There is some wonderful bird life around the Gare d' Eau. We heard the unmistakeable song of nightingales day and night, cuckoos, reed warblers nesting by the boat and a swan on her nest at the far side of the basin.
We discovered that the loud splashing we heard outside the boat in the night was actually the sound of carp thrashing around mating. When Grant from Chocolat caught one we realised just how big they were!
On Friday 30th May we slipped the ropes and manoeuvred Joli Roger out of her winter home and back out onto the river Saone, stopping first for 350 litres of diesel at the fuel barge which should keep us going all summer. Our very fit attendant there is our 75 year old neighbour in the port, Ian, retired Met river police officer, still boating, amazing!
Chris was keen for us to go for a cruise upstream to Auxonne for the weekend so that he could give JR 'the beans' as he puts it and check everything was running smoothly before we started our journey up the Bourgogne Canal. It was perfect cruising weather. I took to the helm for a few kilometres, big step for me, even allowing him to go downstairs to the loo!
On Saturday evening we had a wonderful meal in Le Corbeau restaurant, one of the best in France so far. Every mouthful was divine, a real gem we just happened upon but which we later discovered is one of the best restaurants in the region.
So after a relaxing weekend we set off back downstream to St Jean de Losne and turned off the river and into the very first lock of the Burgundy Canal and the start of our journey up to Paris.
We quickly got into the swing of the locks again, helped along by a team of eclusiers (lock keepers) who would always be one step ahead of us, whizzing along the towpath on their scooters getting the next one ready, so much easier than in the Uk! But arriving at one lock at five minutes to twelve we were asked nicely if we would mind restez en haut (staying at the top) whilst four of them had their lunch in the little lock cottage from twelve till one. So they filled the lock, we tied off at the top and set about getting our lunch too. Not such a bad thing having to have an enforced break after all. Then out of the cottage came one of them with a bottle of Nuits St George and passed us each a glass. 'Its a good year, 2009' he said. Only in France!
First chateau of the season at the pretty village of Longecourt en Pleine where we spent our first night moored on a grassy bank.
We have now arrived in Dijon after another relaxing day's cruising. We are moored alongside the public quay opposite the island. We have some very noisy neighbours who seem to think that any new boat that comes along is a good bet for some food.
As the weather forecast for the next 5 or 6 days is around the 30 degree mark it is time to hit the shops to buy an extra fan!
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