Back onboard!

We arrived back on board Joli Roger to find her just as we had left her. After a good wash and polish she looks like new again. We have not yet left the marina at St Jean de Losne as the skipper has been busy installing solar panels on the roof. 

 

After much research over the winter he is now chuffed to bits with them! The two 270 watt panels should provide sufficient electricity for us to be independent of shore power and will give us many more mooring options. In fact since they were installed we have only plugged into the shore electricity to heat the water and once we get cruising we won't need to do that either. We can even use the washing machine without plugging in. 

Life on the marina is very relaxing but there is plenty going on here at St Jean de Losne. Some people are setting off, others just arriving. Inevitably there is a fair amount of socialising going on. After four evenings out on the trot we are definitely staying in this evening!

Our kiwi friends on Winedown, with whom we stayed in New Zealand, arrived back here first but waited for us before setting off. They are now already halfway up the Nivernais, go guys, we'll catch you later!

We have had visitors of the feathered variety to our boat as well. How cute are these newly hatched cygnets, although when I spotted them out on the river yesterday they were down to four, they are so vulnerable when they are this small.

Have you paid for that mooring spot sir?

And this little fella struts up and down the pontoon like he owns it

Whilst we are here we are able to make use of the car to get out and about. One memorable afternoon out was at the Chateau in Savigny les Beaune. A top wine producing chateau (no less than 7 grand-crus) with an amazing collection of boys toys, 80 jet fighters in the grounds, Fiat Abarth racing cars, the largest collection of vintage motorcycles in Europe, tractors and fire engines. Well worth the 10 euro admission charge we thought, although we did come home with a few bottles of wine too. 

The 82 year old owner of the chateau Monsieur Pont was a professional racing driver in the 50s and raced in some of the many cars on display

These were my favourites though

Can only assume that Madame Pont is no longer around or she might have had something to say about the use of this room!

We are awaiting one last delivery on Wednesday and should be slipping the ropes by the weekend. Our cruising plans for this season are to head into Alsace Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne regions, both areas we have never visited before so we have a lot to look forward to (especially the champagne houses!).

The marina at the end of the day, you can just see the bow of the JR above far left.