Week 17

Monday 19 November 2007

Woke to a completely overcast day. Later, whilst we were in the supermarket it rained but luckily by the time we came out it had stopped. In the evening the wind blew up again – the strongest we had seen so far …. But the upside to this was the temperature went up with up!

Tuesday 20 November 2007

A very sleepless night due to the boat being thrown around by the wind. Decided to go for a brisk walk in the wind down to the beach – the sea was really rough and one huge gust of wind nearly lifted us off our feet.

Wednesday 21 November 2007

Another sleepless night due to the wind. We were both woken by something banging into the side of the boat. On investigation found a cement mooring covered in muscles which had obviously worked its way loose during the storm. Went to internet café to check the weather forecast as really need to be thinking about heading back to the Rhone soon. The forecast indicated the wind us going to drop so popped to supermarket to stock up on a few essential items just in case we can move on tomorrow. Popped over to see Alan to say goodbye.

Thursday 22 November 2007

Had set alarm for 6.00 am to make an early start but it was still dark .. so went back to sleep for a while. When we got up the wind had dropped off so we decided to get going about 8.30 am. It was another overcast day but at least there was no wind. When we got to Palavas the lights to pass under the bridge were red so we pulled over and waited. Darryl went to speak to the VNF office and they said it was because of a strong current coming off the River Lez to the side but if we felt we could make it through that was up to us. Darryl went and had a look and it seemed ok so through we went. Out the other side a Frenchman walking his dog seemed very worried that we had come through a red light!! Then it started to rain … and then thunder … and lightning – oh dear. Managed to make it to Gallican and found a boat to moor up next to for the night.

Friday 23 November 2007

Woke to a beautiful, clear blue sky, sunny day. After breakfast set off and for the first time in ages we were down to t-shirts. Then the oil alarm started to go off. We pulled over to check out the problem but all seemed to be in order. Whilst we were stopped a herd of baby Camargue bulls came alongside the boat to graze. Set off again just after lunch but the alarm would not stop. Saw a huge barge coming up behind us so moved over … unfortunately he did not slow down and as he went past us the waves he made almost sent us backward - pretty scary! Then he had to slow down as another barge was coming round the corner – this made us laugh!!! Arrived in St Gilles about 3.00 pm the unfortunately all the moorings were taken. Came into the town and managed to moor between 2 enormous peniches. Darryl changed the oil and fitted a new filter to see if this would sort out the problem with the alarm – left the oil to settle over night before trying the engine again.

Saturday 24 November 2007

When we got up a camper van (or camping car as they call them in France) had pulled up next to the boat and we got talking to the French couple, Pascal and Tornatai. They invited us inside for a cup of wonderful Italian coffee (Donata is actually of Italian origin). They both spoke a little English and with our very little French we managed to chat away quite happily. They have a lovely, friendly French bulldog called Vox who is just so cute. After lunch we decided to take the boat for a little jaunt up the canal to see if the alarm had stopped …. unfortunately not. Even more unfortunately, when we pulled back into the mooring place the Capitainery chap came over and said we would have to pay 15 euros if we wanted to stay there – doh! Off we went again and managed to moor alongside a little motor boat which appeared to be abandoned - the canal banks are too shallow for our boat. Pascal came to have a look at the engine problem but he did not think there was anything wrong with the oil pressure but suggested Darryl went to the boat place just up the canal – he very kindly went with him to translate. When they got there they knocked on the door but there was no answer and just as they were about to leave an old chap came to the door in his vest and pants and had obviously only just woken up – he asked them in and Pascal explained the problem to the chap, still in his underwear. It turned out he was the boat builder not the engineer but said he would come and have a look … once he was dressed (thank goodness). He turned up having even found time to put on his captain’s hat!!! He too said there was no problem with the oil pressure and it was decided that the problem was with the electrical connection to the alarm! Thank goodness for that!!! Once the old chap had gone we opened some wine to thank Pascal for his help … then we went back to their camping car as Pascal’s wife had been left on her own all afternoon and then spent the evening chatting.

