December 2017

I went to the Uk on 3rd December to be there in time for the funeral of Val Failes on Wednesday 6h. Whilest there I took the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping, visit family and friends, check our furniture in storage etc.

The gold letters need redoing, next time we visit.

I visited our parents graves and placed some flowers on both the headstones.

Hoory, its a hit!

Time for Christmas decorations!

An annual tradition of Ginger Bread House making (plus a new addition of Dr. Who's Tardis!)

It was nice to catch up with a selected few of the BOFs!

And so back to France and a Choucroute meal at the Cave on the Quai.

Driving through the English countryside made me feel quite homesick, which now poses us a dilemma as, finding cruising hardwork we feel we are coming to the end of the time on our beloved Gesina. So much soul searching to be done over the next few months.  To stay in France or return to the UK.  We both find the UK too overcrowded, property is more expensive, but cost of living, particularly food is much cheaper. We love the climate and relaxed way of life in France, property is much cheaper, but we dont speak the language very well. So would we be isolated if no longer part of the boating community?

Now it's all hands on deck to get ready for the communal Christmas day meal for 13 persons, with various individuals preparing/cooking different parts of the meal.  It's a bit like Babette's Feast!!!.  As some consider this an unlucky number we have enlisted the help of another body. More to be revealed.

 OK, here 'It' is our mystery guest number 14:

 Obviously not eaten for a while!

We began the day with the traditional glass of sherry while opening our presents. These 'only small presents' handed to me when I visited the Uk necessitated an extra suitcase to bring them back to France!

Guess who also attended the festivities?

some were worried that they might 'run out' of supplies

others obviously didn't ...

How many drinks was that again?

But some remained cool, calm and collected ...

November 2017

Neither of us feeling too good at the beginning of the month. Ni with his injured shoulder, and fixed to be in a sling for several weeks, and me with the return of heart problems. So visits to doctors all round. Even Tashi had to go for a check-up, and weigh in!

Winter is coming, heralded by Tashi's thick coat, and cold winds blowing from the Pyrenese. Reports of deep enough snow to begin the winter ski-ing season is greeted with glee by the enthusiasts.  We can see the snow topped mountains from here.

A Port Bake Off competition was hosted on Friday 10th by The Cave, Quai du Port, and well attended by a large number of boaters. A tremendous selection of food was presented, and placed into Savoury or Sweet sections.  Mine, I'm embarrassed to say was a total disaster. The Victoria sponge I cooked looked more like two pancakes sandwiched together with strawberry jam. However in support of the event I did enter it. i was amazed to find that I didnt win the Booby prize. So goodness knows what the the 'Booby' was like!

A feast for all!

November jogged along with some warm, sunny days, and some cooler, blustery ones. With Nigel unable to do much about the place, and me being forbidden to by the doctor, we mainly sat it out!

This gave me the opportunity to finish the poncho I've been making for Marina, first cast on back in April. I found it too hot to knit during the main summer months, so it laid idle for some time.

Finished at last!

The VNF in their 'wisdom' decided to lower the water level along this stretch of the canal, to continue work around the Bassin, which has been going on for the past few years. This is part of the continuous footpath along the side of the canal. This has neccessitated removing the old bornes (for electricity and water supplies) and putting in place temporary ones.  Unfortunately some of these aren't able to cope with the demand for power needed by boats over-wintering. So hopefully they will soon be replaced with the permanent ones.

Looks like a Dalek!

When we travel during the summer months we don't bother to put the TV satellite dish up and spend infinite time trying to find the correct alignment to receive BBC programmes.  However, once back in port we looked forward with eager anticipation to getting in touch with things. So Nigel has spent the past week rebuilding the support pole for the dish, then sitting patiently with a 'finder' to track down BBC.  For days we had a picture and sound - but it was all in German!  Eventually with help and advice from several others in port, he 'hit' on the right orientation - et voila - we have a functioning TV.  Funny how it got 'fixed' just in time for Saturday afternoons rugby matches!

Just in time for the Scotland v. Australia match!!!

Sadly a very dear friend of mine died of cancer this month on 10th November. I will miss her terribly, as will her family and many others. Although I visited her in September, and had not thought to attend her funeral, now I have decided that I cannot bear not to be there.

October 2017

Having made a quick trip to the Uk to visit a friend, I returned to Capestang to await more visitors, Jackie and Peter. They checked in to an hotel and cruised with us during the day, from Capestang to Angeliers, Le Somail and Ventenac-Minervois.  LeSomail  was one of the staging posts for passenger boats during the 18th century which cruised between Trebes, Castenaudary and Negra. Costing £6, which must have seemed a lot then. Plus the passengers has to disembark and change boats, each time they reached a double or triple lock - a total of 25 times, and carry their own baggage up or down the steep slope to the next boat.
LeSomail also houses Madame Gourgues' antiquarian bookshop, a treat not to be missed. The stock is vast consisting of paperbacks and very rare editions.

