We are off!! -Decize to Clamecy

5 years ago
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Yes finally got away on Thursday the 21 April, not necessarily to celebrate the queens 90^th birthday but just to get going , on what hopefully will be a great summers adventure.

The journey up to the summit and then down to Clamecy was lovely despite the weather, being close to freezing most mornings.

My constant companion when I am driving the boat, note Gladys wearing my woolen hat, very cold mornings.

Due to the high rain fall lately the locks were a bit more exciting  than normal.

It was a bit lonely though with very few boats moving on the canal .

 progress was slow as the VNF in their wisdom only allocated one lock keeper to a whole series of locks and he was not a happy bunny.

Helping the lock keeper with the unusual lock gates on the Sardy flight.

There are some local artists on the Sardy flight , potters, painters etc.  We stopped at  the pottery lock and bought a couple of mugs, the lady was very grateful and offered me some eggs from her garden as a gift.  I accepted as she explained that her children had been drawing on the eggs this morning…  bought a  smile to my face.

More evidence of high water levels as the waterfalls on the summit were very active and beautiful.

We have now arrived in Clamecy a great little town with a rich history mainly around the huge rafts of wood that started from here and floated down the Yonne and the Seine to feed the building needs of Paris.

This post was written by Terry Barrett

Photographs by Tes