On the 25th of March, we decided that all projects should stop so that we
could get ready for a visit by Pamela's sister Pat at the end of the month.
We are pleased with our efforts so far and are finally getting the boat
as we want it.
All in all, we have enjoyed this winter. The weather has been different,
our boat has been cosier and there has been less socialising than last year
as there have been more people doing jobs like ourselves. Having said that
we did get out and about quite a bit and even managed time out with the local
villagers. We went to the Jura mountains for a day in the snow (this was of
course before the bird flu which we all took very seriously). Included in
the price of our day out was coffee and croissants mid journey.
EARLY MORNING CROISSANTS
We started the day with a photo call as we weren't sure whether we would
all be still standing later on!
A DAY IN THE SNOW
We decided to have a go at cross country skiing (Ski du fond) which looks
quite easy. But if you have always skied downhill, forget it being easy. Derriere
got mentioned a lot and touching base got a whole new meaning.
SKI DU FOND
Catherine, the girl who made our canopy and then our cushions for the dining
area, came with us on the Jura trip. She brought her son and they seemed to
have a great time.
THIS MONTHS COVER GIRL
It's a pity that some of the jobs we have been dealing with can only be
attributed to poor quality manufacture of the items concerned. For example,
hot water tanks in a house last for years. Radiators last for years. Toilets
last for years. Not on a boat though! What is it that makes boats more vulnerable?
We're sure that many people reading this will think that they have all the
answers. But unfortunately the answers for each problem are all different.
So it's a case of having to think things through for yourself and deciding
if the people you have asked have a vested interest in the subject, have answers
ready for any eventuality, or actually know what they are talking about.
What we have found is that you have to learn fast because if you don't you
can soon end up broke. For example, we know of a very nice chap with a very
nice boat who readily admits that he isn't really mechanically minded. He
recently had his boat taken out of the water for a few repairs and also wanted
11 anodes (lumps of cast alloy) welding on to his hull. Later he asked quite
a few boaters "what would be a reasonable labour charge for the removal
of 11 anodes and fitting new ones?" Some people guessed at maybe 5 minutes
for each one and at worst someone said 30 minutes. We asked him what he had
been charged - 800 euros for 25 hours labour. Yes, two and a quarter hours
for each anode!!!!!
He trusted the people he had asked so queried his bill with the company
concerned who have since reduced his labour charge from 25 hours down to 4
hours. It makes you wonder how many people don't query their bills doesn't
it and whether the company concerned ever make mistakes in the boaters favour!
Let this be a warning to others.
Ask around, ask other boaters, get quotes and get recommendations for boat
repairers, engineers and mechanics. The more you ask, the more you learn.
Ask the same question of many people and see how many different answers you
get. They say that Belgium and Holland are much better for price and quality
of work than here in France. So maybe a trip up north one summer would be
nice and could be self funding. You never know we might even enjoy the experience
of boat maintenance.
On another topic, we sent an email to our boating friends with a map attachment
of our intended cruise and sorry to those involved about the mis-information.
2006 CRUISE
Two things...
Firstly, VNF (the French equivalent of British Waterways) have decided to
close the first of our planned canals for a month so that they can do some
upgrading.
Secondly, we forgot to say which way around the loop we intended to go anyway.
(Bryan and Jill got the coconut - very well spotted).
It was just as well really as the cunning plan now is to go in the opposite
direction i.e. SOUTH/CLOCKWISE. That is, down the river Saone to Chalon, then
into the Canal du Centre (such a pretty name).
We are still expecting visitors (friends, relatives etc.) so Pat, Diane
& Nick, Pat, Philip & Teresa, Paul & Pauline, Richard, Havelock
& Pamela, more info to you all soon.
We also hope to see some other boaters who we have met in Saint Jean de
Losne or whilst cruising. For example, David and Renate on SUKI and David
and Liz on INGRID.
David and Renate are leaving Dover and heading south while David and Liz
are leaving the south and cruising towards the north of France. Both have
powerful boats so none of the bigger rivers bothers them. It won't be just
as easy for the people who hoped to see us on their way to or through St.
Jean de Losne. But I'm sure that it will be worth the detour. When we get
up to Paris we may, time permitting, return taking the top loop via Reims,
so watch this space.
We always enjoy our short trips to Nuits St. Georges. The town centre is
small and pretty and the next picture is of a very pretty building we found
there.
NUITS ST. GEORGES
About half way between St. Jean de Losne and Nuits St. Georges, we found
the barn door in the next photo. Presumably the owner enjoys a bit of hunting.
The people over here certainly seem to have a "live and let live"
attitude unless, that is, you just happen to be the prey.
A HUNTING WE WILL GO
We just HAD to include this next photo of Gromit. The look on his face reminds
Pamela of a villain in a James Bond film.
VERY INTERESTING MR. BOND
The next five pictures are of even more snow.
We were in England in November when they had the first snow of the winter
yet here we are in March and it's still at it.
