We were waiting for a parcel to be delivered to the port - we'd had problems with our grey water pump (pumps out the nasty water, etc!) so Skip had ordered a new one to be delivered although since ordering it, the pump had behaved itself! Compass Rose and Rosina left around 8.30. Odile, the Capitaine came to say that Arthur had left with the plastic card that we need here to obtain power and water so Skip called Janet - it was arranged that he would post it back. We waited until 10 o'clock for the parcel but, as it hadn't turned up Skip asked Odile to hang on to it and he would pick it up when he went to pick the car up from Moissac. So we set off with Henk and whizzed through our first quadruple locks, then a double. Next a triple and as we had to wait for a boat to come up we were caught up by a hire boat, making it a little slower. Three singles after that with them too, then lunch. They stopped after the third lock but we motored on to moor by the next, so as to be ready to go at 1.30. There was a little boutique selling, bread, wine, honey, ice creams, etc.which furnished us with a cold beer each. Refreshed, off we set.......just the two of us again. We cleared our last locks of the day without incident and arrived at the port of Bram just before 4 p.m. Mooring space was at a premium but we managed to get tied off on the opposite side of the bank to the little fish restaurant. As it was Monday there was some doubt as to whether it would be open so Crew googled it and, sadly found that indeed it was closed on a Monday! Was really looking forward to a fish supper....quelle domage!! We had to share our power with a huge long stay barge, the Skipper of which was amazed at Skips' 3- way splitter. He asked Skip to go and show it to the lady Capitaine so that she could perhaps acquire some for use at the port as the power bournes are few and far between. We were again invited for drinks on Arthurs' boat, where we found that he had he had picked up another English man - he had started walking into town, hitching a lift when Bernard, an 81 year old (who looked about 60!) picked him up and drove him to the Post Office. As it was the night of the England v Slovakia match, kick off at 9 p.m., we repaired to our own boats for supper. Crew was not in the mood for cooking and as the weather had taken a turn for the better, cobbled together some salad with chicken and ham. Henk joined us for our humble repast, then Skip went off to watch the football on Davids' boat, whilst Henk and Crew continued with the wine and chatted. It had been a perfect day for cruising - not too hot and, at last, wonderfully sunny - as it started to cool down around 11 p.m. we decided to retire a short while after.
16 km 18 locks. 5 1/2 hours
No comments:
Post a Comment