Thursday 6th September Montbard to Ravieres

Trip. Departure 9.30. Locks

Big farewell sessions as Bill and Jan head off to Paris, Andy the scummer ex navy and retired chipshop proprietor his wife, granddaughter and her boyfriend settle into eggs on board with the very overhung and rather rough but much quieter Dean. Once underway we were suddenly startled by the peacefulness of drifting along again on a clear blue sky but crisp September morning. Glorious! As was the apple pie Collette had made with the scrimped apples and which we had for breakfast with coffee at 11.

We thought about stopping briefly to visit the canal side Buffon Forge but on our final approach we were passed by approximately 40 elderly Americans on a cycling tour who turned off into the forge.

I aborted the landing and cruised on under the rather low but delightful bridge. Enough already!

We drifted on through to midday where we stopped for lunch at a rather lovely lock. Collette had ham eggs and tomatoes while I settled for the last of my sangliers pâté and cheeses with some nutty bread.

Soon back underway we approached a nice lock and were greeted by an old black Labrador. A tiny sweet girl came running from the cottage to help the eclusier, an older and very nice chap, push the gates open for us. We got in the lock and I went to get a lollipop for the little girl and biscuits for the lab who was almost in the boat looking for me. I suddenly heard a very rough and angry shouting. Upon getting out on deck, it turned out to be the girls father going absolutely mad at her for crossing the bridge to help the old eclusier. He seemed very harsh with her and the eclusier shrugged at us. We gave him the lolly to give to the girl. He gt a beer. The dog ate half a packet of my biscuits and was clearly a friend for life.

 

as we exited the lock, I suggested to Collette that with the dangers surrounding a lock, the fathers anger and discipline should be respected. We looked back to see the eclusier handing him the lolly and could hear the father explaining his outburst. the little girl was meekly getting into the car.

Meanwhile, the lab was walking along the bank with long sad eyes never averting their gaze from me. We passed a boat coming into the lock. The lab stopped dead in his tracks and turned on the charm with the newcomers. My friend for life had chucked me for a Nichols hire boat. So much for loyalty, I was peeved!

Round the next bend, the lab was but a distant memory as we stumbled on a pure white heron. Our first sighting. It was like the fabled hunt for the white buffalo and this was a magic moment indeed.

The canal was becoming very weedy and they had obviously been cutting the weed down in the canal. Great swathes of long grass bunched together and as we went through some very shallow sections, it took on the appearance of a swamp and then we saw our first water rat for some weeks. I called to Collette that at least we had not seen any vipers for some weeks now.

30minutes later we are still drifting through heavy weedy canal when I see something in front and what appears to be something chasing it. Moving fast across our path, I suddenly shout out, "viper Collette"

It is thin but over a metre long. Its darting head lifts 6 inches out of the water as it desperately searches for an escape route out of the canal but unfortunately for him, the side has been renewed with metal plating and he is in trouble. I have snapped a picture before it turns and I push the throttles to point Doucettes bow away from the slippery bugger. I don't want that thing sucked up my intakes! In the picture it is lying against the metal sides middle of pic.

In a state of mild shock and incredulous that only half an hour earlier we had spoken about snakes in the canal, I had a Heineken to settle my shredded nerves.

We arrived at Ravieres. Free electric water and showers. Not bad. An English owned barge was alongside and they were here now for a free winter mooring and were busy finishing jobs and winterising. Alongside her was a hotel barge. All English crew, one of which hogged the water supply all afternoon with about 50m of hose stretching along the quay as the supply was right next to Doucette. I was sat on the poop minding my own business when suddenly it was like the opening credits to an episode of "the champions" alexandra bastedo and all. A geyser of water exploded into the air, the chap had pulled the hose one time too many and snapped off the connection. He came down and got drowned trying unsuccessfully to fix it. Meanwhile the water flowed, fortunately the wind carried it away from me and the boat but it was gushing all over the electricity supply box. I feared the worst. It took twenty minutes for the sodden crew Member to locate the stopcock for the supply and at last the gusher was capped and he was able to fit a new compression jointed outlet. We had water!

At 6 ish a French chap with the village lunatic in tow came down and was inspecting the mooring area in front of me. Eventually he said that he was considering moving his boat here to use the electric. He was not sure if it would fit. I had a few metres up to the barge so said if he could not get in, I could move up a bit.

Ten minutes later, he arrives in his hireboat and proceeds to smash into my bathing platform and outboard. Collette shouts and I am on the quay pushing him off. He has 3 old ladies for company. The skipper is humbly apologising blaming a mystery gust of wind and I am saying no problem, no damage has been done. One of the ladies suddenly states in perfect English " you said you would move, it is your fault"

Somehow, I retained my dignity and was relatively calm in my response although I did resort to calling her darling which somehow stopped me from swearing and losing it with her. " darling, I said I would move if necessary, which indeed I would have, but, darling, if you care to step out of the cabin you will see that there is about 8m between your stern and my stern now that you are alongside. The gentleman has already apologised to me which I gladly accept as he is new to the boat and these things happen but I can do without your arrogance thank you darling"

She never uttered a word in response and I returned to Doucette quietly steaming. A Heineken settled me. The crew wanted to fill her in! I spied her leaving the boat and heading off into town just minutes later.

Having caught up with relaxing, We strolled into the old town full of stone houses built higgledy piggledy in all directions and on top of each other for protection The old Romanesque Eglise was our next stop. Who should come round the corner but madam arrogance jabbering away in French to a burly looking ex lock forward.

Without hesitation, madam said in perfect English, would you like to see the church, this gentleman is opening it especially for me as it is closed tomorrow and I particularly want to see it.

It was as though the incident of an hour ago had never happened. We graciously accepted. The chap was the church warden and his father was once vicar here. He would leave us to it but could we close the huge heavy wooden doors on leaving. Madam organised us an english guide to the lovely church and with that said, " ok you will stay longer than I so please just close the doors and leave 50cents in the box as a thank you."

We were just gobsmacked! Firstly at her most pleasant attitude and secondly at the ridiculousness of getting this chap to open the church especially for her and then as soon as he was gone she was leaving. She had spent less that 3/4 minutes inside total, what was that all about.

She missed out, the church was simple and lovely for it. The sun was low and it highlited the beauty of the stain glass window above the main entrance doors.

I felt like I was treading in solemn ecclesiastical footsteps when I heaved the huge heavy doors closed and latched the iron bolts.

Back aboard we bbq'd merguez hot dog starter followed by Cajun pork chops with haricot and onions. a rare dessert as Collette used the last of the apple pie and finally having used up invaluable fridge space for 3 months, the Creme anglais was finally used, and lovely it was too. We had our first Cremant for some time and slaughtered a bottle of aligote burgundy. The crew finally found a white wine she liked.

We watched the stars, saw a couple of shooters, the space station pass over, the plough, thunderbird 5 and some bloke in the moon, Marvellous!

 

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