Monday 3rd July - Damery to Cumieres

Today, the shortest cruise in our history!  Just 4 km and 1 lock!  We have decided to miss stopping at Epernay this time as we have already visited twice, the second time just last year.  So we are stopping at Cumieres instead.  Our mammoth cruise in fact took just half an hour......was even too early to have a beer when we arrived!!
Again the power borne was onshore, even over some water so it was quite an art for Skip to reach it!  Both the canopy and the sun shades were put up straight away as we were well into the 30s again and no breeze to cool us down.  I understand that the rest of Northern Europe is having the same heatwave!
We rested and had some lunch, in between helping another boat onto the pontoon.  Shortly afterwards another boat arrived and rafted onto that boat.  Then just before Crew retired to the relative cool of the cabin for a read, a lone Swedish sailor arrived in his yacht and asked to raft alongside us, which we helped him to do.  I don’t know, we don’t see a boat for days and now we are five boats moored on a three boat pontoon!!
When Crew emerged from below just before 5 p.m. Skip suggested a walk into town to seek out the elusive Champagne, as our Swedish friend had gone ashore and returned with three bottles.  We walked all around the village (uphill most of the way!) and although there were lots of Champagne houses, none seemed available for a degustation.  On returning to our start point we discovered a board advertising a degustation at the Martin champagne house, so Skip went off to find it whilst Crew returned to Aphrodite as it was by now, raining.
Luckily the storm had passed over us by the time the football started and we had a cold collation for our dinner in between watching the match - the famous England v Colombia where we broke with tradition and won on penalties!!!  Wonders will never cease!
A bit more TV then bed.

4 km. I lock. 1/2 an hour!

Sunday 2nd July - Damery

We decided to stay another night as we have plenty of time to get to Chalon, where we leave Aphrodite for five weeks, whilst we go back to Blighty for social events........and cricket!!
The plan was to see if we could find a champagne house to have a tasting, with a view to buying a case or two, then to go for lunch.
Around 11.30 we walked into town and indeed, found many champagne houses but no invitations to have a degustation.......we suspect that an appointment has to be made.  So we made our way to the riverside cafe for lunch.
We both agreed it was probably the strangest meal we had ever had in France!!  We managed to get a couple of beers from the elderly barman and explained that we wanted to eat.  ‘No problem’ he said but as no further instructions we forthcoming we found a table in the shade on the terrace and enjoyed our cold beers.  After a while and after observing two French men on a nearby table, we realised that we should find a plate and some utensils and help ourselves to the fairly meagre buffet for our starters.  Then an elderly lady came to ask ‘Paella or chicken?’......we said chicken, so were then asked which part of the chicken - leg or breast!  Before we had finished our starters she came out again, making a fuss with a hot dish of chicken with pasta and mushrooms.  The French men suggested she put the hot dish on a plate before she burned her hands to serve it to us - needless to say, by the time we got to the chicken, it was tepid!  Skip had decided against cheese or dessert but Crew rather fancied an ice cream which was obtained from a freezer in the corner of the bar.....a Magnum!!  I have heard of self service cafes but never experienced such a thing in France!
On returning to the boat we found two young girls sitting on our bathing platform dangling their feet in the water.....cheek!!  Crew asked them to go elsewhere, which they did but then they came back five minutes later......Crew had to then get a bit more forceful and eventually they did leave but they still continued to dive into the water right by the boat, making a considerable racket!  I know it was very hot but there are hundreds of miles of riverbank for them to use!!!
Too warm in fact to do much, so we lazed around for the rest of the day and some TV in the evening once it was cool enough to go below.

Saturday 1st July - Dormans to Damery

As Crew had trouble getting off to sleep, she overslept again so we didn’t leave until 10.45 a.m.  After a 9km run we came to our first lock and to our surprise a cruiser was just exiting as we approached - we haven’t come across much traffic at all on this river.  On entering we found a huge lock with a floating pontoon, which we vaguely remembered from our last cruise in this area.  As the pontoon would only accommodate one boat, I guess if another boat wanted to lock through at the same time, they would have to raft up side by side.....a strange arrangement!
We made very good time and were moored up and by 12.45.  A bit of a panic as we didn’t see a borne to plug into but discovered it at the top of the steps of the pontoon.
There was a nice looking restaurant just across the river from the mooring so after some lunch, Skip went over to see if he could reserve a table for us, either dinner today or lunch tomorrow.  Unfortunately, the usual story.....closed on Sunday evening and on Monday!  So later he went to a restaurant on our side of the river to ask if they were open for Monday lunch - they were!
Although it was far too hot to cook in the galley really, Crew cooked our last British steaks and jacket potatoes for dinner......and very hot it was too!!  Again, we stayed on the back deck for as long as possible as it was still a very warm evening!
Some TV and bed.

