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I have always managed to make a big splash. This time, the splash was Lazy Notes being put into the water - Finally!
It was late in the afternoon by the time Simon came to us (and then with no notice, just the rumbling of a tractor engine heading our way). We were ready. In fact, we were more than ready, having been delayed by 5 days. Ah, a Monday is a day just as good as any other day to start off on our adventure.
The tractor was expertly moved into position, backed up, and with hydrolics screaming lifted Lazy Notes off of her 2-metre stilts. She was then driven (in much the same manner as the Space Shuttles) to the river and very large lifting crane. There, Simon, Bob and a helper clamped the chains around her and gently lifted her off the tractor/trailer. Now, suspended above all of the industrial equipment, her 14 tons defied gravity.
Using a few ropes and a boathook, she was swung into position just above the water where, inch by inch, she was gently lowered onto the water.
Bob started the engine and did his boat checks, whilst I went forward to the bow, ready to cast off the lines which would set us free. The word was given, we made it so . . . and the engine throttled up. Bob gently pulled away from the dock. As soon as he was clear, however, and with a mighty lurch forward, we were suddenly in the middle of the river.
As Simon said (and as you know, Simon says), we took off like 'a bat outta hell'.
I had called the éclusier (lockkeeper) to let him know that we were coming into the lock that would haul us up to the Migennes Basin where we were to blissfully sleep all night with the waters quietly lapping at the sides of our beloved Lazy Notes. However, that was not to be the case . . .
That night, thoroughly exhausted and ready for sleep, we pitched into our bed only to be awoken by the local yobs at 2:00 am. For some reason, the gravelly, chalky towpath and drive is like a magnet to the locals wanting to practice their automobile wheelies. This made the decision for us that the very next day, we would leave Migennes and 'hit the road'.
The next day, the weather had deteriorated - windy - rainy - cold, but we had an Royal Yacht Association examiner coming aboard to test Bob's piloting abilities for Bob's ICC Certification (a requirement for traveling the French waterways) as we went upstream towards Auxerre. So, there was no waiting, changing, or turnng back . . . we were on our way.
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