Canal de Bourgogne, travel-report 2002: sixth day

The bakery in Saint-Thibault seems to be closed. The sun-sheds are down. As I ask around, a Frenchman tells me to go by the backdoor. As I do so, I come into the bakery itself where the baker is busy making bread and I leave the bakery with three baguettes.

The morning is gray and cold. A vile wind is blowing. We navigate through the narrow Tranchée de Creusot again. We are accompanied by a heron which flies up several times in front of us. When we arrive at the first lock for today, the lockkeeper is cutting his lawn. The lock isn't filled yet so we have to wait. After the lock Pont Royal is situated where we want to tank water. Just as in Pouilly the water is still cut off. We navigate on.

After lock 19 it 's time for the lockkeeper's lunch. We are glad to warm ourselves inside. At a quarter past one we navigate on. We get the help of two lockkeepers now. At first they cooperate at each lock, later on they take turns. That is quicker because all the locks have to be prepared first because the wrong side is opened. We stop in Marigny to tank water. Meanwhile I talk with the lockkeeper. He is called Serge. I ask him about the weather-forecast. Serge tells me the weathers maintains inconstant and cold. I regret immediately I ask this question. He tells me there aren't many boats at his part of the canal. Now there are three, in summer there are six boats on an average day.

After taking the water, we navigate on. We are on the chain of locks again. We lock down all afternoon until Pouillenay. At 10 past 6 we moor in the basin. A hotel boat is also moored. I hope we can keep ahead of it tomorrow.

We passed 33 locks today: a new record which will stand for very long. We have worked very hard. All locks were opened at the wrong side but with tow lockkeepers on a moped and a lot of help from ourselves, things go quickly. It gives us a good feeling working that hard, despite the cold and wet weather. It is also the way to stay warm.

For the first time I let Pepijn navigate a little distance while I am not on board. He is steering better than I in the meanwhile. He stands a lot at the steering wheel. This in contrary with Maarten who follows his own program. His contribution to navigating is hitting a peg in the ground sometimes and steering off and on. He does his own things the rest of the day. He is very busy with his tenth birthday. "Still 64 hours", he said this morning. I respond that he has to wait 72hours because I don't want to celebrate his birthday at midnight. We agree to count until a quarter past seven for he was born at that particular time.