July 2014 - Page 2
___________________________________________________
Even in the rain, this was a beautiful spot! Looking back at the flowery approach to Lock #23-Med in St-Gilles.
9 July 2014 -
10::00 AM -
Dep St-Léger-sur-Dheune - Rain!
12 noon -
Psg. Santenay (pretty town on hill)
12:30 PM -
Arr: Chagny - Snaily base (w elect)
Dinner at the Maison Lameloise.
. Today: 8.3 mi - 2.6 hrs - 4 locks
.
Much of the stretch from St-Léger to Chagny on the Canal du Centre looked like this. Rain!!!
The Place d'Armes in Chagny with a large metal chicken and fountains. Most notably,
the location of the Michelin 3-star restaurant, La Maison Lameloise.
The famous Maison Lameloise in Chagny.
Nancy found this fancy Michelin
3-star restaurant in Chagny called La
Maison Lameloise. We tried their
4-course "Menu Degustation" (Tasting
Menu) which turned out to be about 8
courses with at least 25 different items!
My salmon and shellfish appetizer.
It came with a cucumber sorbet.
My main course, pigeon (!) filets
with cherry compote - and other
things. Surprisingly delicious!
And finally, le Dessert. Nancy's was a double chocolate
something, mine was strawberry with kiwi sorbet.
Certainly the fanciest, most fantastic meal
we've ever had! (And probably the most
expensive!) Une soirée inoubliable!
Nominally, this was our 35th Anniversary
celebration, but it might also have been our
36th, 37th, 38th & 39th!
10 July - 11:15 AM - Dep Chagny - Rain!
4:15 PM - Arr: Fragnes, PdP
Today: 8.1 mi - 4.1 hrs - 11 locks
Closest Boulangerie so far, 100-ft from boat!
11 July - Stayed in Fragnes, rode bikes along
the Voie Verte into Chalon-sur-Saône.
St-Léger-sur-Dheune to Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
Biking on the Voie Verte along the Canal du Centre near Fragnes.
Nancy sewing new curtains for the forward cabin.
(Fruits of her labor can be seen below.)
Forward cabin vanity.
Forward cabin portlight.
Forward cabin window.
12 July - 10 AM - Dep Fragnes - Cloudy, 62°F
10:45 AM - thru Lock 34b, largest lock
on the Canal du Centre
11 AM - Jcn. with Saône, headed north
Strong current, lots of floating debris
1:30 PM - eng slowing down, black smoke!
2:00 PM - Arr: Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
Barely made it against strong current!
Today: 17.4 mi - 5.6 hrs - 1 (v. big) lock
l'Embarcadère Restaurant over the Canal du Centre just before the last lock.
Lock 34b-Med, the last lock on the Canal du Centre.
Verdun-sur-le-Doubs - 6 feet above normal level due to the recent rain.
Heading up the Saône against a strong current and lots of flotsam.
Amarok in Verdun-sur-le-Doubs. The quai where we stayed before,
and the place they normally dock big barges, is completely under
water. Also, check out that large tree floating past our boat!
We were very happy to make it into Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
which turned out to be in full flood mode. Cruising north on the
Saône against the current, we noticed our engine starting to
falter. When we tried applying more throttle, we got a cloud of
black smoke instead of more power. We limped into Verdun at
1200 rpm, at times barely making half a knot against the current
once we turned off the Saône and into the raging Doubs.
Black smoke usually means a lack of air, so I checked the air filter
and found it very dirty. With the filter removed, the engine appeared
to run normally. Certainly a big relief as it was Saturday afternoon and
no mechanic would be available until at least Tuesday - Monday being
the French Independence Day, Quatorze Juillet, jour de la Bastille.
A swan at full "hull speed" trying to swim upstream!
Me, standing under a really big plane tree!
(On the island near Verdun-sur-le-Doubs.)
Nancy's Bastille Day flowers - blue, blanc et rouge!
Nancy's kind of place - Tout au beurre!
12 July - 10:00 AM - Dep Verdun-sur-le-Doubs
12:30 PM - stopped for lunch at Seurre
3:45 PM - Arr: Saint-Jean-de-Losne
on the "Steps" by Gretige Henriette
4:30 PM - up through 1st lock of the
Canal de Bourgogne to Blanquart's
work area in St-Usage.
Today: 22.5 mi - 5.5 hrs - 3 locks
__________________________