Dav and Pen

This day 2018 battling through the weed on Burgundy canal south of Dijon. Good job we had keel cooling. The weed cutter above the lock is broken.

The bridge on the Coventry was the one where Jaguar got really stuck. It proved impossible to get her off and eventually bwb came with tirfors (sorry no idea how to spell it) and eventually got her off the obstruction. Turned out to be a safe taken from Bedworth co op which they couldn’t open so over the bridge it went. We were used to finding stuff in the bridge holes on the Coventry so always loaded bit bow down and slacked right off . Don’t remember having problem getting into or out of the Ashby but expect we did.

It wasn’t me guv, we had sold Crane by then and when we did own her we never put a fleet number on.

On most of the canals with autos they don’t close for lunch but pleasure boat hours are 9 to 7 in summer with commercials starting at 7 but they have to log in. There is no standard system with each region doing their own thing. The system you describe of pulling or twisting a pole or rope hanging down over the canal in quite common and often replaced the early system or radar detection. Lately the automation of the locks have boats being issued with a transmitter which is aimed at a box about 200m from the lock. The timing has been set for commercials who are approaching very slowly so often pleasure boats have to drift around whilst the lock sets itself. On the Sambre canal they tried a system that used a device like a hand held computer which automatically talked to the lock, told you which lock and when you left told you how far to the next one and how long it would take and then shut down. Turned out to be a bit to clever.

In the summer the Nivernais is busy enough to have a keeper on every lock unless they are close together like the Sardy flight then usually 2 people travel with you. On the Yonne side of the Burgundy there is little traffic so a traveling keeper will come with you. On the climb to the summit we have had 1 man on a moped do 21 locks. On that occasion we did tip cash but usually a cold drink or coffee. We always do one side of the lock. Most seasons we would do in excess of 500 locks although not all are manual so 1 euro a lock is not on I’m afraid. I like the auto locks as then you are in control and nobody’s going to B off and leave you stranded at midday.

Nivernais canal Sardy flight coming down from the summit. A real mixture of gates and paddle gear. Some paddles wind up to open other wind down during the summer students work the locks and if they haven’t really looked carefully they manage to empty the pound as there can be both kinds of paddle on the same lock.

I remember that lock at Champs sur Yonne for the lovely cherries that where on sale there at one time.

Pumps pointing the wrong way. Trevor in action with his mate Colin. He didn’t go to rallies in those days.

A good piece of street furniture on the outskirts of Dijon.

Only been to Leeds once by boat I’m afraid and it looks like it’s changed a bit

Charolais cattle fattening up on the fields of buttercups this day in 2018 when we set off Up the Burgundy canal on what was to be our last cruise on the barge before it was sold that winter.

These two love the water, there’s a slipway here and they just walk in. Ours doesn’t really like to get out of his depth but he liked to play with theM. In the picture Bruno the dogs owner teaching ours to swim rather than just splash around.

Not narrow boats but hulls or casco’s as they are called in Holland and Belgium on their way from China. When we were in dry dock in Antwerp there were 3 companies fitting out 110m hulls and there seemed to be lots of demand but believe that lots of people who gave up smaller barges and took on bank loans for these large ones got into problems due to poor freight and low rates.

On this day 2016. A wide beam arrived at the mooring with 2 Airedale’s, one very old stayed on board the younger one ran around . I let ours off to play and they charged around and then disappeared until loud screeching from the chickens in the farm yard altered us to their whereabouts. No real harm done but we were not very popular for a few days!

These 2 really liked boating. They would sit in waiting for a trip out most days.

Again something different. Spotted in Boston harbour but didn’t fancy going on it.

We have nearly always had a dog on board. When we had the camping boats we had a real Heinz variety called Scruff. He would sit on the cabin roof and after a bit would decide to walk along the top planks to the front turn round and come back. If on the counter he would jump off in the bridge hole and run along the towpath to the next one. Ok when he was young but in old age he would often miss but he loved swimming anyway. We have since had 3 Airedale terriers and fortunately none of them have been keen to swim but have been great on the boats and the barge gave lots of room to walk round the decks.

This day finally back at our base. Pont Royal on the Burgundy canal after another 13 locks down from the summit. A very small hamlet now but a nice little port with electricity and water. The big house was the port managers but now a B and B. The towpath opposite is now a Tarmac velo route part of a huge network that has had millions of euros of European money spent on it.

You are more than welcome I have enjoyed looking for them and thinking about the good times we had over there.

Many of you will know George and Helen Smith from their UCC camping boat days. This is their barge a Belgian registered spits which they worked for around 20 years before retiring back to Braunston a couple of years ago. Picture at Conde sur Marne on Bastille day but George wouldn’t stop. Load going to a cement works on the Rhone from Belgium.

In his book Barging into Burgundy he left his barge in Roanne for the winter and gave the lock keeper a number of stamped addressed envelopes so he could report any problems. When he went back he gave the man a jar of marmalade which he described as orange jam, the man was not impressed. How times change.

On the climb up to the summit of the Burgundy canal it passes the hilltop village of Chateauneuf en Auxois. Now a thriving tourist attraction but 40 years ago when we first visited it was semi derelict apart from a Relais du silence where we stayed overnight. Now there are many restaurants and cafes, craft shops and artists with almost all of the houses being restored.

This tank had sluices at each end and could be used to lower an empty peniche by around 8 inches only but it must have worked. The dry dock is now where the tug is preserved and there is an exhibition and museum in a building alongside.

On this day 2016 at Pouilly en Auxois having come through the tunnel. This is a big basin with all services. Across the road is a supermarket with filling station and builders merchants one of which supplies gas oil. The tunnel is controlled by the lock keepers at each end and you are given a portable vhf radio in case of emergency and they check your searchlight and see life jackets before giving you a permission to proceed document. There are lights fixed to the center of the arch all through the tunnel but often some parts are out. I steer by keeping the flagstaff at the bows lined up with the lights and have usually got through without touching.