On the gunwales...
MORE SNOW
The morning after...
THE CALM
On the main street...
RUE MONGE
The water tower, taken through an icicle on the boat
CHATEAU D'EAU
Time for a chat.,.
PAUL AND PAMELA
The hot water tank was the next priority. That is, getting rid of our inferior
busted English one and replacing it with a stainless steel one which is tested
to 7 bar. We also thought we would have a smaller tank this time around as
we can heat a tankful from cold quite quickly and always had more hot water
than we needed.
OUT WITH THE OLD
IN WITH THE NEW
Although I like taking pictures of our cat, a few weeks ago he was very
lucky not to have drowned.
Our friends Paul and Val were leaving our boat one evening. It had rained
earlier and the rain had frozen. Everywhere was like bottle ice. We all heard
a noise that sounded like Gromit. It was a strange sort of wailing noise and
definitely not your usual cat's chorus. We thought that maybe he was confronting
an enemy or something he hadn't come across before. Although we couldn't see
him, it was becoming clear that he was distressed so we quickly went back
for a torch as it was dark.
We will never know what actually happened that night, but we think that
he probably slipped on the black ice and fell into the water. Where we found
him he could have climbed onto a nearby plank so we think that he must have
swum to where he was found, by which time the cold had got to his limbs and
he didn't have any energy left.
He was saved from sinking by being lodged at the back of a paddle steamer
type boat, between the spokes of the paddle wheel with just his head sticking
up above the water. To cut a long story short we saved him, though he couldn't
stand and never made another sound for at least one and a half hours, even
though we had him dunked in the sink with some warm water! Pamela then used
the hair drier on him for an hour or so which was how long it took to warm
him through to a point where he could stand and walk again.
In the next picture Gromit is trying on a buoyancy aid. But as you can see
it is much too small around his waist (and makes him look like a sissy anyway).
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
Mid March brought an unexpected visit from Tony and Linda, who now moor
their boat at Horbury basin near Wakefield. Tony had holidays to take before
a certain time and Linda managed to fit the break in to her schedule. This
was their second visit since we came to France. The weather was quite pleasant
and it was good to see them again and catch up with news from England.
TONY AND LINDA AT DOLE
The river Saône has been in flood more than last year and as the land
here is very flat it soon starts to look menacing.
Our friends Ann and Lawrence, who live at the village of La Perriére,
don't normally have such a good view of the Saône from their home. They
have a small track at the side of the property which takes them down to the
river.
In the next picture, if you look to the left, the river Saône is meant
to be at the other side of the line of trees. Obviously, the flat plains of
the Bourgogne region can soon become a vast lake and fans of the Stanley Holloway
monologues should recognise the title of the photo
TUPPENCE A FOOT
Caroline's "Lundi Promenade" is always popular and as the winter
season draws to a close the walk terminated with lunch at le Bouclier, a small
hotel restaurant in the village of Brazey en Plaine.
LUNDI PROMENADE
TIME FOR A BREATHER
Something else we found really good fun, and value for money, was the 9
pin bowling with lunch at 8 euros per head. Twenty of us went and it made
a great lunchtime/afternoon with some of the bowling styles giving cause for
laughter. The people with the following style know who they are and for a
small fee we could be persuaded not to publish their photos in other updates.
BOWLING DAY OUT
YOU GOTTA HAVE STYLE
Paul and Judy managed to get back from Canada in time for the bowling but
soon set off up the canal de la Marne a la Saône (now known as the Canal
entre Champagne et Bourgogne) for their springtime cruise. It was good to
get a picture of them leaving the Gare d'Eau and heading up river.
NORMADDIE LEAVING PORT
David came across the scene in our last photo quite by chance while he was
visiting some friends on the other side of the Gare d'Eau (the basin where
we are moored). The man in the blue overalls is called Joel Blanquart and
he has had a family boating business/marina here in St Jean de Losne for many
years. In fact the 30th anniversary of his business is due towards the end
of April. So Mr Blanquart decided that as part of the celebrations he would
have a statue of St. Nicolas (the patron saint of mariners) carved from stone.
The statue had just been delivered when the photo was taken and has since
been set into the wall of one of Mr. Blanquart's buildings.
So felicitations a Monsieur Blanquart et sa famille (congratulations to
Mr. Blanquart and his family) who are always friendly and very helpful indeed.
JOEL BLANQUART
Well hopefully we should be on our travels by the 18th of April and as usual
we will try to update as we go. We just hope that the updates are different
enough to still be interesting as we enter our fourth summer afloat.
NB: Just a quick reminder that we have a limit on our incoming email size
of 50 kilobytes. Above this size and they just don't arrive. David has just
checked a small email (2 kb) and a newsletter (12 kb) so without pictures
and attachments, they are generally fine.
Well that's all for now so all the best to you all, have a very Happy Easter
and thanks for tuning in to what we are up to.
