one - unusually - extends to L.K. and such like.

Very quiet - this holiday is taken seriously.

Fine day.

 

  

2 May 2008                Friday                In Chatillon en Bazoir, Canal du Nivernais  

 

Just starting to make breakfast, saw a puddle on floor in front of fridge.  

Checked.

Fridge not working, but had very recently expired, no de-frosting as yet.

Much checking - power through, OK, so ???

Panic set in - similar to loo breakdown panic.

Pulled fridge out - loose cable behind.   Re-inserted it, nothing happened.   More panic.   Re-inserted wire again, fridge worked, wire fell out.   Went through cycle several times, until Frank passed by, saw me kneeling on cabin floor amidst all the signs of major mechanical breakdown, came and sorted!   Pushed fridge back, working fined , but find am somewhat taumatised.

Took the rest of the day to recover.

I fear I am getting unbelievably clumsy in my old age. 

 

Booked to leave to-morrow, then cancelled.   Booked a hair cut instead with a rather jolly girl hairdresser in town.- 

 

   

3 May  2008             Saturday              In Chatillon en Bazoir, Canal du Nivernais

Moorings filled up fast - this is clearly an important holiday week-end.   Everyone commenting on never having seen Chatillon so full.

Booked to leave to-morrow!

 

 

 

 

Pictures

 

Top Left   Self explanatory

Top right   Yet more rural Nivernais

Bottom Left     Useful map of Nivernais on Notice board.   N.B. North is right.

Bottom Right   Chatillon moorings,