Sailly-Laurette to Bray-sur-Somme

13km, 2 locks

A couple of stills from the video filmed from the drone yesterday evening.

We were not in a rush to start today because we had such a short distance to cover.  At 9.30 Ian noticed that the lock was open so we went to speak to the lock keeper.  He told us a boat had called in, Was it us?  No, must be another but we would go through with them.  As we headed into the lock a French boat who had been at the pontoon in Corbie with us appeared around the bend.  They told us it was very noisy last night and the convoy of 5 boats that we passed had all tied up against the other boats.  Thank goodness we left.

It was already warm when we set off and the day just got hotter.  Summer has most definitely arrived.

And so has the cruising season: another 2 cruisers passed us going downstream, one Canadian and the other British.

One behind us

Two passing us

 

We are disappointed, we like cruising in the cold and having the canals to ourselves!

We had our first bad experience in a lock today.  All the other lock keepers have been excellent but the guy we had today was playing games with us.  These lock keepers take your lines and place them over bollards for you.  He pulled us right to the very front of the lock - and then opened the paddles full throttle!   Wow, were we thrown around; I was worried that the fenders would burst and/or the mooring line would break.  Not funny.

We turned off into an arm of the Somme that skirts around one of the locks and is navigable for over 2km to Bray-sur-Somme.  

It is an enchanting off-shoot of the main river, narrow and very deep. 

The mooring is again right at a camping site but not nearly as noisy as the one yesterday.

Approaching Bray, campsite on the left

The pontoon hasn't been used in a while

The town is not very exciting.  We arrived just before lunch and took a walk to find a boulangerie.  The whole town was dead, not a sound.  We thought the boulangerie was closed but the door opened to a push and the baker appeared from out back.  Today I bought a loaf called a “batard” (bastard)!
But there is a petanque pit/course/alley (no idea what it’s called – the place where they play petanque) next to the boat and the older boys have been at it all afternoon.

They were not at all annoying and added character to a very peaceful spot

It was too hot to go exploring!  I much prefer the frosty mornings, and taking a walk bundled up in jacket, scarf and gloves.  Instead I read my book for an hour (well, part of that time my eyes were closed) then cleaned the fenders (those that had taken a severe beating in the lock are rather scratched) and the side of the hull.  Ian played with electrics – we have a plug that has not been working properly – it is now.  Internet here is rather slow!