Post boat.

 Angeliers had an interesting walk between a narrow street where placards had been placed on the walls explaining about the Wine revolution.  This concerned French wines, already in oversupply, being threatened by Algerian wines and other artificial mixed concoctions. In 1905 Marcelin Albert, manager of a theatrical group, cafe owner and wine grower convinced 400 wine growers to sign a petition in favour of natural Midi wines.  He then founded the Argeliers Committee, a group of wine growers who were to shake the foundations of the government. The intervention of the army shocked the public and the wine growers' revolt spread over the whole region. So tragic with many innocent people killed. 
Albert Marcelin was finally received by the president and the law authorising chaptalization revoked. But the hero of the day, having dealt with the enemy, was rejected by his former friends and ironically ended his days miserably in Algeria.

We took time off the boat to explore by car, and visited the Cathar town of Minerve, which was a spectacular place perched on the top a rock in a deep ravine.

Stunning village of Minerve.

  Next we visited the bastide of Aine with its narrow streets and tall buildings to throw cooling shadows on the inhabitants. Although Bize Minervois was a recommended place to visit, we never found the point of interest. Need to read a guide book more thoroughly!

Jackie and I also took the opportunity one afternoon to cycle from Ventenac Minervois to Paraza, where  there is the chateau Paul Riquet stayed in  while his canal was being built. Between these two villages is the canal bridge of Repudre, one of the few bridges built by Riquet himself, constructed to avoid damage to the canal caused by flooding of the little river Repudre. It was completed in 1676.   Said to be the first canal bridge ever built in France and reputed to be the second builit in the world!

From Ventenac-Minervois is one of my all time favourite stretches of the Canal du Midi, with the mountains of the Pyrenese on one side and Mountains Noir on the other.

'My mountains'

 I just LOVE them. I think it must come from being a 'northener'!

Tashi is also in heaven here in Homps when we walk down to 100 hectare lake Olonzac.  She can paddle on the waters edge quite happily.  Its deserted at this time of the year, with no water sport activities.

Just beyond the bridge is a brocante which has a wonderful array of objects for sale.  I wish I had a larger boat!! (and bigger pocket!)

Apparently there was a general strike while we were moored in Homps, but as we hadnt intended to move it didnt affect us.

We moved on to LaRedorte and were lucky enough to get a mooring right outside the quayside restaurant, treating ourselves to dinner there on Friday evening with our new neighbours also going to Castelnaudary, Frances and John on their boat Antonia.

Keeping an eye on the weather forecast we moved up to Marseillettes, but only stayed one night, swiftly moving on to Trebes. Then we made a dash for Carcassonne, having rung ahead to be sure of a safe mooring place while the high winds go past.

It  has been a most amazing stop with chaotic happenings on the canal.  First of all a workboat/peniche called Neri arrived, and attempted to pass through the small bridge below the lock into the port. His wheelhouse was too high and he got stuck. Couldnt go forward, couldnt go backwards. The 4 hire boats who had followed him were scattered all over the canal. Eventually Neri got free and moored up. He tried pumping water into his hold to lower the boat,but his pump broke! The hire boats passed up through the lock - all except one, which appeared to be out of control. It kept going aground and spun around several times. That also moored up. That night the VNF lowered the water in the pound and Neri edged slowly into the lock.
This afternoon hotel boat, Savannah, moored in front of us. Hotel boat Alegria came down through the lock, but without Savannah moving forward there was no room for them to pass, so Alegria ran aground. Savannah pulled Alegria off the bank, and moved into the lock. Alegria decided not to moor here and continued down the canal. While these manoeuvres were going on more hire boats arrived wanting to pass through the lock and time was pressing on towards closing time at 6pm. All moved smoothly through (apart from one frantic Irishman who only seemed to know one throttle position - yes you've guessed it FULL POWER) and now we can sleep easy until another day!

 

VNF official keeping a close eye on 'their' bridge!

 

Savannah pulling Alegria off the shallow bank edge.

Boats going in all directions!

 Perhaps the threatened general strike on Thursday will restore peace and calmer waters!

Nigel slipped on the wet grassy bank, and dislocated his shoulder, so we stayed a few more days in Carcassonne for him to rest.

Finally we got on our way, and enjoyed the beautiful autumn days cruising, arriving to the welcoming site of the Grand Bassin, with the spire of the Collegiate St-Michel looking down on us as we approached the old 17th century bridge.
 

