Auxonne
Seascapes Travel Log
Michael Grew
Sat 11 Jun 2011 16:25
Auxonne 04.06.2011 47:11:75N 05:23:10E.
Awoke bright and early (well 08:00hrs), had breakfast tidied up and helped Dave and Tracy across the bridge with their bags and said farewell and bon voyage to them. We then cast off from the mooring at 10:20hrs and glided across to the other side of the canal and said farewell to Roger before chugging into our least favourite lock. However it was as good as gold and we breezed through with no problems and entered the main canal (this time sticking rigidly to the marked channel). We then had a quiet potter up the canal until we caught up with a British cruiser that had gone aground at the entrance to a lock. After attempting unsuccessfully to tow him off we resorted to pulling him off manually from the lockside. He then followed us through the remaining locks without any problem. He left us at Aubergement-La-Ronce for lunch but we continued eating under way. On a very quiet stretch I spotted an adder swimming across the canal, yet another good reason for not swimming in the canals. We arrived at the last lock where it joins the River Saone and handed back our electronic gizzmo that remotely operates the locks, to Mr Happy ( to be fair he didn’t look quite so grumpy this time, but then he had just came back from having his lunch). We rejoined the main river and travelled up stream for 13 kilometres, arriving at the town quay of Auxonne at 16:00hrs. We did intend staying on the quay for the night but we were told that there was no electricity available until Monday as the Capitainerie was away for the weekend. With no electricity laid on and water skiers tearing up and down the river causing all the boats to jig about, violently we decided to go into the new H2O marina. We were greeted enthusiastically by the English couple that were the Capitainerie. We were intrigued that most of the boats in the marina were formally dressed (they have lots of signalling flags strung in a line from bow to stern) There was also brass band warming up on the jetty by the Capitainerie’s barge. The band was dressed in pale blue uniforms and had huge hats on their heads. We were told that the celebrations were for the formal opening of the marina by the town mayor and various other dignitaries. At 17:15hrs the band started up in earnest walking around the basin to the marquee where a podium had been set up. After long incomprehensible speeches the band climbed aboard a cruiser and played jazz around and then out of the marina leading twenty five barges on a procession down to the river bridge and back into the marina. A real carnival atmosphere on both the boats and locals standing on the shore. Afterwards the band set up on the new Capitainerie’s office barge and played some really good American style modern jazz(symphonian I think they call it), some of the band were real characters They played for about four hours on and off and were on a boat alongside us so we could sit in comfort and listen About 21:00hrs the clouds rolled in and later we had a thunderstorm and heavy rain persisted through the night.
Auxonne 05.06.2011 47:11:75N 05:23:10E.
Awoke to a warm and sunny morning, no sign of the heavy rain clouds thank goodness. After breakfast we went for walk on the town guided tour. Saw the military academy where Bonaparte did his military training. Called into the Bonaparte Museum, Typically French, three people in reception busy talking to each other and only the one room unlocked, and all the exhibits were covered in dust and all the metal objects covered in rust. We had to ask to visit the rest of the museum, this entailed dragging one of the staff away from the conversation in order to unlock the remaining rooms. (How unreasonable). Went back to boat for lunch then took the bikes into town and filled up the empty diesel cans to top up our tanks. We have been told that fuel is few and far between once we leave here. Our route is going across a lot of rural countryside. Having topped up the tanks we went for bike ride along the towpath. When we returned we tried out the new showers, very good, apart from a couple of minor things which the Capitainerie said he would rectify. We discussed our route with him and he advised us not to go up the Canal du Vosges as there is talk that the VNF may close it as there is insufficient water in the canal. So that means we will have to go the shorter, more boring route up the Canal du Marne. Unfortunately we have no charts for this canal so we will have to be careful. However our friends, Ann and George on yacht “Ygraine” have gone up this route. So we contacted them and they offered to slow down so we could catch them up in a day of so. Maureen said that it was a very noisy and windy night with the boat being blown about on the mooring. Needless to say I never heard any of it and slept through it all. (Sign of a clear conscious!).