Chevroches, Canal du Nivernais

Tuesday, 12 June 2012

Petite Sâone


Angle Iron Tower (replica Eiffel) at Soing. Who knows why?

Written whilst waiting for the port restaurant to open at Fouchécourt on the Petite Sâone.

We’ve now been ‘en passage’ as real boaters say, for just over a week. Things have gone well – mostly. The weather (and forecast) could be better, we could have sorted out some cost effective internet and I should have remembered to retrieve the spare boat key from the marina at St Jean de Losne before we left but -the river is lovely, the villages postcard pretty and hopefully our first meal out tonight will be good.
I am writing this offline. Monsieur Orange, who kindly (and inadvertently) provided us with such a good ‘bon plan’ last year of unlimited internet at 9 euros a month has decided it’s just not on this year. So, after multiple visits to the Orange shop (and, subsequent to our first enquiry, the assistants ducking for cover when they see us coming - why? Perhaps my mangled French hurt their ears as much as it hurt my brain.) we have purchased a pre paid dongle. I can’t offer a verdict as yet – there’s no signal here for instance – but I suspect uploading a blog may prove expensive. Our Kindles continue to be fantastic value – we can access our email and, with patience, can do much of what the Orange mobile internet can do, and all for free.
Getting a new key cut proved almost as difficult as the internet connection. Much weighing and measuring and shaking of heads ensued. Dutch keys are much bigger than French ones apparently (yes size does matter). Just do the best you can, we said. And they did. So we now have a key that doesn't quite fit but will open the door eventually as long as you're prepared to crouch there fumbling  like an incompetent safe breaker.
Today we shared a lock and a few pleasantries with an American couple in a hire boat. In the space of 10 minutes in the lock we established that we had lived a few houses from each other 30 years ago in Australia  and our children had gone to the same school. Then they sped on their way faster than us probably never to meet again. Small worlds and coincidences.
The meal was great. Restaurant is run by one guy, all by himself, who does everything completely efficiently and entertainingly.
St Albin Tunnel

We've passed through two tunnels this week. The Saint Albin and the Savoyeux. Bothe had plenty of room, were well lit and contolled by traffic lights and so no chance of meeting anyone. There is no towpath - the chains you can see in the photo were there so that bargees could pull themselves through in pre-motor days.



Sunday, 3 June 2012

Celebrations



L'Avenir ready to leave St Jean de Losne


Some days are deemed more auspicious than others. Yesterday, according to the Chinese calendar, was a lucky day. Today, according to our scenic views of Scotland calendar, is rather more important to us being the birthday of no fewer than 3 family members. Happy birthday to each of you in your different countries and time zones. Here in France, families are getting together for Mothers Day whilst in Britain Her Majesty is about to cruise along the Thames in some style to celebrate her diamond jubilee. One of the boats in our marina is obviously owned by a patriotic Brit as it is festooned with bright flags. And, our own contribution to the importance of the day? Our one hundredth blog post.

Some decisions have been made. We are to depart tomorrow - probably - depending on the weather. After a week of bazing hot sunshine the heavens opened in the middle of last night and we were woken by loud claps of thunder. Did you close everything up before you came to bed? Yeah, yeah. Turn over. Snore. Rain continues to batter down all night.

Some hours later, we get up and discover that the hatch on the cabin roof is wide open and our galley has spent the night doubling as a shower compartment with the taps at full blast. So much for congratulating ourselves a few days ago on having a bone-dry boat interior.

We've visited the chandlery and bought new charts and yet another fender (because you just can't have enough of those) and taken the bike trailer to the supermarket to load up with enough food supplies to last through any possible apocalypse (not sure I'll eat the tinned peas and carrots even then - you definitely can have enough of those). We haven't managed to organise mobile internet, as yet, but are hoping that we can, once again, come to an amicable arrangement with Monsieur Orange in the next week or so. So we'll be incommunicado for a little while after we leave here.

Destination? North to Strasbourg. Probably.