Monday 20th May The Nivernais at last

It was pouring with rain as I opened my eyes and depression started to set in. surely this could not go on any longer. I was desperate for Mum to have some river time and enjoy some sun. she had contracted a cold early in the trip and the damp was not helping one little bit. By 9 it had eased so Collette and I went for an early morning stroll to get bread. We drifted down to the first Nivernais lock to check out the water availability and with the rain abating for a while we drifted around this quite magnificent town. I think I appreciated it more this time than our first visit last september. It really is beautiful. Mum had asked us to post some cards for her. Of course the post office was closed, it was pentecost day and a national holiday in France. Oh my lordy lordy lordy!

We ended up in the cloisters of the abbey where on that previous trip we had so enjoyed the "picnic in the abbey". There was a modern art exhibition on and wierdly the cloisters were full of striped deckchairs. I had a moment

 

After lunch we decided to make a break for it. I watered at the first lock and we slipped along heading for Bailly and the caves for some cremant degustation tomorrow. The rain got heavier as the afternoon progressed. We were just entering the fourth lock when Collette spotted an engine overheat. I dived down and checked strainers, nothing, then I spotted a floppy end of fanbelt flailing around. I could not believe it. What else could go wrong was my first words. We were approaching the lock with Collette at the helm on one engine. Pretty unhealthy situation really and she was getting nervy. I went up and we got into the lock behind a le boat hire craft without too much stress. Thankfully there was a waiting pontoon the other side. Unfortunately the first boats we had seen in the opposite direction where both tied up to it so I would have to somehow pass them before returning to try and come alongside on the one engine. On Doucette, not easy. Suffice to say that the skipper excelled himself and nothing was scratched in the manouvre but of course it was now a storm and we were like drowned rats.

I replaced the offending belt and settled down to a few beers and some wine contemplating the effect on the rivers of this incessant rain we were enduring and how many more running problems I was going to have. I should have known this year could not be a repeat of last years almost incident free season with regard to running issues.