The word came around at 8.45 that the lock was going to open at 9.00. At 9.00, I phoned VNF and they confirmed that the Loire was open for navigation. So 10 days after we had intended to we cast off and did the 500 yards down to the lock following some Austrians on a hire boat. The lock keeper was busy doing his garden and said it was closed but we got him to go into his house and phone VNF and sure enough, 5 minutes later and the lock was open.
The Loire had dropped about 2 feet from flood level but was still running at 3 knots against us. Right by the lock there is a nasty eddy which pushed our bow around. I over compensated and ended up in a position where I couldn’t line up properly and decided to abort and go around again. This time I went in closer to the bank and we got in fine.
Frank and John who we have shared a jar and a yarn or two with over the preceding days had kindly come over and took our ropes in both the Loir lock and the one onto the Canal Lateral du Loire (PK68). Both locks are automatic and very gentle – apparently so the hire-boat novices get a gentle introduction.
By 10.30 we were out of the second lock and on our way. We decided to put on as many miles as possible and batted on through Motte (PK61) and had lunch waiting for l’Huilerie. At 1.00 we were off again sailing in bright overcast. The canal (at least this part) is wider and much more uniform than the Nivernais. Attractive enough in a gentle rural sort of way but it certainly does lack the beauty and interest of the smaller canal. The locks are manual and very similar to the Nivernais although I think they are a bit bigger. They have a different system of Paddles than the Nivernais and the lock keepers don’t like you touching them. They have a system of ratchets that look very easy to trap a finger in.
We met few boats and just one commercial: The Liberty
By 4.00 it was raining and it kept it up on and off until we moored before lock Thiel (PK21) at 7.10. There are no facilities so we moored using our trusty Ronde Anchors. These are wonderful devices that are used extensively in the Norfolk Broads. If you are following in our footsteps, you could do a lot worse than ordering a pair from Norfolk Marine in Wroxham.
On the way up we kept our spirits up by watching lots of Black Kites and an even larger number of Herons.
Each Heron seems to have its own strip of canal that it's careful not to go outside. It also has an absolutely fixed 'danger distance'. They completely ignore the boat until its an exact distance away (about 30 Meters). It then looks up in horror at this hugething that is passing it and takes of in a hurry. More often than not, it flys 100 Meters down ints territory, lands, stalks up to the bank and resumes fishing - only to repeat the whole process when we catch it up within the critical distance. This can go on 3 or 4 times till it reaches the end of its strip and doubles back. Talk about bird-brained!
Altogether we covered 51Km today which is a record for us. And we've finally left Bourgoyne ant entered Auvergne! Altogether a red letter day which we celebrated in traditional style with two large steaks and a bottle of Chamagne (we Bailly which really is just as good).
No comments:
Post a Comment