Hello again and a special hello to all friends
and relatives living abroad who are keeping up to date with our progress via
this site.
Indeed a very special hello to Pamela's cousin
in the USA, who we understand is following our little adventure via the net.
It's good to know that the world can really be a very small place if you want
it to be!
We came back from our holiday in Switzerland
to more snow and cold, which we assume is why paraffin heaters are quite popular
here (and not just for boaters). Most supermarkets and DIY shops sell paraffin
with a choice of smelly or non smelly and of course you pay more for the latter.
The empty containers end up at the rubbish area (the poubelle) and the ones
which didn't contain smelly looked as if they could be used under our wheelhouse
floor (number two hold) for storage containers. The other containers we found
useful were the empty vin rouge boxes. Although made of cardboard they are
very robust, as long as they don't get wet, and are ideal for experimental
storage bins as you will see from this first picture.
NUMBER TWO HOLD
There seemed to be a glut of paraffin containers,
so David had to work overtime thinking of other useful things to do with them.
With the weather being so cold (minus 12 once or twice) we needed to clear
the snow off the pontoon. Of course they do sell snow pushers in the ironmongers,
but when you have the time, you can make your own. David says that if he makes
one next winter, it will be more like a proper snow plough (at an angle to
the snow).
ANOTHER USE
When we manage to get off the pontoons, we like
our Monday morning walks and just so that they don't become repetitive, we
set off in cars to other villages and start from there. The next picture was
taken on one of the walks which went through the woods. It was cold but if
you're wrapped up, it is good fun and in good company as always. Many thanks
to Caroline for thinking up the Lundi Promenade (Monday walk) it really is
a great way to start the week.
WINTER PROMENADE
Sadly, it soon became time to say goodbye to
Carol, Neil and Barney, who we met last spring and who we travelled with for
several months. Their adventure in France was coming to a close and just to
try and prevent an easy exit, the Gare d'Eau decided to freeze over. But as
you will see, you can't keep a good narrowboat in! This next picture shows
Comfrey breaking its way through the ice to get to the Bourgogne canal in
readiness for the lift out.
NORTH WEST PASSAGE
Neil and Carol decided to go with "CPL transport",
a firm who did a great job at less than half the price that we paid to get
here last year. They say there is one born every day and I suppose it must
have been our turn in 2004.
LIFT OFF WITH CPL
As the winter moved on, Gromit was starting to
feel the effects of the short days and long nights and from the look of this
next picture, we think he must have thought that some extra heat treatment
might help to get him through the cold spell.
GROMIT'S SOLARIUM
We had some old friends (Peter and Richard) coming
to visit and for one of them, made a single bed area in the wheelhouse. The
curtains and track came from Dijon and although we say it ourselves, it turned
out very well. When they arrived, they brought some very good weather with
them and apart from one day they had a super week. It didn't take long for
Peter to spot the odd bargain with regard to boats and cars. The fact that
in the past he has converted a van into a camper and fitted out his own narrowboat
has left him thinking that anything is possible. Personally, I think that
the boat and car he has his eye on in the next two pictures might just need
a bit more time and money spending on them than Peter thinks!
BIG PAINT JOB
08 RUST FREE
We took a trip up the Saone to visit John and
Hazel, who have a large Dutch barge at St. Symphorien. I had told Hazel that
the "pork pies" were coming and she suggested that if we delivered
hers we could all have them for lunch - great idea! Now their barge is big
and as you can see from the next picture, the anchor mechanism is particularly
substantial.
WHAT DOES THIS DO?
As we have probably mentioned before, we have
found a very nice affordable red wine at Nuits St. Georges and thought that
a trip there for Richard and Peter would be a good idea as the owner always
make us very welcome. We're not quite sure but think that in the next picture
Peter might have thought that the chap on the left was about to pull a gun
on him and so, just in case, he decided to "assume the position"
anyway.
MADAME A CAVEAU DES FLEURIERES
We couldn't let Peter and Richard go back to
Blighty without going on one of our Monday morning walks. This particular
one started at a village on the Bourgogne canal called Brazey en Plaine and
took in part of the canal path before going off into the countryside. We finished
the walk back, then all went for lunch to a small restaurant where the set
menu was 11 euros (£7.75) each. For that you get five courses with a
choice for each course and a carafe of red wine for every couple of people.
You definitely miss out the evening meal when you have had one of these!
LUNDI PROMENADE
Somewhere around the middle of Peter and Richard's
visit, the forecast was for a rainy day, so we drove into Dijon. Not a very
good day for sightseeing but a good place for buying presents. We had been
in a shop called "Douglas" before and it was just the sort of shop
they were looking for.
ON THE SCENT
We have found an excellent butcher here in St
Jean de Losne and thought that it would be a good idea to have some of his
steak for our evening meal. The BBQ always gives steak a special flavour so
that's the way we cooked it that particular evening. Peter by this time was
having such a good time that in the next picture, he appears to be overcome
with emotion and possibly a little choked.
A LITTLE CHOKED
Although we didn't move our boat whilst they
were here, we did manage to get a trip up the Saone on someone else's boat,
to a place called Auxonne. Again the weather was great and we took enough
food for a very pleasant day out. It took just short of 3 hours to get there
and only one lock. We arrived in time for lunch and for those who hadn't been
there before we had a leisurely walk around the town. The next shot was taken
in the morning as we were leaving St Jean de Losne to go to Auxonne.
