Wednesday 3rd August

Hot as last night and slept like a log until Jannie woke me at 2.30am. Yeh yeh get a life! It was pouring and she told me that there had been thunder and lightning galore and it really was raining hard. Woke at 7.30 and got up and washed and made our way to the stern of the boat where our galley and dining is. Set the table, had same breakfast and J&J went to the market to buy the bits and pieces that we needed to make diner for the next two or three nights. Paul and I filled the water tanks and pulled in the power lead ready for casting off. Waiting, waiting for the girls to come back!

In the meantime, a boat that was rented to a couple back after we arrived at Vermenton and who had tied up to the bank – she fags and he wears undies – hence we nicknamed them undies. He starts up the motor and tries to back away from where they are moored. Lots of swirling mud and no movement. He tried going forward and only got the boat stuck firmer. Along comes a local and with the aid of a pole manages to get the boat floated. You wouldn’t believe the carry on for the next five minutes. He did a donut, backed up which caused another evasive action – bloody hell there was water going in all directions. He headed for another mooring and bashed bow on to it – missed the end of the pontoon and slid between another boat, backed off and had another go and at this stage the girls came back and saw the final act as he slammed the boat side on into the pontoon. At least he had arrived. An elderly Frenchman who had been watching all of this came down onto our pontoon and in very broad French said “Artiste” and pointed to undies. We burst out laughing which he joined in on.

We cast off heading to Lucy-sur-Yonne, about 18kms and 7 locks. The first lock was only about 100m from our mooring and we were in pole position but it was closed so we had to wait – but not long. Through this one and it started to rain. J&J&P donned raincoats and prepared to do their thing at the second lock. We now have Jannie climbing the ladder once we get inside the lock and looping off both fore and aft ropes. Then she helps the lock keeper open and close the gates, something that they really appreciate as it saves them an awful lot of walking. Off we went into the gloom and on one of the corners we were confronted by a “Le Boat” (a rival company) on our side of the canal coming straight at us. The two guys on the top deck were too busy trying to get up their umbrella. I tooted and tooted and was nearly stopped – our horn is just that, a toot – they took evasive action and all was well. Bloody idiots! Went through a lock at 11.30am and thought we had time for one more lock before lunch. By this time we had a tagalong boat with a French couple and two wee kids following us.

Got to the lock at 11.55am – hey the lock was open and in we went! The boat followed us in. Jannie had climbed the ladder and both boats were tied off. No sign of the lock keeper. Jannie and the guy in the boat behind closed the gates. Still no lock keeper. The lock was slowly filling because the canal waters were overflowing the gate ahead of us. Monsieur Frenchman went and rang the bell of the lock house. Out comes Monsieur and from the gesticulations we got the idea that lunch was already started and we would have to open the gates ourselves. Big Madam came out and more goings on and it transpired that we were not going anyplace!! Bon Apertit were her departing remarks. We could have worked the lock ourselves but though this might add insult to injury and we didn’t want to get a bad name going forward, so we turned off the motor and had lunch along with the laughter and inuendos – Madame Lunchalot was mentioned a few times. We also had a visit from some pompous bird with a “Le Boat” jacket on telling us in stuffly nosed English that we weren’t allowed to stop in a lock and that the police could prosecute us. Off she stalked. As you can imagine lunch was quite a hilarious affair!

We finished lunch and read our books for a bit and eventually a young chap arrived back to work the locks. He had a chat with the big mother and quite sheepishly opened the lock for us and we were off. As I said we were going to Lucy – but because it was a pleasant temperature and apart front the odd shower now we headed past Lucy where there is the Chateau de Faulin – wonderful looking building and the sun came out as we past so photos galore. We then decided to make our way to Clemacy which is the second biggest town along the canal. We still had our following boat and in a couple of the locks he didn’t stop in time and gave us a fair old nudge. On the second occasion Paul was at the stern and caught unawares and bloody near came to grief in the water – our expletives told him exactly what we were thinking and he was more careful. He was actually a pleasant chap and Jan helped him with his ropes each time.

We came to a stretch in the canal where there was a lift bridge. We pulled into the bank – slowly and the Frenchman came running along the tow path and started pushing the buttons on this particular bridge. Eventually he managed to get it to lift up and we proceeded along the canal at our 8 kmph. It didn’t take him long to catch us up. Getting close to Clamecy the way ahead wasn’t very clear which caused a bit of stress for the girls, but we eventually got to the last lock for the day. There was a big crowd watching us enter the lock. Text book stuff and we tied up but when I looked around the Frenchman was in all sorts of trouble behind us trying hard to avoid us. Through this lock we moored up in a little harbour and settled down for a beer and bubbly for the girls. Eventually we had dinner on board and after we had cleaned up we went for a bit of a walk. Hot drink and off to bed.

 
Thursday 4th August

Today was a very easy day. We got up late, turned the boat around, had bacon and eggs for breakfast and after cleaning up we went for a walk through the old town of Clemacy. The old town is a medieval village and the small streets take you back in time as the half-timbered facades are as they were hundreds of years ago. The town is surrounded by water as the Yonne river and Nivernais Canal are as the town boundary. We spent a few hours meandering around the cute streets and marvelling at the beautiful old buildings.

Up until the early 19th century, the Nivernais canal followed the town’s former ramparts. The bridges of Clemacy have been in existence since the 13th century. The bridge that we crossed under as we entered the town last night was built in 1828 and made of stone.

The church at Clemacy was already in existence in 1075 and was rebuilt in Gothic style between the 12th and 16th centuries. Parts of it however were destroyed during the French Revolution. The organ was built in 1863 and restored in 2009.

For many centuries, wood floating was the main industry supplying Paris with wood for heating and cooking. The low levels of the rivers and the non-existence of roads made the log trains ineffective so the Nivernais Canal was born in the 19th century thus allowing boats loaded with wood, stone and ore to travel all the way to Paris. There is a festival each year to celebrate the wood cutters. Pleasure boating is the canal’s main tourist activity today, and is considered one of the most beautiful canals in Europe. So I guess that we are very lucky.

We are going out to dinner tonight for a special treat. It has been very hot again today but everyone is telling us that it is going to rain tomorrow so we have made good use of the hot weather and got all our washing up to date.

There was another NZ boat in port last night and Paul had a chat to them. They are heading for Corbigny which is also our destination. We still have about 30 odd kilometres to go to get there and are aiming to do so on Saturday which will give us one full day in the village to explore and also to pack up our things as we have to have the boat back at 9am on Monday. To get to Corbigny we have to navigate lots of lifting bridges and lots of locks so it will be all hands to the deck tomorrow! Jane and Jan are building bit muscles!