Monday 3rd June - Montreux-Chateau to Dannemarie

As we had reached the summit, today we start going down in the locks - much easier.  We had arranged with the lock keeper to start the downstream chain of 14 locks at 9.30 a.m.  to this end we left the mooring at 9 for the 5 km run to the first lock.  We noticed a boat start off in our direction a little before we left - a bit of a puzzle as we thought there was a boat locking through at 10 a.m.  Unfortunately we caught him up travelling very slowly which held us up, making us late for our rendezvous!  As it happens we were only five minutes late.

Everything went swimmingly (and very fast) until our 8th lock.  The water went down as usual but as the bottom gates hadn’t closed properly, the top gates wouldn’t open, so the lock keeper raised the water level again and back up we went.  The operation was successful this time, so off we went again.

A very pleasant cruise in lovely sunshine again but today with more wind than before.  

We arrived in the port of Dannemarie around noon but it was  nearer 12.30 by the time we and Henk were safely moored, thanks to the wind deciding to increase just as we arrived.  In fact it was gusting quite hard now making mooring difficult.

We finally got settled, enjoyed a few well deserved beers and lunched on Parma ham and melon....just right for such a hot day.  After a siesta, Skip went into town for a few bits and, if possible to book a table at the Auberge St. Leonard for tomorrow lunchtime.  Sadly it was the restaurants’ annual holiday time and they didn’t re-open until later in the month. A shame because we remember eating there two years ago and it was very good.  Ah well......plan B as usual!!
We weren’t feeling very hungry at all so just picked on peanuts and cheese whilst watching a bit of TV.