Although Skip was much improved this morning, he wasn’t yet 100%, so as we had two fairly hard days ahead of us, we decided not to leave until tomorrow. With this in mind he went to inform the nice VNF man of our change of plans......he said it’s very important to have a fit Skipper.
The weather has warmed up considerably, as forecast, and a gentle breeze cooled us. Our new thermometer was reading 33c but realistically it was around 25c - such a shame our family missed it!
We lunched on board with Henk - Skip had bought some large prawns with the idea of having them for lunch but Henk had some too, so he made a very good Marie Rose sauce and we had them with smoked salmon, salad and bread.
In order for Skip to get back to full health so a quiet afternoon and evening followed - work tomorrow!
Sunday, 2 June 2019
Saturday, 1 June 2019
Friday 31st May - Montbeliard
Luxury..... a lovely lie in for Crew!! The idea for today is relaxation, for tomorrow we are on the move again. Skip went over to the Capitainerie to see if our charger had arrived - it hadn’t of course. So he went about checking the tracking of the parcel......it appears that they couldn’t find the address - it should be simple but eventually the package was lost in the ether! Steam coming out of Crews’ ears!!!! The irony is that last year we bought a mini Hoover as the Dyson charger stopped working and instead of storing it in the engine room as a spare, we took it home.....mistake! Enough about vacuum cleaners!
There is a small bistro/bar at the end of our pontoon, so we decided to give it a go for lunch with Henk. It was very restricted, serving just a ‘plat’ for €10 - either a pork stew with prunes or a choice of two salads, one with smoked trout and the other with sausage. Henk and Crew chose the pork and Skip had the smoked trout salad........all perfectly good. The carafe of white wine was very good.
Crew had put the washing machine on before lunch as, strangely, the electricity supply had improved
so put the washing out on our return. Then relax!!
Skip went over to see the VNF to inform them of our departure times tomorrow (we have one manual lock and they need to know when a lock keeper is needed). He said that we would leave at 9.30 and Henk at 10.30.
Early evening, Skip complained of aches and pains and was running a slight temperature. As the evening wore on, his temperature rose alarmingly so Crew had to become ‘nurse’ and administer copious amounts of water and a cold compress. He gets this every now and again oddly, mostly only on the boat and he does have some medication which helps.......alas, he forgot to bring the pills!
So a quiet evening, watching two episodes of Doc Martin and bed.
There is a small bistro/bar at the end of our pontoon, so we decided to give it a go for lunch with Henk. It was very restricted, serving just a ‘plat’ for €10 - either a pork stew with prunes or a choice of two salads, one with smoked trout and the other with sausage. Henk and Crew chose the pork and Skip had the smoked trout salad........all perfectly good. The carafe of white wine was very good.
Crew had put the washing machine on before lunch as, strangely, the electricity supply had improved
so put the washing out on our return. Then relax!!
Skip went over to see the VNF to inform them of our departure times tomorrow (we have one manual lock and they need to know when a lock keeper is needed). He said that we would leave at 9.30 and Henk at 10.30.
Early evening, Skip complained of aches and pains and was running a slight temperature. As the evening wore on, his temperature rose alarmingly so Crew had to become ‘nurse’ and administer copious amounts of water and a cold compress. He gets this every now and again oddly, mostly only on the boat and he does have some medication which helps.......alas, he forgot to bring the pills!
So a quiet evening, watching two episodes of Doc Martin and bed.
Friday, 31 May 2019
Thursday 30th May - Montbeliard
The family came over to the boat after their hotel breakfast to wish us ‘au revoir’ around ten o’clock. After great excitement feeding the ducks and spotting some enormous carp in the canal and consuming coffees and tea, they made their slow way back to Blighty, stopping overnight in the Reims/Epernay region. It had been so lovely to see the excitement of the children on the boat and, although the weather hadn’t been fantastic, it was bearable. It would probably take a day or two to get Aphrodite back to normal as they wanted to open all the cupboards and drawers!!
Crew has a problem in that the hand held Dyson is not charging. This is a source of huge annoyance as the charger was new last year, so words will be had with the said Dyson company on our return home! Skip actually ordered a new one from Amazon to be delivered to the port. It was supposed to arrive yesterday but it didn’t and today is a French holiday. It then has just tomorrow and Saturday to arrive before we move on......here’s hoping! By way of a belt and braces approach, Skip went off on a half an hour trek to a Dyson shop in town, which seems to have done a disappearing act! He then found a very large LeClerc hypermarket, which, although they sold Dysons, did not have spares! So, having walked about five miles, Crew persuaded him to return ‘home’.
Henk arrived late afternoon and we had a catch up chat and drink - he has a problem with his bow thruster.......batteries we think.
We decided on a quiet night in with a chicken salad for supper in front of the TV.
