Saturday 16th June - Châtillon-Coligny to Montargis

Yesterday afternoon Skip called the lock keeper and organised a 9.30 start at the lock, so we left our berth around 9.15.  The lock, alas, was not quite ready as a boat was in it coming up.  Whilst hovering, we managed to get our stern stuck on the bottom, which took some effort to release......poor propellor!  Both this and the next lock were a 5 metre drop, so took a little longer than otherwise.
We now had an 8.5 km run to a chain of four locks which, to our surprise were automated - it shouldn’t have been because it was marked on one of our charts!  We managed to get through all four before the lunch stop.
We set off at ten to one in order to be at the next lock for one o’clock as arranged with the eclusier.  The lock gates were open so we went in and secured our lines - no sign of the keeper.  So Skip closed both gates in readiness.  A VNF van came hurtling along.........but drove straight past us!!  Now we sit in the lock and wait!  He came tearing back in about fifteen minutes or so and locked us through.  One more lock and a little run to the mooring in Montargis.  Crew was just thinking that we’d had no problems at all with mooring space this season but didn’t dare say it in case it  brought bad luck!  It made no diffference as there were a lot of liveaboards or boats not occupied lining the long quay but with some help from an English couple we squeezed in on a scruffy grass bank with not much space to manoeuvre.
It is a depressing port, with a very ugly hospital and some run down buildings nearby.....Crew has decided not to venture into town!  We were chatting to our English neighbour, another John, when a car drew up with three young men in it.  As they came to a halt, the driver threw a glass bottle out of the window, which landed in a puddle!  We were flabbergasted - they were obviously drunk as they all walked off carrying a bottle of Jack Daniels and some Coke with them.  Then as we were trying to get ourselves a very late lunch (getting towards 3 p.m. by then) we were approached by a man and a woman in stark uniforms, telling us to go and pay in the office.  We said we would but as Skip didn’t go straight away the man came back and virtually frogmarched him to the Capitainerie!  A nice welcome!!!  All the more reason not to spend any time or money in his town - a pity because Montargis is known as the Venice of France!
Skip did take a walk into town but reported nothing of note - we decided to eat on board.
A quiet night.

23 km. 8 locks. 5 hours