May 5th Saturday - St Valery to Abbeville

May 5th Saturday - St Valery to Abbeville

Departure 11am, arrived at 4.50pm. Trip time 1hr 49min, 8 nautical miles.

Removed radar reflector. Boat prep chores. Entered lock at 11.10am. On leaving lock path blocked by a tree. As inched towards in a strong beam on wind, the lock keeper runs over and is shouting at me at lock entrance. Turns out it is just to tell me I had to wait until 2pm other side of lock for lock staff to proceed further. With Collette trying to move tree with boat hook I am reversing in middle of tiny lock gates to understand & hear this babbled message. Doucette turns In the cauldron & the scaffold plank gets caught in the lock gate. It snaps with a nasty crack but luckily no damage to Doucette. Lock keeper realizes it was a silly time to try and hold a conversation and pleased to say he apologises & we clear the gates & the tree. I would hate to think it had been anything to do with capt calamity. 5 minutes later we are nestled into a 35ft gap on the Locaboat pontoon. Befriended by Tony & Yvonne, retirees from Lymington, we enjoy coffe & cake on their lovely steel stevens on Which they have enjoyed 7 years of waterway travels. Tony gives me a book on Somme battles & suddenly its 2pm & time to leave. Goodbyes & abientots before we are informed of a further hours delay. We have a quick lunch of ravioli on toast. Just the ticket. Weather clears & 3pm we set off. Drizzle on route but nice to be on our way into inland waterways. We get to Smedlars bridge without incident. God It looks low. I edge forward having dropped the radar arch. The steaming light mast will hit. I remove mast, duck & edge through. The water is higher than last year. NOTE Steve may not get through.

We tie up alongside some rotting boats but have got electric & water for 2€. Reason for stopping at Abbeville is fuel. Carrefour 150m. I top p with 90 litres & we stock vittals. Mum listened to cup final, Chelsea 2 - Liverpool 1, as satellite no good under trees. Mum was disappointed but at least I could get radio 5 for her.

Baked Camembert, fish soup & lasagne washed down with leffe & red wine. Another full day.

Weather - overcast & drizzle.

Locks - 2 of 2