Family Holiday

Jun 12

Chris and Jackie flew into Carcassonne and trained to Narbonne.  We found a central mooring but it was a tadge dusty/noisy as the centre is being renovated (Angie negotiated a 50% discount to Peter's surprise).

A lot of routine sightseeing followed and some shopping by the junior crew as all the Shop Sales were on.

Narbonne centre

Narbonne Cathedral

Bishops Palace

'Hullo sailor'

On the Monday we had planned a trip back to the coast but it was gusting up to 80 km/hr so we squatted for a further day.  The run North the next day was also windy, La Capitaine did a great job of the central ecluse (despite the weir) but then, much to her chagrin, managed to to hit both sides of a later lock entrance - the photo was impounded on the spot.

Narbonne central ecluse

Once the Via Domitia (and still built on)

We usually replenish any fenders damaged during the cruising season from those accidentally discarded by hire boats, but times had been lean in 2012 (the thought of buying some made Peter feel faint). However, the additional crew changed our luck and we picked up three good ones in a few days (now back in surplus).

We pottered off north to the River Aude junction which has an interesting weir and a silted up entrance to the Canal de Jonction.

River  l'Aude

Kes decided to elicit some attention by stepping on some broken glass, so some nursing and a sacrifice of Angie's oldest socks.

Gailhousty ecluse is quite impressive with large buildings and is now deep, as the second ecluse is used as a dry dock.

Tinpan (an old acquaintance) being made 'new' again

Our first stop on the Midi was Le Somail - busy as always, so after more ice creams (primary sustenance for the crew) we pushed on

Peter in Antipodean mode - it's hot, damned hot!

At Le Somail we met up with Jeremy Clarkson who had a Le Boat and we crossed paths/moorings several times over the next few days - his boat handling was OK, mooring selection poor and next time he berates cyclists - Chris has blackmailing photos!

It is stressful - but someone has to do it!

Angie was a bit distressed when a seagull took a young duckling and battered it to death on the rocks for dinner. We were encountering a lot of very late ducklings - not sure if they are 2nd attempt or confused ducks.

Kes and close friend (aka Jackie)

It was quite hot so we got both basking turtles and patches of sunflowers.

Given the number of Hire boats we were lucky with both ecluses and moorings - though we tried to do short runs mooring up in time for lunch each day. At Paraza we had an impromptu BBQ (no that isn't the towpath).

Paraza

At Trebes the crew took us out to Dinner in a converted Moulin at the ecluse.

'Garcon - mon vin s'il vous plait!'

The food at last - I was starving!

Then Carcassonne - where Chris and Jackie nursed Kes while we went for a short break in Spain (our first proper holiday for 3 years).

to Port la Nouvelle

Jun 12

We were heading east to meet up with son and daughter in law in Narbonne so we were refreshing our knowledge of stops last seen in Jul 11.

At Trebes we met a French couple on 'Lizard' who followed us on and off (with donkey) to the Canal Nouvelle/Jonction.

Alternative motive power

Overflow near La Redorte

Argens de Minervois

Through Argens de Minervois where we have yet to stop  - it is always swamped with boats. Then to Puicheric a nice little green bank mooring. The town has a medieval church and Chateau remains - the latter destroyed by the Black Prince of course.

Puicheric church

Then it was into the Canal Jonction/de la Robine aka Embrancement to Narbonne - all new territory.

Near Port la Robine

 At Salleles we met up with Merlot (Paul and Kathy) who were in good form. Then we slipped straight through Narbonne, with the Canal shallowing fast, to Mandaric Ecluse for the night. An early start as we were woken by a plane practising his aerobatic turns overhead.

Alarm clock

Old sailing barge - Mandaric

Then it was down through the rice paddies and salt pans to the coast at Port La Nouvelle, where we walked for a few km in the burning sun so Angie could see the beach. Really it was an excuse to find a local café serving cold beer (grand s'il vous plait).

Port La Nouvelle

Plage - Port La Nouvelle

Then back to Narbonne, watched en route by the Spanish cattle herds on the banks.

and back to Carcassonne

Jun 12

We were covering old ground on our way back eastwards - we knew all the moorings, which ecluses were dodgy and even the good shops (time to go North again).

At Castelsarrasin, Peter sorted a cooling problem for a 'share' barge (Bon Viveur) and was repaid with a bag of potting compost - he then then promptly planted his herb seedlings (Mint, Basil, Chives, Parsley and Oregano)  plus some Cayenne Peppers.

