April 20th

Orconte to Vitry-le-François 

13 kms, 6 locks

Just a short hop today, should have taken less than 3 hours but it was almost 4 hours after leaving Orconte before we tied up in Vitry.  The problem was weed, lots and lots of weed

At one of the locks it was so thick that the lock gates could not open.  The VNF had a little digger there hauling bucket loads of weed out.  The lock lights showed red/green as we approached because the lock was filling, but then they switched all the lights off and we just had to hover until they got enough weed out to open the gates.  

At the last lock of the day, and the last lock on this canal, we had to hand back our telecommand, which I did by posting it through a slot in a big metal box.  But then the lock gates on the uphill side would not close and the red alarm light came on, lock out of order.  About 30 minutes later a lockie arrived to open boxes and press switches but even that took forever.  Finally he got it going and 40 minutes after arriving in the lock it started emptying.

More weedy conditions in Vitry

We had a mission in Vitry, to go to a large Bricorama (DIY store) next to the canal to look for large receptacles to send stuff back home when we pack it up at the end of this cruise.  We will be putting the boat up for sale and need to strip it of all the personal bits and pieces, clothing, bedding, tools, etc, that we have accumulated over the last 9 years.  We discovered big strong 120 litre plastic containers marked down to half price, just 20 euros each.  We bought 4.  Now our saloon looks a warehouse.