June 2014, finally we leave St Jean de Losne.

Leave UK 9th June on the afternoon ferry from Dover, lane 179 !!!!!

Good drive down to St Jean de Losne, arriving at 0130. Decided that as we wanted an early start on taking down the boat tent we would just sleep in the car. Up at 7.30. and tent off, windows and canvas back up by lunch time. The boat is so wonderful and dry, no mould or dampness. A quick nap and then Phillippes’  boys de-winterised the boat ( all except the engine and generator.) Max, under Steve’s guidance did all the oil and filter changes. (yep, hes got it now!!)

Tried the black water tank pump.. nothing so Mike came over with his electrical gadgets… power to the switch, yep, so lets look at the pump…and up when max lifted up the floor boards… NO PUMP.. 2 lovely wires hanging down into an empty space.

Turned out that the impeller in the old pump had blown, and the pump melted but due to our limited French, we had not really read/understood a quote sent from Phillippe last Dec about putting in a new one.. Well, now max is a happy chappy with a new pump.

Weather fantastic, 30-33 degrees. The boats all looking lovely in the sun light and Kiwirose is looking cleaner by the day.

Proudly flying our new Bunting, made Dawn.

Had a quick day away to meet up with Jan & Bill Caddey, (who we went to Spain with in March),. in Dezice. They had left Jean before we had arrived. St Jean is a very social place esp at the begining and end of each season..  so managed to catch up with Glen and Trish Busch, from CHCH, and Tony and Kay from K’Rd.!!!, Mike and June from Nth Harbour. Had Steve and Helen, (Off Jubilant, the B&B) over for dinner.  We have met and got to know a few more boaties during our week. Even watched a few all black games.

Have a new table for the deck,,, never thought I would be so excited about a new table. Good size, shape, and wt, so wooden one up for grabs, and a new mens’ spare bike, (thank u god say the boys who rode the last one).

Stayed around for the “Blessing of the Boats ‘ . This amazing old barge, The Astor, brought for a 1 Euro from the Consiel General de Nieve, who could not afford to keep her.

She is a 38m wooden planked barge, the last of her kind still afloat. A group of volunteers, mainly expats living in St Jean on their barges, and a few real locals, and the owners of H2O, have been getting her safe to travel in a dry dock in St –Leger-les-Vignes. She required a huge clean up inside as she had been left for 12 yrs, and an over haul of every bit of machinery on board. She had been used as a cafe /slow crusier ion the Canal de Nivernais. Well., long story short, a team of 12, with another boat as escort and a few cars and camper vans spent nearly 2 weeks bringing her to St Jean… a harrowing experience with a 3 man driving crew, one on the compressor, engine, generator, and the helms man and tiller handler, plus all the boat boys required to take her through the locks. Her engine would stall about 6-8 times a day, harrowing when entering a lock!!!

Still a very impressive job and she arrived safely. She will be converted into a Museum in St Jean , dedicated to the memory of barging in France.

Sunday Mass and Blessing of the Boats.

he Sunday Mass, (lasted one hour) with the wine and bread etc, then the whole lot (robe clergy men, and the town council, left on the white boat to go and throw holy water on the selected boats that came to Mass..  Next year we think we might get Kiwirose blessed.. have to save up for the bunting!!

In the afternoon a fun display from a group of  Newfoundland water dogs ( used on boats to rescue sailors ) going to rescue people in distress. Some of these dogs weighed 40-50 kgs.

Finally off, ropes untied and we are starting our summer. Weather still lovely and hot, Heading up the River Saone towards Gray.

First stop Auxonne, then onto Gray. A lovely old town, (well they all are), and like all the others in this area has been destroyed repeatedly since 11c, switching nationalities and allegencies  till finally it stayed French.

The Town Hall from 1658 and a fun roundabout. Such lovely warm evenings too. Spent a few nights here, enjoying meeting up with a lovely Australian couple we met last year from Perth, Ian and Jill.

 

Finally we joined for drinks with another Kiwi boat, March Hare, we had been following (and continued to follow, Jerry and Caroline from Queenstown, ( Americans but now residing in Queenstown)

The Tunnel de Savoyeux, short one at 640m.

A night at Savoyeux, and a lovely old man selling his garden produce. We bought cherries, carrots,onions, fresh eggs and radishes.

Continuing up to Corre, where we will meet Wok & Sam Hall through another tunnel,  The Tunnel de Saint-Albin, 680m.

A selection of Max’s beers. Before the wines!!!

Old man fishing at Port-sur-Saone. First night, lovely sunset,, 2nd night we were the only ones there (except for a diddy boat).

Cycled out to The Chateau de Vauchoux, (5kms)…, thinking it was an ancient large building to find a 5 Star Michellin Resturant, owned by Jean-Micheal Turin, who won some bloody big award in 1987!!.

One, .. we were not even dressed for it and,  Two,  hadn’t taken out a loan!!!

But a lovely cycle ride all the same. And a few choice poses with the locals.

Final leg to Corre, AND you never lose the commercials., and houses for sale.

Corre, the night before visitors…after 28-33 degrees for 2 weeks we have this…and what you can’t see is the thunder, fantastic lightening and rain, rain, rain.!!!!!!!!