Sunday 25 November 2007

A lovely sunny day, with a little breeze. Went and wandered round the market and bought some fresh fruit and veg .. including some lovely fresh figs. Later went to the internet café to check the weather forecast and the flow on the Rhone … oh dear, it is flowing much faster than our little boat actually goes so there is no chance of us going down there for a while. On the way back stopped and chatted to Pascal and Donata and they introduced us to some new friends they had made off a very lovely looking peniche – Bernard and Paula. We all went in the camping car for Italian coffee and then Paula very kindly invited us all onto their peniche for dinner. Donata managed to find some bread and quiche to take and luckily we had some local wine on board and off we all went. There was another couple there too called Nadia (from Morocco) and Daniel. Again, they all spoke a little English and with our little French a great evening was had. We had foie gras (yum) and champagne followed by a pasta with a very tasty tomato sauce (amazing as this was all put together no more than ½ an hour after having invited another 4 people for dinner). Dinner was followed by coffee and home made biscuits. Bernard then gave us a tour of the peniche which was an old French commercial barge which he had spent the last 15 years renovating. It was just amazing. The kitchen and bathroom were at the back – where we had dinner and at the front there was a double bedroom followed by the most enormous lounge/diner, with full sized juke box and then a further 5 single bedrooms and a huge store room with more pasta, wine, olives and sugar than you would see in a supermarket!!! When we got back to the kitchen Paula was cooking fresh baguettes and kindly gave us one to take home with us. Bernard had lots of interesting stories to tell as he had spent 6 years in the French navy and 27 years piloting super tankers – he has been round the world by boat 7 times …… amazing that he spent so much time away from home but he and Paula still managed to have 12 children!!!! He told us that once when he had to go away Paula was 3 months pregnant and when he got back the baby was 2 years old. He also showed us the photos of his private, vintage car collection – he has 40 cars including Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Mercedes, Aston Martin .. some of which he has the full series of. He also has a collection of 14 motorcycles including Harley Davidsons!!!

Monday 26 November 2007

Another sleepless night due to the very high winds – the boat was blown about all over the place during the night and everything that could knock or bang on the boat did!!! In the morning the large barge moored behind us broke its mooring and was drifting into the middle of the canal and backwards towards the English solar boat behind it. The owner of the barge could not be found so some of the locals, Darryl and the English chap all tried to get hold of the ropes and bring the 500 ton barge back to the bank … someone called the fire brigade and eventually one man turned up who really wasn’t any help. Chris, the English chap did most of the work as he had managed to get on board the barge. Eventually a fire engine turned up with more crew and they managed to tie the boat to a tree and then a digger came and banged some 2 metre long wooden stakes into the ground to secure the barge to. Darryl went to check our mooring lines to make sure we were secure and did not go drifting off into the canal!!! Pascal came and invited us to dinner on the camping car that evening. Dinner was a wonderful Italian tomato and mozzarella salad followed by an Italian pasta dish with tomato and pork. Bernard and Paula also came for dinner. They gave us a French drink called Ricard to try .. it was just like Pernod. Another great evening – our French is definitely starting to improve now and Pascal thinks he’s now English!!! I am sure even Vox the dog can understand us. Our turn to cook dinner for everyone tomorrow but luckily Donata has every kindly said we can do this in the camping car as there wouldn’t be enough room in our little boat for everyone to sit down to dinner!! They have asked me not to cook anything English though?!?!? Apparently the winds got ups to 120 km/h today … but it is going to drop to 90 km/h tomorrow!!!

Tuesday 27 November 2007

Another sleepless night. Something was making a loud banging noise against the side of the boat and it did not sound like a fender. On inspection Darryl found a piece from another boat had floated down the canal and wedged itself between us and the boat next to us and was banging against us!! What joy …!!Off to the supermarket to find something for dinner (not English!!). Decided on something simple due to the boat only having 2 gas burners to cook on! So, chilli con carne it was. Went to Donata and Pascal’s camping car to cook the dinner Bernard called in and asked if there was enough dinner for an extra person and as there was now going to be 7 for dinner would we like to go on his boat. So, having cooked up the chilli in the camping car, off we all went to the peniche. Bernard’s friend spoke pretty good English so he translated some of the stories around the dinner table for us. There was so much food. Along with the nachos and dips and chilli and rice I had done Paula had also made some fresh baguettes to go with some cold French meats and an egg salad! After dinner Paula took us down to the lounge to show us her Christmas decorations. They looked great, it was like a grotto in the corner with lots of little houses that all lit up and some played tunes. She told us that she was also going to put garlands all down the lounge and lights in the cabin. Another good night was had by all and Paula invited us to join them on board for dinner again tomorrow!

Back