Crew has a problem in that the hand held Dyson is not charging. This is a source of huge annoyance as the charger was new last year, so words will be had with the said Dyson company on our return home! Skip actually ordered a new one from Amazon to be delivered to the port. It was supposed to arrive yesterday but it didn’t and today is a French holiday. It then has just tomorrow and Saturday to arrive before we move on......here’s hoping! By way of a belt and braces approach, Skip went off on a half an hour trek to a Dyson shop in town, which seems to have done a disappearing act! He then found a very large LeClerc hypermarket, which, although they sold Dysons, did not have spares! So, having walked about five miles, Crew persuaded him to return ‘home’.
Henk arrived late afternoon and we had a catch up chat and drink - he has a problem with his bow thruster.......batteries we think.
We decided on a quiet night in with a chicken salad for supper in front of the TV.
Thursday, 30 May 2019
Wednesday 29th May - Montbeliard
Our new crew were to be arriving at 10.30 but unfortunately for Crew they arrived an hour early.....needless to say, Crew was not even up and dressed!!
Our plan was to cruise through two locks (back the way we came) and then tie off in Voujeaucourt for lunch. After mooring and a 15 minute walk we found a smart Pizza restaurant but we were told that they were full - usual story! However the waitress must have felt sorry for us and moved two small tables together for us and we had a very good lunch. The weather forecast was not brilliant with rain forecast. However, it only rained a little whilst we were having lunch and we even enjoyed some good sunny spells. On arriving back at the port, Skip suggested a visit to the nearby playground which was a popular suggestion. They had a while to blow off steam until the fun was stopped by sudden rainfall so Skip returned to the boat and the family made their way back to their hotel.
We met up in Chez Witt for our last dinner with the family. We had enjoyed a very good meal in this restaurant the last time we visited Montbéliard but as that would have been at least two years ago, we guessed that it has changed hands in that time and it wasn’t quite as good as before. It was very acceptable however and quite reasonable.
We parted company after dinner, fairly early, as all Aphrodites’ crew were tired after a short cruising day. Skip and Crew watched a little TV and bed.
Our plan was to cruise through two locks (back the way we came) and then tie off in Voujeaucourt for lunch. After mooring and a 15 minute walk we found a smart Pizza restaurant but we were told that they were full - usual story! However the waitress must have felt sorry for us and moved two small tables together for us and we had a very good lunch. The weather forecast was not brilliant with rain forecast. However, it only rained a little whilst we were having lunch and we even enjoyed some good sunny spells. On arriving back at the port, Skip suggested a visit to the nearby playground which was a popular suggestion. They had a while to blow off steam until the fun was stopped by sudden rainfall so Skip returned to the boat and the family made their way back to their hotel.
We met up in Chez Witt for our last dinner with the family. We had enjoyed a very good meal in this restaurant the last time we visited Montbéliard but as that would have been at least two years ago, we guessed that it has changed hands in that time and it wasn’t quite as good as before. It was very acceptable however and quite reasonable.
We parted company after dinner, fairly early, as all Aphrodites’ crew were tired after a short cruising day. Skip and Crew watched a little TV and bed.
Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Tuesday 28th May - Montbeliard
A bit of a lie in for Crew as we acquired an extra day before the family arrived. Unfortunately the weather has taken a turn for the worse, with much lower temperatures and rain forecast......typical!
James, Clare, Henry and Rose arrived around 2.30 p.m. having stopped for some lunch on the way. Then followed the huge excitement of our 5 and 3 year old grandchildren discovering every single nook and cranny of Aphrodite, whilst the adults had a catch up and a drink or two.
When they all went into town to check into their hotel, Skip and Crew had a rest before later walking into town to join them all for dinner. We managed to get a table in La Pause Gourmande, a small restaurant at the southern end of the town. We were planning to dine in the Thai restaurant, Chez Witt but they were closed on a Tuesday evening, so the plan was to eat there tomorrow night. With this in mind, Crew booked a table.
As we had arrived early at the restaurant, there were not many diners but as the evening wore on it filled to capacity and we had some lovely food and good wine.
When they all went into town to check into their hotel, Skip and Crew had a rest before later walking into town to join them all for dinner. We managed to get a table in La Pause Gourmande, a small restaurant at the southern end of the town. We were planning to dine in the Thai restaurant, Chez Witt but they were closed on a Tuesday evening, so the plan was to eat there tomorrow night. With this in mind, Crew booked a table.
As we had arrived early at the restaurant, there were not many diners but as the evening wore on it filled to capacity and we had some lovely food and good wine.
Tuesday, 28 May 2019
Monday 27th May - Montbeliard
Hurrah!! No early morning reveille for Crew. A lovely cup of tea in bed!! As the Capitainerie was closed yesterday, Skip went over to pay our dues. He informed Crew on his return that he had booked us in for a week, as the berthing rate was a bargain......€63 including electric and water - who am I to argue!