21 km. 2 locks  2 hours

Friday 30th June - Chateau-Thierry to Dormans

We left at 9.30 under a clear blue sky - another warm day promised!  Last night, just before our (late) dinner a couple of American men from the boat in front of us came over to chat.  When asked their next stop, they said it would be Meaux - we were very surprised as it would be probably an eight hour trip for them.....not much of a pleasure in 30c heat!  We wished them ‘Bon voyage’ with a silent ‘good luck’!!
Just an easy cruise with two locks today, so we arrived in Dormans at midday to find a nice empty pontoon with power and water which was adjacent to a camp site.  As soon as we were settled, we walked across the bridge into town for lunch.  This was not as easy as we thought it would be as it was market day and the most likely restaurant was fully booked.  So we walked a bit further and found a cafe which advertised moules et frites.....that’s good enough!  On asking about the moules though we were told that it was out of season for moules, so we decided on steak tartare.  This was a fast, fast food restaurant......the meal came within ten minutes and was not exactly what we had expected!  It turned out to be what the French call ‘Americain’ which I believe was beef but it arrived a strange orange colour and was the texture of baby food.....ah well, the frites were home made at least!!
Skip in the afternoon went up to the impressive war memorial chapel,Chateau and flour mill.

We returned to Aphrodite and whiled away the afternoon - it was too hot to do much. We sat up top till after 10 p.m. again, listening to music and watching the happy campers having a little party.  Some TV and bed.

24 km. 2 locks. 2 1/2 hours

Thursday 29th June - La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre to Chateau-Thierry

Steve and Lynne were going to leave with us but changed their minds so we left the port around 9.30 a.m.  It promised to be another hot day so our 12 kph speed limit made for a pleasant cruise.  The heavily wooded banks of the river had started to thin out in places, allowing glimpses of the champagne vineyards now, which was very cheering!
On approaching Chateau-Thierry it looked to be a fairly large town with a pretty flower display to greet us but when seeking a spot to moor, there was only a pontoon for three boats with power and water.  Needless to say, it was full so we tied off on a high stone wall near the town bridge - not at all satisfactory as disembarking for Crew was certainly not going to be a graceful affair!!
After some lunch Skip walked back along the bank to see if there was anything better and came across a Dutch lady who said that the Norwegian yacht in front of them would be leaving around 4 p.m.  However it would be quite a squeeze for us to get into that spot so she suggested that at least the low wall in front of them would be better than where we were.  Skip agreed and we moved.....much better!
Skip went into town for a look around after his siesta and reported back that it was quite a decent town but we decided on bangers and mash for dinner on board.
We dined on the back deck and indeed stayed up there until past ten o’clock as it was still warm and not yet dark.  Then down below for a bit of telly and bed.

39 km. 4 locks. 4 hours

Thursday 28 th June - La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre

We decide on staying another night as it was really rather a pleasant spot - also we are able to get TV and the Belgium v England match was on in the evening!  So, another ‘rest’ day.......this time, window cleaning for Crew.  It promised to become a very hot day, so tried to keep it to a minimum!!
Chris (on Pelican) had walked into town and spotted a nice restaurant overlooking the river and booked a table for lunch for the six of us so after freshening up we all trooped to the restaurant,
We had drinks on an upstairs terrace with a lovely view of the town and river, then down to the restaurant for a delicious lunch.  We ambled back to the boats in the heat of the day, helping some Australians to moor on the way.......then siesta!
When Crew put the TV on at six o’clock the reception wasn’t too good but by the time the football started at 8 p.m. it had improved considerably.  That said, the match was very lacklustre with England  losing 1-0 to Belgium.  We watched and episode of Vera then bed.

Wednesday 27th June - Meaux to La Ferte-sous-Juarre

As we had around 20 km before the first lock Skip was keen to get going early so we left just before 8 a.m........yikes -what’s happening!!  The first lock we came to had a red light and indeed we had to wait for the lock to empty which seemed like an age as we were bouncing around in the turbulent waters of the adjacent weir - not to mention the shallows near the bank!  Skip had to abort his first attempt at entering the lock, so strong was the rush of water but made it on the second go.
The Marne was very wide here with a speed limit of 12 kph but although we slowed considerably when we spotted fishermen hiding in the trees, two of them still yelled at us in incomprehensible French -as far as we could see we were making hardly any wash at all.  So we just put it down to an angry fisherman area!!!
Our second lock also had a red light and indeed had to empty as well which we couldn’t really understand as the only other boat we came across was cruising in the opposite direction to us!  There are a lot of small islands on this stretch of the river which need careful navigation as there are a lot of hazards, shoals and rocks namely!  Indeed our mooring was tucked behind one of said islands -we were very surprised to find a large commerce moored on the first pontoon but we found plenty of space at the front of the second one and with power and water.  There was also plenty of room for the two boats coming later from Meaux.
A couple of hours later, just as we were going to have lunch, the two boats turned up - Pelican (a brand new 15m barge with Chris and Sarah on board and Kavan

a motor sailer with Steve and Lynne aboard.  After helping them in we continued our lunch, then settled for a siesta in the heat of the day!
Just after four o’clock, Sarah came over and suggested a pontoon party around 5.30.......haven’t attended one of those for ages!
So we turned up with a couple of chairs and a couple of bottles at the appointed time.  We enjoyed a good old chat, finding out about each others’ lives and before we knew it, it was 9.30 - one of the longest ‘apero’ meetings in history!!
Luckily Crew had defrosted some chilli con carne that she had previously cooked but we still didn’t eat until just after 10 p.m.
A bit of TV and bed.

44 km. 2 locks. 4 hours