- 2001
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- 1. Hover cursor over small
pictures in tex, and the "We're Here Map", and title appears in little
label, along with it's size in bytes. (knock off last 3 digits to
get kbs)
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- 2. Click on them, whilst
still connected to the www, and
full sized picture will
download
May 1 to 8
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In Roanne.
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A period of sitting looking out of the windows at rain and cold interspersed
with periods - usually of half a day - of intense and hurried activity.
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Never-the-less, during the period
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both ends of the boat and the roof were painted,
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endless "small" jobs, each of which seemed to need at least half a
day, such as installing 2 new domestic 12 volt batteries in addition to the
existing 3
ones, and the engine starter battery.
a rather fanciful electrical system for re-fuelling from jerrycans
(we now
have 4, 18 galls in total) without standing on the back of the boat and
sloshing diesel into the canal.
Ladder/gangplanks "fixed up"
Re-packing all the junk we have filled every available inch of space in the
boat with, and throwing out anything we haven’t used in the last 2 years - a
lot!
Fitted a yellow flashing rood light like abnormal loads and tractors have, so
peniches cannot pretend they cannot see us.
May 9 Wed
In Roanne.
Last day - booked lock for 10.00 a.m. to-morrow.
If we try we could drag out preparations for going until end of Dec, and we
want to go travelling.
It has been dreadful - rain, cold, more rain, etc,etc, but at least we haven’t
got f & m.
Lots of little jobs still to be done - not nearly enough time!
Finished painting rear of stern bulkhead, and gunwales on bows. All painting
done badly - paint too thick - 2nd coat too soon, result dreadful, but at
least protection from weather.
Installed flashing yellow beacon light on roof, and tested to hilarity of
onlookers - what are we, wide load, tractor, breakdown van, or just strange.
Heavy stores brought on board - 2 X 6 packs milk, 6 cans tonic, 6 bottles
wine, 2 bottles gin, 6 cases beer (beer cases needed for foot step under new
back seat).
New fan belt for luck, and in case more power is required for charging new batteries.
To Capitainerie to pay bill and book in for winter. Jackie not with it any
more - too much job messing about since change of local government - this is
the flip side of decentralising government - every election effects ordinary
people’s jobs.
Car to Viv’s and Claudine. Terry took us up to learn way and to return us.
Changed shoes to leave heavy shoes in car at last minute and sat back into
rose bush. einaa.
Out to farewell supper with Terry and Kate to Campanile just above port.
Hotel chain we were introduced to by Claudine and Viv. Good cafe food but
served professionally in hotel side - eat as much as you can for set price.
May 10 Thurs
Roanne to Artaix. (Canal de Roanne a Digoin)
We’re off!!!!!!!! hoorah!
overcast but fine day - windless.
Left at pre-appointed 10.00 a.m. without rush or panic - were we ready? We
were!!
Included returning Bill Texas’ cable to Jackie (for the record).
Seen off in traditional manner in lock by those remaining - not many, now.
Albert going splendidly - just as though no time off - except water leak
through weed hatch.
Lunch on side at Briernon.
Hit by "Sahara" shower. (Rain whose drops are full of sand blown in
on high and held in suspension in stratosphere) Boat now in disgusting state
of filth. See last year at exactly the same time).
Met "Shire Oak" moored up in afternoon - felt like pair of
suspicious dogs circling to see who has the rabbit. Gather they are "go to
rallies and dress up and win concourse d’elegance" sort of folk.
Stopped to disembark to see "Lysander" memorial, and at most awkward
moment peniche "l’Infatigable" (correct spelling) showed up -
horrid moment - us occupying bridge hole, self half on half off boat looking
for camera, etc, etc etc. Survived to friendly wave and greeting from
customers (she is a trip boat).
The "Lysander" Memorial - much pride locally - is to the event in
the war when 3 major resistance leaders were flown in in an RAF Lysander and
landed near the spot. A remarkable feat.
Moored up on well known jetty in canal side just beyond Artaix.
G & T and lots of self congratulation.
Paint Shop Pro evaluation 30 days beyond expiry date - refused to work.
Made a plan, and now it is working splendidly, but lost my settings and don’t
remember how they got there, and too bent to do a lot about it to-night.
May 11 Fri
Artaix to la Beaune. (Canal de Roanne a Digoin)
A very gentle bimble in lovely hot dry sunny weather.
Splendid views across the Loire, and of this very pleasant canal - 3 locks
only
Tied up at the "Halte Nautique" and realised how incredibly filthy
yesterday’s Sahara shower had made the boat.
Got stuck in and cleaned both sides - now very hot!
Total exhaustion followed - not yet in training for this sort of thing.
No log to-night either - just fiddled with some photos.
May 12 Sat
la Beaune to Coulanges (Canal lateral a la Loire)
To-day we met, once again the flip side of boating in France.
Top 3 locks on this canal run by one man - well known for his pleasantness,
but unbelievably lazy.
Booked for 0930 a.m.
Arrived above 1st of 3 in flight - no L.K.
Shot off on bike to village to get bread, via next lock, middle of flight.
Found 4 hire boats waiting below (1 facing the wrong way).
No L.K.
Got bread and returned.
L.K. now present, and arranged that if I helped him pass the 4 boats up, he
would bring us down and through the flight.
Did so, returned up to "own" lock (on bike with bread) and in due
course L.K. arrived with last of hire boats.
Put us through - had to, lock was full of water - but announced that he would
not be able to do anything more for us - regardless of promise - as it would
take him to 12 mid-day 
(knocking off time) to get hire boats through. (if he
had put us through first, he would have saved 1 complete locking - but that
was too difficult)
Much muttering, put ourselves into next lock, but found he had hidden paddle
handles!
Opened paddle a bit with shifting spanner.
Nearly down and through when L.K. arrived back (12.05 now) but as he cannot
leave a boat in a lock during off duty hours, he had to put us through!
More muttering.
Sat under tree in shade happily waiting for next lock but he arrived 12.45 - half an hour early.
Meantime, it took us all morning stewing in the sun, to cover first 4 kms of
day’s run.
We did, however get the bread!
As we have 6 months ahead of us, affair irritating, but not wildly dramatic.
Out onto the Canal Lateral a la Loire, turned left with yellow roof light
flashing at blind tee junction!
This section runs right alongside main road N79 - a major lorry trunk
route, so very noisy.
We had remembered the Coulanges Halte past the Peugeot engine foundry
factory, as somewhere nice, but got it wrong, but had arranged to moor there
only to find it horrid - dry, desolate, no shade, no grass,, small boys
swimming from bridge, so found nice spot 200 yards on round a corner, and
settled in.
Dangerous to say these things, but vast improvement over boat available
electricity resulting from 2 extra batteries, last year the fridge failed
at
about 6.00 a.m. every morning and only started again with starting the
engine.
Also, we had to boil morning kettles and burn toast on the gas. Hopefully,
that is in the past - still had at least a quarter left in batteries on most
mornings after completely uninhibited use.
a rather fanciful electrical system for re-fuelling from 
Car to Viv’s and Claudine. Terry took us up to learn way and to return us.
Met "Shire Oak" moored up in afternoon - felt like pair of
suspicious dogs circling to see who has the rabbit. Gather they are "go to
rallies and dress up and win concourse d’elegance" sort of folk.
(knocking off time) to get hire boats through. (if he
had put us through first, he would have saved 1 complete locking - but that
was too difficult)