Grand Bassin, Castelnaudary.

The Grand Bassin is a man-made lake of 1.75 acres, unique along the 150 miles of the Canal du Midi. It was here that Canal was officially opened to navigation on 19 May 1681. The town's Councilors paid 30,000 livres to have the canal passing through the town and creating the Bassin. During the 18th century it was a busy port hosting wood-drying shops, rope makers, boatmen, dry docks, and carpenters. Drinking troughts were also provided for cattle.
 
We awoke on 31st to our first frost of the season, with boat roof tops sparkling as though they had been sprinkled with tiny diamonds. Luckily the clear night skies also bring clear sunny days.

Pont Vieux, Castelnaudary.

It always seems amazing that we, and larger boats, manage to squeeze through this tiny bridge, set at an angle!






 

September 2017

When we finally decided to move on from Salleles d'Aude, where we had moored by the bank next to the museum of amphoralis, we found to our horror that we had gone aground. This became more problematic by the hour as it was a Monday and lots of hire boats were leaving Narbonne coming upstream and emptying the canal of water. So I walked to the next upstream lock to activate if and let more water through, in the hope that this would be enough to float us off the bank. But each time I managed this another clutch of hire boats came upstream.  By this time we were listing dangerously and worried that our ropes would break, lurching us across the canal.  After Ni's efforts at 'wriggling' the bow thruster and rudder he eventually managed to get us back into the water and onto one level.

So we gently made our way downstream to Capestang, stopping at the peaceful spot just outside Argeliers.

Ferme le vie

Nice dog walking here, with almond trees lining the paths. Unfortunately we dont have any nut crackers onboard. NB to self: buy nut crackers!

We arrive at Capestang ready to greet next visitors, and are kept entertained by the antics of hire boaters.

Not sure what they were trying to acheive here.  I know we call them "Bumper Boats" but that's just plain ridiculous!!!

On a lovely sunny evening Nigel decides to have a barbeque. But we didnt have the right kind of charcoal and the meat was literally smoked rather than cooked!  Not too keen on that method.

Capestang has some interesting buildings one of which is this one with a beautiful trompe l'oeil on two sides. Tashi was completely fooled at first and kept barking at the little dog in the bottom left-hand corner.

Trompe l'oeil at Capestang

August 2017

We reached Carcassonne in time for Sarah, Shaun and their boys to visit.  The extremely hot day ended with a slight shower, threatening thunder storm. But this didnt affect us, as we were in a restaurant while the whole storm passed us by.

Someone left a lock gate or overflow open overnight causing severe water shortage in the canal, and a stoppage of boat movement.  So we had to wait over an hour, floating in the middle of the harbour in a stiff breeze, before we were able to leave Carcassonne.
This got worse at we arrived at Trebes, and with the backlog of queued boats, it took 4 hours to get through the staircase lock.  Tempers were getting very frayed by this time.

Then we were on a tight timetable to reach Narbonne in time to greet Andy and Marina.  Our stay in Narbonne was not any more pleasant that our previous winter stop there.  Unfortunately for us there was a big summer festival being held by the quay, with very loud music playing well into the early hours.  So we moved our boat out of port to moor by the theatre. There we had a group of loud, bad tempered tramps, and one even jumped inside the boat one evening when he saw Ni taking Tashi for her evening walk.  I dont know who was the more surprised at his appearance!  Obviously he hadnt realised there was anyone else onboard.  So we cut short our stay, and vowed never to return to Narbonne by boat.

Tashi enjoyed her day at the seaside!

So we scuttled back up to Salleles d'Aude where we stayed for nearly two weeks. This transpired to be an expensive stop over as our engine batteries needed replacing.  Then we got a tanker to fill our heating fuel tank with red diesel, and phone dongle and phone top-up was renewed.

On Assumption day (16th August) some good citizens of Salleles d'Aude followed the procession carrying a representation of the Virgin Mary.

JULY 2017

On Wednesday 5th at 1.30am a man tried to steal our bikes from the back deck of our boat. They were not locked to the boat, but locked together. So he had to lift both bikes ashore. he must have been a strong man to lift both of them. Because one is a Dutch bike with a back wheel lock which stops the wheel from spinning, he had to drag them along the tow path, and damaged them, also in trying to break the locking device it was broken, but luckily for us not opened. The noise of him taking them ashore woke Ni who ran after him. The man dropped the bikes and ran away. So now we put the bikes inside every night, which is very inconvenient, but as one is an expensive electric bike, the best precaution.  We are now more inclined to shut every window and door. Whereas previously in this heat, we left the offside door ajar with the safety catch in place. I dont want to live in a fortress, but better to take precautions.