St Porquier was a new stop - a nice little mooring provided free by the village. Peter played with the generator (his favourite bit of kit) and did some patch painting of the deck.

At Montech we took the embranchement to Montauban - new territory for us - on our return to Montech moored with 'Tigers Tail' and managed a bottle or two with John.

Motauban 12C Cathedral

Longest weir to date

Tarn entrance - with the Tarn flooding as we watched

The weather was lovely so Angie was sunbathing a lot and we were drinking more both in the village bars and   with fellow boaters.  This meant a food/drink replenishment was needed in Toulouse - one look at the photo and Peter went on a diet!

This was promptly sabotaged by meeting with 'Sirius' and 'Gladys' ex Carcassonne and an impromptu BBQ.

Glady s

Our new routine is for Angie to walk Kes in the direction of travel and be met by Peter who 'single hands' to the next ecluse (apparently he needs the practice) - travelling on from Gardouch the wind rose to a howling gale (90 km gusts) so we moored at the top of the Midi in a cutting (Ocean ecluse) - a nice spot with an obelisque commemorating Paul Riquet the Midi engineer.  It is also where Wellington and Soult signed the Armistice in 1814.

Ocean Ecluse

Riquet obelisque - a bit phallic

Castelnaudary for the weekend - lots of rugby and Peter was juggling his betting book like a Sarf Lunnon bookie (for you Terry).

 Then a slow week, met up with Mike and Sally from 'Ailsa' a fellow Sagar, then back into Carcassonne and a moderate 600 kms since 1 Apr.  Steph (La Capitaine) seemed glad to see us and the temperature is back in the 30's. Colin off 'Linda' stopped en passant to Montauban by train to make sure I hadn't broken anything.

Wet April

What a month - we recorded 28 days of rain/showers without a break - then as though a switch had been pressed - May turned sunny. The first ducklings were mid April, later than we had expected but perhaps they had heard a weather forecast.  We missed the Garonne crossing to the River Lot by a day - not low water as we expected but floods. Probably just as well as the Rivers Baise and Lot were closed to navigation soon after the Crossing was.

Garonne in spate

a River Baise ecluse

In the hope that the rain would stop we pottered off west - once we went past Meilhan we were on new territory - Fontets marina wasn't very enticing in the rain

Fontets Marina

So on to the end of the Canal de Garonne at Castets en Dorthe - we weren't tempted to carry on to Bordeaux on the Garonne (it would have been a very fast trip - perhaps breaking our Rhone speed records).

End of the  Canal

Another church for our collection and there were lots of grandes maisons from the Canal high days.

Castets Chusch - note the puddles

Angie was enjoying the wildlife - her first Hoopoes and Purple herons and the occasional Egret.  On our way back we spent a few days at our favourite moorings, but not a lot of boat movement so plenty of space.  We passed Ken and Rhonda on 'Somewhere', now sold and they will soon be en route back to NZ. The Rivers were still high as we backtracked through Buzet - we managed a pleasant meal in the Port restaurant, but just failed to win the quiz night despite combining with the Marsland's off 'La Chouette'.   A quick visit to the Buzet Cave - just a few of this and a few of that ended up with 30 litres of wine to get on board! We must cut back on the visitors as it seems to evaporate rapidly. Then eastwards again.

Mas d'Agen

The sun shone in Agen - so a little touch up painting.

I knew educating girls would lead to trouble

We are really loitering as we don't have to be in Narbonne until the end of June, so we spent 5 days in Valence d'Agen where we enjoyed the large market, found the second wash house and met Stuart and Christine on 'Hilda May' - a Piper barge - but we let them share the mooring.

Valence - wash house No 2

'Hilda May' broke down with diesel problems 200m after leaving us  - but managed to carry on after an hour or two tinkering with the fuel system.  We pottered on to a new stop in Pommevic (free elec and water) but doomed as the Boulangerie has shut.

Pommevic Abbey

By now the rain was a distant memory (though the Garonne is still closed). The best Fish and Chips in France are in Moissac so a long weekend - Angie sunbathing and Peter and Kes moaning about the sudden 30 degC + temperatures. Angie has booked a hair appointment with her favourite Gallic hairdresser and squandered all the 'housekeeping' in her favourite butcher - just as well we are not 'wintering' here.