The Final Run, Remember life is a journey not a destination.

Sunday September 14 and Monday the 15th

On Saturday afternoon a boat pulled in and docked right behind the Royals. Three Brits were aboard, they were moving the boat south to the Mediterranean. At one point during the evening the man decided he was going to put water on the boat. Unfortunately he messed up and filled his diesel tank with 1100 liters of water! Oy Vey! There was a sheen of diesel on the water and there was no getting away from the smell of diesel in the air. When something like this happens it is of course an environmental concern and the authorities have to be called. Garth asked the man when he was going to call and he said first thing in the morning. What normally happens (it is France remember and a Sunday at that) is that the authorities will shut down the Port while they assess the situation. A discussion took place and the Brit agreed to wait until after 9 am to make his call! Good man. You see 9 am is the magic time that the automatic, unmanned locks start there day!

At 8:45 the engines were purring and we were pulling out of the harbour, we all made it through the two locks and we were on the home stretch. 

We had 23 km and six more locks to get through before we could proudly say we had completed our French canal loop. 

Earlier that morning Frank delivered the news that Air France was going on strike Monday! Three of the couples were flying Delta/Air France! Humm...You could see the wheels turning as to what people were going to do. I tell you this because when we arrived at the second lock (on the canal)  there was no one in sight. A women sitting in the house yelled out that the lock keeper had gone somewhere and gave us no indication of when he/she would be back.  Sid and Frank having been through 200+ locks in the past four weeks felt confident that they could run the show. 

 Frank and Sid, should we or shouldn't we! Doug and Gene - go for it!

Sid knows what to do!

and so does Frank!

They completed the task in record time and with the skill of a seasoned ecluse keeper!

The next lock we arrived at was once again unmanned. Now our imaginations started to run away ....the Air France pilots are on strike and the lock keepers have joined them. We will have to do all the locks by ourselves.  Which by the way we could do but the special handle to let the water in and out was missing! What to do, what to do!! Finally the little white truck came barreling up the towpath and the lock keeper jumped out with the special handle explaining that he had to do several locks today. He was in charge of the one we had just let ourselves through. Where he had gone in between was and will remain a mystery. We thought he would be a little angry that we had done it ourselves. No, he was happy to have the help and I am thinking if Frank and Sid spoke better French that they could have had a job for the day!

The day went all to fast and before we knew it we were back in Decize where we had started this journey August 18th. We proceed to clean the boats and pack our bags. We still had time for docktails before going out for dinner.

Gene & Ginny - Free to B

Doug and Judy - Moonstruck II

Sid & Evelyn- Something Special

Frank & Carrie - Once Around, boatless at the moment but they have the watering can just waiting for a new water home, did you look under the seat yet?

Terri & George -boatless forever according to George.

And of course your truly! Kathy & Garth - Algonquin! (pic to follow)

Backtrack 26 days -after our day of boating on the canals we all docked and washed off and cleaned the boats, then we shook our heads and realized that the canals were filthy and these were not our boats but indeed they were bumper boats! So, it had been a while since they had had a really good cleaning. 

Sid had a particularly hard day from being the assistant lock keeper and then having to wash the outside of the boat.  He just had to have a nap before dinner.

Sid 

Carrie said she posed for this but I am thinking Sid looks pretty angelic, Garth says he thinks Sid posed!

The French Loop

The French Loop, 216 locks, 28 days - Survivor France. We did it and as Sid said - no one died! We are all still friends and all still talking to our significant others and to each other. We did the Canal du Nivernais, the Yvonne, the Seine, Canal du Loing, Canal de Briare, and the Canal Lateral  a la Loire!

The Gold Loopers of France!

The whole gang!

Leaving the boat September 15th - Port of Decize

I believe most of us Loopers had the pleasure of meeting Richard Nick. Rich was the Harbour Host for Cape May, NJ and he and his wife Carol did the loop with us.  Sadly, Rich passed away in August after a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer. Rich loved life, he loved to travel and he loved boating. When we started this journey a month ago I read these words from his obituary. They are so touching and so true that I think it is appropriate to close this chapter of the blog with them. 

Remember life is a journey we are lucky to travel. The difference between an adventure and an ordeal is attitude - make sure yours is positive."  
Richard Nick