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Saturday.
Off this morning in time for the 9 am opening of the locks, first one about not too far away, but not before we had to lift a bridge. These are over the canal to provide access for cyclists, farmer’s vehicles and pedestrians. They are all different, some being manual with all sorts of different winding mechanisms and some electric with a push button system. After having mostly fantastic weather – hot to the extreme some days, the day dawned overcast with threatening rain, some thunder and lightening etc. Anyway, undaunted, off we went hoping that the weather would improve. Did it? NO. It got wetter and wetter and so did we. The only one who stayed dry throughout the day was Kevin the captain who was nice and dry and snug in his cabin. Jan and I on the front (bow) and Paul on the back (stern) all poised and ready to throw the ropes to tie up. The locks are all different and a different approach has to be taken at each lock. Sometimes one of us is put off on the bank before the lock and walks up to take the ropes being thrown up by the front or back person. Sometimes Jan (the only volunteer) would have to climb up the ladder onto the top of the lock. This can be anything from 1m up to 3m high, very slippery and totally vertical. Not easy. She then takes the ropes we throw up and slips them around the bollards. Then there is a considerable wait for the lock to fill up and the tossing around by the incoming water. It is a bit like riding a bucking bronco. We are going upstream so it is always awkward, no opportunity to jump off at the lock to tie off.
Some way into our trip the rain got heavier and heavier and by the time we were about 4 locks from our destination the rain was torrential. Jan, Paul and I were soaked to the skin, very uncomfortable and getting cold. Our intention was to get to our end destination of Corbingy and spend two nights there. However, by the time we got within 4 more locks of the place we were all too cold to go any further. We are now moored up at Chitry-les-mines, about 1 hr from our depot.
Tomorrow we will go and tie up there, start packing up and try and get some clothes dry and have a look around the town which is supposed to be lovely.
The weather has been mostly fantastic, actually too hot some days, but today has been a test for us one which we have passed so far (with the help of a couple of bottles of red wine!!).
Jan is off to order a taxi to take us into the village which is 3 km away and as it is still raining we have opted not to walk.
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