We have made it to Tonnerre, having waited a week at St.Florentin for the new fuel tank to be delivered. As it was so hot during that week and we had no shade on our mooring, it was merely a question of killing time being too hot to do anything useful. Even the slightest effort brought tears of sweat running down our faces. One day it reached 48.9C on the boat!!!!! We just spent the week existing and taking Tashi for short walks. Tashi's new Cool Coat has been used a lot. I think she fared the best, as we didnt have access to electricity nor water, so had to make do with just sprinkling ourselves in the shower to cool down, several time a day, instead of the torrent we really wanted to pour over us!
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| Old fuel tank taking up space on the upper deck. |
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| New fuel tank, still taking up space on the upper deck! |
Nevertheless it was a very entertaining week. But we could have done without being sprayed with dust and dried grass from the car park next to us when the helicopter came to someones rescue, but its nice to know that help is always near to hand.
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| St. Florentin, emergency services. |
On a hot sunday afternoon 15 coaches arrived in the car park, so about 500 teenagers carrying various pieces of sports equipment, poured across the Pont (canal aquaduct over the river) to the sportsground on the opposite bank. We felt quite sorry for them having to compete in the afternoon sun, but in the evening they returned to their coaches still chattering and jumping around like puppies!
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| Eager young athelets! |
This Theatre de Verdure, Leo Ferre, sitting in a public park, is well used by all ages it seems. First there was a gymnastics competition between tinnies, then a few days later judo was being performed. In a previous visit a pop concert was held there. We were relieved that wasnt on offer this time round.
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| Theatre Leo Ferre, wonderful facility. |
We actually managed to get a mooring here at Tonnerre with TV reception so that Nigel could watch the British Grand Prix! We will stay a couple of days to clean everything while we have water and power, (if it's not too hot) but need to press on as we're concerned about the water levels in the canal. It seems there's either too much, or not enough.
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| Flogny la Chapelle, flood damaged quay. |
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| Levels a bit low on the Canal du Bourgogne!!! |
We resisted the temptation of lunch at this quayside cafe!
I finally managed to get a photograph of this elusive little bird - Black Redstart. Its been tormenting me for weeks, being very tame and sometimes actually landing on our boat railings. But as it is so quick, darting about the place I never have the camera to hand at the right time.
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| Mooring at Tonnerre |
We had two sets of surprise visitors in two days, both fellow boaters overwintering in Briare. The first was from Nicky and Tony, (
Archangel) who had sent emails but we hadn't picked them up, and the second from Michelle and Gerard (
Carmige) who had just arrived from Tanlay. That's the unexpected pleasure of cruising. One never knows who or when we are going to meet up with fellow travellers!
I felt very proud of myself tonight as a group of teenagers were trashing things around the Capitainerie office, so I got the camera out to take a photo of them. They immediately hid. Later one of the boys came to our boat to tell us that the things they were 'trashing' were already broken. I asked about the big wheelie bin they threw to the ground and requested they stand it upright. Which they now have done and departed. Why does no-one else challenge them? Its a bit of a risk as the kids may return in the night untie our ropes and cast us adrift, steal something, or trash us. We are very vunerable. But someone has to take a stand. Why don't the French boat owners here do something positive.
Today I took Tashi onto the adjacent park and sitting under the shade of a cherry tree, gave her coat a good trim ready for the electric clippers! Now she will really feel the benefit of the Cool Coat.
This time round, we managed to do some sightseeing at Tonnerre.
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| Fosse Dionne |
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| Eglise Saint Pierre |
This was followed by a delightful lunch at the Galetterie Les Vieux Volets
Tanlay -
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| Keeping an eye on the lock! |
We arrived at Tanlay only to find the quayside completely full. However just after we had tied up on the opposite bank a hire boat pulled out so we untied and moved over. Only due to the kindness of the crew of
Lanson Duchess moving back a few feet did we manage to squeeze into the space.
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| Tightest fit ever. Well done skipper!!! |
There was plenty of room for us to moor at Ravieres, with electricity and water available but no shade. The situation is getting dire here on the Canal de Bourgogne with so little water in the canal. The repairs to the lake at La Panthier were not completed and so it is empty and not able to provide water for the canal. The water levels are low and restrictions are in place.
When we moved to Ancy le Franc our Dutch friends from Briare, Cor and Mieneke Kolen, were able to visit us on the national holiday of Bastille Day (14th July). We spent a few happy hours together over tea and supper.
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| Opposite the quay without shade, electricity and water! |
Moving swiftly on to Montbard.
Our friends, Sally and Charles, visited and we had lunch together.
We stopped overnight at Venarey les Laumes to gather our strength before heading off towards the staircase of locks. At Venarey there is a pet goose which lives on the quayside, in its own little wooden crate. With its long neck it can defind itself most adequately against visiting dogs.
Because of the water shortage in the canal we were collected by the eclusier at a set time, as they were co-ordinating boat movements to ensure the most efficient use of water. Unfortuantely this didnt go exactly to plan as someone had left an overflow open too much, and after we left Marigny-le-Cahouet, despite the Guide Fluvial stating that the water level was over 1.40m, we dragged along the bottom of the canal, churning up the mud as we passed. This was the hardest and longest day struggling through 28 uphill locks! It made the journey to Pont Royal through another 13 uphill locks seems like a stroll in the park. But we did get completely stuck on the bottom in the long pound after lock Charigny 16. We had visions of waiting for a tug to free us, but with much relief eventually managed to wriggle our way free. It was a good job we didnt fill up our onboard water tank even though we had paid for the top up. Our tank was down to a low level 2/10ths of its capacity, and this might have made a huge difference if it had been full. We like to run it low every now and again to refresh the water. After this heavy day were even too hot and tired to visit the excellent restaurant at Pont Royal. Just showered - all three of us, and collapsed in a heap.
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| 'The Hospital Ship' with drapes! |
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How true the expression "Careful what you wish for". After praying for rain, having had none since early May, we had a heavy downpour, with hail stones, for the last hour of our journey to Pouilly en Auxois at the summit of the Canal de Bourgogne. So again we arrived here looking like drowned rats. The previous visit our whole journey along the canal was wet, and I changed my dripping clothes three times during this last section, as once you beging the journey there is nowhere to stop and the eclusiers insist you keep travelling!
Perhaps this is the reason for this 'installation' in the local car park
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| Yes, it's washing machines and a dryer!!! |