Its still festival time here with the 10th festival des sports traditionnels taking place on Saturday and Sunday 8/9th.  There were demonstrations, intiations and tournois; courses camarguaises, courses landaises, joutes languedociennes, palet gascon, quilles de 8, quilles au maillet, rames traditionnelles, tambourin, representing sports from both Occitanie and Catalanes.  Plus a procession from the centre of town to the stade by the side of the canal, where all the water sports were operating.

What on earth is this all about?!!!

June

What a very bizzare evening tonight in Castel. We went along to meet other bargees for our weekly Friday night gathering at the quayside Cave, only to find the owner sitting on his doorstep looking very dejected. "I'm closed" he told us, " but for you - I open". So he ushered/hustled us inside. Having been such a hot day we welcomed the coolness of the Cave. Then others came along two by two. All of us ushered inside and locked in. I've been to a 'Lock In' before, but never a 'Lock Out'. Eventually 14 of us gathered, bought wine and drank. The owner wasn't feeling well he informed us, but wouldnt disclose the nature of his demise.  Affairs of the heart we wondered, exetensialist angst, a very French disease? Perhaps we will never know. Whatever it was he was 'closed' for two days. In the meantime the chosen few, who were allowed to buy his wines came and went. For a cave that was closed he did very well this evening. One lady even purchased a whole case of wine!

My flowers are surviving the heatwave, with much watering from the canal, and additional plant feed!

 Our visitors chose the hottest days to visit us, and we all sweltered in the heat, as the bimini for the upper was not yet repaired!

Susie organised a picnic for the AVF members, and yes, it was another scorching hot day!

Hosted by Cax and Marion at their beautiful camping site, Les Armengauds

 Traditionally it its Fete Musique in France on 21st June, hence the town was alive with events all week long and many events were advertised for this festival week.

The peniche Tormente arrived in port and provided music and caller to give us a French version of country dancing!

Sally and Charles, on Bluegum, called in for two nights, on their way north. Sad to see them go, having spent three winters with or near them, and wonder if we will ever see them again. We walked to see them through the staircase lock.

Even Tashi looks sad at losing 'her' friend!

Well the much awaited Lacher de Lanternes never happened. We went to the Grand Bassin and waiting in anticipation, but were told it was 'abandonment'. It seems it was deemed to be too dangerous.  Definitely, as its SO DRY here and the wind was blowing quite strongly.  Plus the pompiers were having a party, with lots of food and drink available to all, so wouldnt want to be called away!  The music from their party blasted throughout the whole town, and we were warned that it would go on until the early hours of the morning.  It certainly looked spectacular with fireworks and strobe lights flashing through the trees.  So at 2am we closed all our windows and roof lights to blot out the noise. Luckily we did because IT RAINED, HALLELUJAH!!!!! (You won't here an English person say that very often about having rain.) At last, now it will be a bit cooler.

Pompiers Party

And final visit from our winter neighbours.

Wiestke' back!

May

Well we finally left our winter mooring in Castelnaudary. It was sad to leave friends, but nice to know that we will see many along the way during the summer, and others returning for next winters layup. One of the best winter ports we've been in.

We didnt get very far the first day. The engine exhaust was smoking so we stopped so that Ni could investigate, had lunch and decided to stay the night, below Laurens lock. Tashi reconnected with 'her inner dog self' and went off exploring the canal bank sides. But she did keep looking back to make sure we hadn't set off without her! The next morning we went up through the triple lock, but the wind was so strong, and it took such a lot of hard work to hold the boat in position, even using the engine, that we decided to stop until it was calmer.  Unfortunately this was under trees, and just before we left a huge dead branch from an overhanging tree crashed down onto us, and split our bimini in half.  Half an hour later and we wouldnt have been there.  Isn't hindsight an annoying thing!

Laurens lock, le Fort

Ecluse Renneville

 In the orchard behind our mooring there were both red and white acacia trees. I've never seen red ones before. I bet when the property was occupied there were bee hives in the orchard.

During my walks along the canal at Renneville I found several different types of wild orchids, a rare treat.

The locals did their best to keep us amused while we moored at Renneville.

A very sociable, sociable!

Film set using the canal at Ecluse la Planque

Trying to find some shade, on a VERY HOT day!

Back in Castelnaudary it was time for visitors. Cor and Mieneke came down from Briare, and took time from their tours to visit us.

Tashi, looking good, on her 10th Birthday!

Next to pass through Castel were Charles and Pamela on their boat Xenia.

Dinner onboard Xenia

Lovely to see them, but sad to think that as they are on their way back to the Uk, this may be the last time we meet.

Xenia leaving Castelnaudary