Skip sent a mail to James to see what progress they were making but no quick reply came so he went to the supermarket whilst Crew set to work, cleaning the heads......not her favourite job!! When Skip returned he’d had a reply from James to say that they had missed their allotted Channel crossing and were waiting to load onto the next. We looked at each other........we had got the dates wrong!! They will not arrive until tomorrow, as they are stopping over near Reims overnight tonight and will drive here tomorrow. More time to get ship-shape, which is good.
The galley has never had such a complete clean (including the oven!!!) and we still have tomorrow morning to finish off - Aphrodite should be sparkling by then!
We just had a light supper on board and watched TV and the last episode of our DVD - The Unforgotten. However we had bad problems with the power to the boat and had to keep putting our generator on in order to catch the last of the programme. A visit to the Capitainerie is in order in the morning!
Skip sent a mail to James to see what progress they were making but no quick reply came so he went to the supermarket whilst Crew set to work, cleaning the heads......not her favourite job!! When Skip returned he’d had a reply from James to say that they had missed their allotted Channel crossing and were waiting to load onto the next. We looked at each other........we had got the dates wrong!! They will not arrive until tomorrow, as they are stopping over near Reims overnight tonight and will drive here tomorrow. More time to get ship-shape, which is good.
The galley has never had such a complete clean (including the oven!!!) and we still have tomorrow morning to finish off - Aphrodite should be sparkling by then!
We just had a light supper on board and watched TV and the last episode of our DVD - The Unforgotten. However we had bad problems with the power to the boat and had to keep putting our generator on in order to catch the last of the programme. A visit to the Capitainerie is in order in the morning!
Monday, 27 May 2019
Sunday 26th May - L’isle-sur-le-Doubs to Montbeliard
We left somewhat after 9 a.m. on another beautiful sunny day. Unfortunately the weather forecast for the familys’ visit is not so good, which is such a shame as we’ve had wonderful weather over the last week.
A similar day today but with slightly fewer locks - most of them are 2 km apart. For our first 6 locks everything went swimmingly well but as we approached a lifting bridge, there was no obvious person in attendance, so we had to tie off at a waiting pontoon. As soon as we called a lady appeared and lifted the bridge for us. But worse was to come!
On approaching the next lock (our seventh) the green light refused to appear and the gates remained stubbornly closed - we could see that the top gates were indeed open. After trying to call without apparent success, the system started working, as if by magic and we were able to enter the lock. However the lower gates refused to close completely and once again we were unable to lock through. On calling the VNF for the third time today, we learned that it was lunchtime until 1.30 p.m. - it was now only 12.40 p.m.!!! So frustrating but as we know, everything stops for lunch in France! So, as what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, we had our lunch sitting in the bottom of the lock! The VNF lady didn’t turn up until 2.25 p.m. (it is Sunday after all and, to top it all, it is the French Mothers’ Day!). This is turning into a long day!!
Then the next lifting bridge should have been operated by our ‘zapper’ but all we got were two red lights - the same VNF lady arrived soon to put things right again......it’s not Friday 13th is it??
We finally reached Montbeliard at 4.15 p.m. - a long day!
After two fairly heavy cruising days, we didn’t have much energy, so Skip went into town to find a takeaway pizza. He had quite a trek but returned with a pizza flavour we’ve not had before.........chicken tikka!! Not ideal but in fact quite tasty!
So a quiet evening in front of ‘Vera’ and not too late to bed.
23 km 11 locks 7 hours
On approaching the next lock (our seventh) the green light refused to appear and the gates remained stubbornly closed - we could see that the top gates were indeed open. After trying to call without apparent success, the system started working, as if by magic and we were able to enter the lock. However the lower gates refused to close completely and once again we were unable to lock through. On calling the VNF for the third time today, we learned that it was lunchtime until 1.30 p.m. - it was now only 12.40 p.m.!!! So frustrating but as we know, everything stops for lunch in France! So, as what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, we had our lunch sitting in the bottom of the lock! The VNF lady didn’t turn up until 2.25 p.m. (it is Sunday after all and, to top it all, it is the French Mothers’ Day!). This is turning into a long day!!
Then the next lifting bridge should have been operated by our ‘zapper’ but all we got were two red lights - the same VNF lady arrived soon to put things right again......it’s not Friday 13th is it??
We finally reached Montbeliard at 4.15 p.m. - a long day!
After two fairly heavy cruising days, we didn’t have much energy, so Skip went into town to find a takeaway pizza. He had quite a trek but returned with a pizza flavour we’ve not had before.........chicken tikka!! Not ideal but in fact quite tasty!
So a quiet evening in front of ‘Vera’ and not too late to bed.
23 km 11 locks 7 hours
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