Itinerary

  • Mon 28 April Christchurch to Le Havre.
  • Tue 29 April arrived in Le Havre
  • Tue 6 May Mast Down. To Risle via Tancarville Canal.
  • Wed 7 May Set off for Paris
  • Sun 12 May Arrive Paris Arsenal
  • Thu 16 May Paris to St Mammés
  • Mon 20 May Leave St Mammés on the River Yonne heading for Auxerre
  • Mon 27 May Leave Auxerre on the Canal du Nivernais heading for Dezise
  • Mon 16 June Leave Dezise on the Canal latéral à la Loire heading for Digoin
  • Wed 18 June Leave Digoin on the Canal du Centre headining for Chalon-sur Saône
  • Sun 22 June Leave Chalon-sur Saône heading South on the River Saône
  • Tue 23June Leave Givors on the Rhone heading for Port Napoleon and the Med
  • Wed 2 July Port Napolean, scrub off, mount mast, set up for sea etc.
  • Thursday 10 July Sail for Toulon

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Lindsay Diary 6-16 June

WED
Friday 6th June
Went through the lock into Cercy la Tour and moored up onto pontoon. Walked with Richard and Jan to the station 1/2 hour walk away. They have a change of trains and a bus ride to return to the van then will drive overnight to Le Hevre to catch their ferry
Started to rain again and we found out the Loire was closed due to the height and speed of the river to boats. Hopefully will re - open on Monday meanwhile we are stuck. Dave was still having trouble with an infection on his leg so a visit to the GP was required. Doctor very good but cross we didn't make an appointment ( how?) but saw us after a long wait. 250 euros later we returned to the boat!! Antibiotics for ten days and self administered jabs in case of thrombosis for 5 days. hope it works, means we are on field rations for a week as that was our weeks money used up.

Saturday 7th June
Still raining Loire opening now possibly Wednesday. Cercy is a nice town but very small and took a whole hour to see round it. Both Dave and I are getting stir crazy and are seriously thinking of moving onto Dicize tomorrow.

Sunday 8th June.
Stopped raining so a quick sort out and we got to Dicize by 11 am
It just goes to show what a bit of sun can do , it was a lovely journey down and we were shown a mooring rafted up to a unused barge. Dicize also has water and electricity with a donation suggested by the VNF water authority. It looks now as if we will be here until Friday but at least Dicize is a bigger town and what with the rail station almost on our doorstep we can go sightseeing if we want to.

Monday 9th June
Getting used to this stationary life, lots of housekeeping while Dave caught up on his work hours. Met several neighbours in the same boat ( excuse the pun!) Major disaster as I have lost the sapphire out of my engagement ring, very upset, must be on the boat somewhere I hope.
Tapas 10th June
Went into the town centre, thought we would take the bus, waited but no bus or buses anywhere so walked . Needed to reclaim our medical expenses at the local hospital administration office and find internet access. The hospital paperwork was done very efficiently in 10 minutes but we will have to wait for two months to see any of it as it takes that long to process it! Internet was done in two hours due to Dave's work cost 10 euros. When we went into the tourist office we then found out we could tap into their WiFi for free , Oh well. The laundrette is miles away so will have to hand wash tomorrow and save the sheets etc. until a closer laundrette becomes available

Wednesday 11th June
Washing day!! some very kind French neighbours who live next to the river came over and let me use their washing line which was kind of them. Still no rain so maybe Friday we can escape

Thursday - Friday 12th - 13th June
Still waiting, attempted to take the train to Never which is the capital of the region only to find they were on strike! Seems to be a national passtime in France, since we have arrived I think we have noticed or been affected by at least 4 of them so it was back to Rosa. We have been invited to have tea with the elderly french couple who lent me their washing line, very nice of them but I must admit I am dreading it. Will sit there like a spare part. We appear to have a water leak so have resorted to using water from our large water containers, not the best solution. Hopefully Dave will be able to figure out where the leak is at the weekend

Saturday 14th June
Decided to escape to Never today and THE TRAINS WERE RUNNING. Never is a large town with several churches and a cathedral. It also has the preserved remains of Saint Bernadette.
We treated ourselves and had a nice lunch in town saw a couple of churches including a rather run down but fascinating 16th Century Jesuit church with lots of wall frescoes. Found out the train back was a bus a good hours journey unstead of 35 mins stopping at all points on the way
Dave bless him was worried that we would be carried into Decize town centre and had arranged to be dropped off near the boats not realising we would be dropped at the station so ended up walking miles back to Rosa!

Sunday 15th June
Had tea with Madame and Monsieur Clanard? Madame seemed to appreciate my offering of Little cakes acquired in Nevers yesterday so that was good. Had a good time even though my contribution to the conversation was minimal!

Monday 16th June
A knock on the side of the boat at 8.45, the Loire was open at long last. you should have seen two people move as Dave was terrified that they would close it again!
We were on the canal ready to go at 9 am. When we arrived at the lock leading onto the river the lockeeper denied any knowledge that the situation had changed so after a quick phone call to head office we were eventually let through We had quite a reception committee seeing us through the first lock. Dave had some difficulty manuvering into the lock leading from the Loire into the canal Lateral as there were some nasty currents round the lock gates but on his second approach managed to slide in. Yet another different way to operate the locks using rope to announce our arrival after which the lock was automatic.
We managed to cover some considerable ground as there are very few locks on this canal and did 41 Km upto Putney where we moored up for the night

Tuesday 17th June
Motored through the canal de Lateral and onto the canal Central in the early afternoon after a stop to restock provisions in Digoin
Although it was the secret hour of 12 - 1pm managed to obtain all my requirements including finding a butchers open!
We motored on hoping to reach Palinges for the night, had two more locks to go arriving at 6.30 with time to spare at the first one before lock down only to find the lock closed up with no one on site These locks are automatic and should be available until 7 pm Dave dropped me off to see what was what only to find the place deserted and big chains on the equipment. We weren't going, so was forced to moor up next to the lock. WORDS WILL BE SAID TOMORROW TO VNF

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