October 2018

On Sunday 28th friend Val, invited us to a lunch time event, which she called apero Auberge Espagnole! She lived here in the town, and befriended us. She has now sold her house and moved back to the UK after living in France for over 20 years. For a while she has just rented a flat in the UK and has 'lent' us her car for the winter months. Which is a really kind gesture for which we are extremely grateful.

Ali, Ni and Val, taking food for the party.

Pool house party.

As it was such a bitterly cold day and their was no heating available we all just kept our coats on. Val did warn us that would be the case, so all was well, and the alcohol helped!
 
And after Ni's quick trip to the UK to attend his aunt's funeral, we moved slowly back towards Castelnaudary for our winter mooring. We stopped as the usual favourites along the way, Montgiscard, Negra, Gardouch  Renneville, Ecluse Mediterranee and Ecluse Laurens before arriving at our lovely mooring in Castelnaudary!

Us and the solitary bad tempered swan!

I think that he is hoping that someone else will hand feed him cooked spaghetti like Jim did last winter from the back of his boat 'Relax'.

While we were at Renneville we had two wildlife visitors. One was a beautiful black mink who wasn't at all frightened by our presence. Unfortunately I didn't have the camera to hand. But I had it by me when we the second visitor leapt onboard.

Froggy would a wooing go!

In the woods above the canal I spotted huge drifts of wild cyclamen. I've never seen them in such profusion before, quite stunning.

This is a favourite spot for fishermen at Renneville, especially those who like to camp out overnight on the edge of the canal. One day a young man came and set up all his elaborate equipement, rods, line, tent etc and then launched a radio controlled boat to drop the float into the water. I think he spent more time playing with the radio controlled boat than actually fishing. Still it kept him and us amused!

We were very relieved to arrive safely in port, as always. But particularly this year in view of the terrible disasterous floods that Trebes just two stops downstream. We were there this time last year, so there but for the Grace of God goes us. Our heart goes out to all the people involved both boaters and householders. Absolutely terrible.

Such a sad sight......

We dont expect problems like this on the Canal du Midi.  One always thinks that in a flood boats will just float above it. But this was a combination of high winds and just too much water from the overflowing river Aude.    It's the worst flooding there since 1872. The Rhone is renowned for sudden rising waters, but the C.d.Midi doesnt have the same reputation. So shocking!