Trip 27kms. Departure 10.45. Locks 6 of 175
I managed to catch the boulangerie wagon so we breakfasted heartily on bread and almond croissants. Moved the boat up to reach the nearest water and topped tanks before departing Lagarde.
the trip was going very nicely with our junior helmsmen gaining confidence daily. I left him to go below and make tea as we exited a lock. There were 2 boats approaching in front but well clear yet so I was happy to leave the boy at the wheel. I watched mesmerised as upon leaving the lock we appeared to be closing the stbd bank at an alarming rate. I heard a nervous cry and leapt to the helm. Tone whacked on the throttles as the bow finally started coming back but now the stern was perilously close. I grabbed the engine throttles and eased her out. The big man was in a state of shock.
It had of course been my crews fault. On exiting the lock, she had advised him to stay close to stbd. She had meant when passing the boats but the trainee helm had immediately steered right and when realising he was going to hit, got ruffled and slung the wheel even further stbd by mistake. I admonished tone for scaring me!
It had been a close call and we got very strange looks from the passing boats who must have featured our antics in there daily blog but no harm done so how we laughed. Tone's confidence was slightly bruised and he needed a breather from helming so I got beers, whacked up the sounds and grooved back into the helm seat.
We were making pleasant progress until a lock failed to open for us. A delay of some 30minutes ensued as I was forced to finally call Vnf. As usual they were brilliant and with us in 10mins. I thanked them with a couple of cold ones and upon exiting were challenged by 2 British narrow boats. On breaking through the gain line I recognised them from berry au Bac.
We moved on serenely to the magnificent Recicourt ecluse.
Built to replace 6 locks it stands 16metres tall. We were lucky with timings as you can wait here up to an hour but green light said go and we joined a bayliner which had been waiting 45minutes.
We were straight up on floating bollards so very easy and when we emerged we decided to stop and have lunch
Tony poured rose a glass of pink bubbly.
Rothru knocked it ovands leaking her shorts. Tone topped the glass, sat down and knocked his own over soaking his shorts. Sadly this was the last of the wine and result in 2 rather grumpy mahoneys.
I took a nice picture of the lovesick couple to cheer them up
From above the lock looked scary when empty
But the views looking back down the canal were magnificent calling for more bubbly.
We forced our way away from Rechicourt and arrived at Xouaxange at 6.30.
We we struggling for a spot and we eventually pulled in a gap between a hire boat full of Uruguayans and the pontoon. As I feared I hit bottom about a foot from the bank so had to have both big fenders on bankside. The ground was hopeless but Tony won admiring glances from the uruguayans as with a Herculean effort, he drove the stakes deep.in
What with the sweat from the heat and the sickness of spilt bubbly, we needed a shower. Tony was clearly desperate to have a go with my outdoor shower. After 20mins of harassment he finally succumbed and of course thoroughly enjoyed it.
There was just enough water left for Rosey to be amazed at how good it was.
We had been recommended a restaurant in the town so took ourselves there. It was an auberge run by a French chef who had married a Madagascan resulting in a menu exotic.
We enjoyed a meal of exotic fishy starters and exotic fish pie and exotic chicken in coconut sauce and I had an exotic guinea fowl dish. To be truthful, it was all pretty exotically average but great fun and we enjoyed a nice sunset as we made our merry way back to Doucette for some glenmorangies.
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