|
13 August 0700 There was little current when we headed up river. And we had no problems on the way to Avignon. We had been told that the pontoons were gone so we tied up at the quay. Michel had phoned home and arranged for his sister to pick him up but Coryne and mother arrived too late to set off home so they stayed the night.
14 August At 1200 Michel got up, had his breakfast and disappeared. We had lunch without him and he returned from the swimming pool at 1600. After he had been fed they set off home.
16 August Happy Birthday. I paid for my stay, filled with fuel and headed North stopping eventually at Saint Etienne des Sorts. Here there was a new pontoon big enough for two boats - and a boat did moor behind.
17 August The boat behind set off at 0800. I went for bread, had a quick breakfast and followed 25 min later. I had caught them by La Bollene lock and continued behind them till they stopped at Viviers which was my intended night stop. I decided to continue and eventually stopped at La Voulte.
18 August at Pont d'Isere the engine stopped. The tank was empty. I found that the diesel return tube from the engine to the tank had split so the fuel was gone. I set the anchor, replaced the tube, put in my remaining 25 litres, bled the fuel line and started the motor all in half an hour. All went well and I was able to moor in the Riviere d’Ay at Sarras. Here Jean-Noel produced a replacement hydraulic T-piece and we connected up the steering as it should be. I found that the Cadillac current had also sheared the steering piston's wooden mounting and I removed and repaired this with West epoxy.
19-23 August I had meals with François and Brigitte, Loulou and Dede, Babette and Jean-Pierre, Alain and Helene and left a bottle of single malt at each house. They liked the Glenmorangie best.
24 August Michel called and invited me for a meal at Saint Vallier so I postponed my departure till Sunday.
|
