The journey begins . . . here.
Wednesday 13th June 2018
Artaix to Digoin
We decided to get as close to Digoin as possible. If the new gasket hadn’t solved the problem, we would go straight to the Tourism Office and beg for help. If it did work, after 27 kilometres and 7 locks, we would surely know.
Thankfully, the new gasket did work. My better half also had a hunch that other seals in the boat had dried out from being idle too long and with the engine moving again, they had expanded. Cannot begin to say how happy I was for that. If he wasn’t as savvy as he is, who knows how long we would have been stuck in Digoin?
The first three locks we had a lady lock keeper who was most helpful. The next lock, Bourg-le-Compte, had a young chap manning it. It was 7,2 metres deep. Then we had a nice long pound and the last three locks were automatic. We dropped 31 metres. It really is so peaceful trundling along the waterways. Cows mooing and the odd boat passing by. I could easily fall asleep. Not a particularly busy waterway. I did manage to run us aground when a boat passed us. The water is very shallow in parts.
We tied up just outside the main lock into Digoin on the Velo Route. And promptly had a big fat afternoon snooze. Then we got going so we could find a shop and WiFi. The local Leader Price supermarket had closed. Businesses closing down is a bit of a pattern in these villages. There was an E.le Clerc and and Intermarche but they were a few kilometres away on the outskirts of town. Probably not even open at that time, so we deferred shopping to the next day. We found a bar with high speed WiFi and caught up with life. Then walked back to the boat along the aqueduct. The canal goes over the top and the River Loire runs below. Back at the boat it was crackers and pates for supper.
Thursday 14th June 2018
Digoin
The Tourism Office in Digoin is excellent. And they have great WiFi. They obviously expect cyclists and boaters as there are seats and tables where you can make yourself at home and hang about using their Internet. We had a few bills to pay and matters to follow up on. Particularly needed make contact with my one who brother was in Budapest and had indicated he might join us on the boat for a night or two. Turned out he was overwhelmed with work. My husband was also given the name of a local boat salesman and wanted to contact him.
After a morning of admin we went looking for the supermarkets. ALDI and E.le Clerc are near each other on the same road. We checked ALDI first to see what they had in stock since they are often vastly cheaper than other supermarkets. Bought the rest of our groveries from E.le Clerc.
We loaded ourselves down so heavily at ALDI, I could hardly move. My backpack was pulling my back out and I feared the wheelie shopper would break. But we made it back to the boat. While leaning over the boat to lift up the wheelie, my reading glasses which I had hooked into the neck of my T-shirt dropped into the water – never to be seen again. Not the first time I’ve done that!
The boat agent had been phoning and was keen to meet ASAP. It was agreed he would visit the boat the following afternoon at Pierrefitte-sur-Loire, our next stopping place. Back at the boat the VNF staff had been cutting the grass right next to the boat. Plus there were plane trees nearby. Two of the worst things for my allergies. My eyes were itchy and watering, my nose was running and I was sneezing non-stop. And I was obviously a magnet for mosquitos as I was covered in red spots.
I did get a chance to catch up on batch cooking. Made a vegan aioli, a large jar of French Salad Dressing, a vegan firm cheese and a vegan cream cheese as well as a Chickpea Mushroom Fritatta and a silken tofu chocolate mousse. We clocked 13 000 steps for the day.
The journey continues . . . . . . here.