A SUNNY DAY OUT
All good things come to an end, so they say, and it was soon time for Pete
and Richard to leave. A couple of days after they had gone, the next flurry
of activity around the town was "Paques Boat" which is a festival
they hold here every Easter. It is all boat related, from second hand bits
and pieces, right through to brand new and expensive cruisers and barges.
H20 had a quick spruce up too, with some cleaning and trimming going on. The
old fishing boat that had flowers planted in it was ready for collapsing so
out it went.
OUT WITH THE OLD
At Paques Boat there was a chap selling fishing
related things, for want of a better term. As we looked around his stall,
we noticed this next picture. We thought that Tony and Linda, who came to
see us last summer, might be interested. (If you are reading this Tony, we
now have electric propulsion for the dinghy)
NO TIDDLERS IN THE SAONE
Now look at the next monster, although it's not
a fish this time. We caught this salesman in full swing, hoping for a sale.
CLIPS ON TO YOUR DINGHY HERE SIR
No event is ever complete around here without
an appearance from the "Fanfare Batellerie" brass band and David
took this next picture as they passed our boat. Now to be truthful it could
be said that they sound slightly out of tune, but they don't have valves on
their wind instruments, so we assume that is why. We have seen them many times
now and think you'll agree that they do look very well (can't imagine an English
brass band dressing up as musketeers). The youngster leading at the front
is so proud to be part of the show.
NEW RECRUIT LEADS THE BAND
It soon became time for friends old and new to
make tracks and start cruising again.
We had by this time found that a very sociable time was pre-dinner which didn't
last too long and left everyone to do their own thing for the evening. We
are of course new to this lifestyle and have had a few disasters with regards
to socialising. So as they say, you live and learn. Mervyn and Pat, Nils and
Irna were all due to get on their way so an early evening soiree was definitely
in order. Nils had been fascinated with our Old Peculier "backwards clock"
so we thought it was time for him to try some of the beer itself. David just
had one bottle left.
OLD PECULIER
Amongst the people moving on was Havelock. Through
the autumn and winter, Havelock had become the quizmaster for the pub quiz
and at least twice a week, a radio Gare d'eau broadcaster. Not to mention
usherette at the local widescreen cinema! Quite often, he would get a knock
at the door from a complete stranger.
"Captain Bob's sent us" they would say. "He said you wouldn't
mind if we joined you to watch the match". We don't think any of them
came empty handed and Havelock always reported that a good night was had by
all, even if they were cheering for the opposition. So we all decided to go
out for a last meal and say cheerio to Havelock, who had helped to make the
winter period pass more quickly.
HERE'S TO HAVELOCK
Our friends Lawrence and Ann decided to buy a
house in one of the local villages and this gave the card making classes somewhere
larger to meet. It was only a five minute drive along the side of the Saone
and although they could drive themselves, it was an opportunity to bump into
Lawrence to have a chat and put the world to rights.
The next two pictures were in fact taken at Lawrence and Anne's new home where
the Tuesday card class ladies (and spouses) had been invited for the evening.
We think you will have to agree that we all scrubbed up very well and a good
night was had by all.
21 SCRUBBED UP WELL
22 TOUT LE MONDE SCRUBBED UP WELL
It wasn't long before some new arrivals appeared
at the marina and mother was eager to show them off. She also wanted to show
them where to come for "nibbles" as we say around here.
23 NEVER SEEN UGLY!
Here we are at the last part of our update and,
like last year, our last picture is a map of the general cruising area, on
which we intend to highlight our whereabouts. It will of course get out of
date by a month, but it should be obvious which way we are headed and a good
guess should tell you roughly where we are likely to be.
We start of course at St. Jean de Losne and will
head up the Bourgogne into Dijon and
beyond.
24 THIS YEAR'S ROUTE (WE ARE HERE)
Our intended route is roughly:
Up the canal de Bourgogne, turning left at the top onto the river Yonne, which
becomes the canal de Nivernais, then turning right onto the canal Lateral
a la Loire. This becomes the canal de Briare and then the canal du Loing,
before ending up at the Haute Seine. Here we intend to turn right towards
the river Yonne again and then down the Nivernais a second time. (The Nivernais
is said to be the most beautiful canal in France and we don't want to miss
any of it!) The second time we get to the bottom of the Nivernais, we will
turn left on to the bottom part of the canal Lateral a la Loire, then along
the canal de Roanne (time permitting) and the canal du Centre. At the end
of the Centre we then meet the Saone at which point we will turn left back
up towards St Jean de Losne. Basically the route is a figure of eight and
we intend it to last until the end of October.
Well that's it for now folks!
We hope that the web updates will be on time
(monthly) and that we can do this ourselves without calling on the help of
good friends Steve and Alison, who by now have earned themselves a free holiday
with us at any time during the year (not to mention the vat loads of wine
we must owe them by now). They will of course have to sleep with the cat,
or at least take it in turns, as Gromit does like to do his rounds at least
twice a night. But we are sure that they won't mind!
