4 week cruise

[Col]

Hi all,
just got back from 4 week boat ride from the Med to the Solent, via canal-du midi. Excellent !

Met some great people, seen some beautiful countryside, had some hair raising moments ( thanks Depsol ! p.s. it wouldn't quite do 50 knts )
Had a couple of small problems, but nothing terminal, I even managed to hit a car!!

Any one considering this journey-
DO IT.

 

[oldgit]

Re:C mon more please what happened then NM

.

politically correct and proud of it

 

[DepSol]

No worries, BTW that wasnt hair raising, next time I'm over I'll show you hair raising but I'll have to be at the helm for that.....the question you gotta ask yourself is can you trust me? <G>

Was trying to find out where I put your email address today can you PM me with it just in case.

Dom

PS Very nice boat

 

[Guest]

Re: yer like whats the lowest brdge on midi?NM

vvv

cneighbour

 

[Col]

Re:C mon more please what happened then NM

Left Gatwick 14 March, bound for Mallorca. After checking over boat, exchange of documents and money, left Sat at 1st light, heading for Barcelona, but had to head back after 30 miles as one of the ( brand new ) alternators threw a pulley.

After an unexpected stay for the weekend, waiting for new parts, we set of again Mon night and travelled overnight, this time heading for L'Estartit where we stopped for fuel, then on to port Nouvelle to pick up the canal Robinne.

Having just done a 255mile / 21 hour stint we stopped mid afernoon and then overnighted just short of the first lock. 9.00am next morning pressed on to Narbonnne and overnighted there. The canal goes under some houses at Narbonne, and the bridges look very low, and I checked clearance several times before I would believe I could get under. There is in fact 3.3mtr clearance, and this was the lowest bridge we encountered.The depth was also pretty constant with the sounder constantly showing around 1.1mtr under the props giving a water depth of 1.8mtrs. We continued up the Robinne, and joined the Du-midi, very nice views all the way. The du midi gives way to the canal lateral a la Garonne, which is lined with thick foliage mostly, so views not so good.

At La sagala the canal is at the summit, so the locks go down hill from there, much easier to deal with.
the canal finally dumps into the Garonne river and becomes maritime navigation at Bordeax- don,t stop on the river here, fast flowing tides ensure that tugs push up enough wash to put you on the pontoon!

Memorable moments-
564mtr long aquaduct at Mossaic, thought the wind was going to blow me off the side *Jeanne Pierre and friends at Forques sur Garonne, took all next day to get over hangover * the 119 locks we went through * The rubbish in the water at Toulose, collected several bags *Oh, and the dumped car I ran over near Homps. It took a bit of a bite out of the props.

After overnighting in Royan, we set out up the East side of the bay of Biscay to La Rochelle, both very nice stop overs. Royan very modern and swish, La Rochelle quaint and old timey, the entrance to the old harbour flanked by old stone fortresses. Next morning onward, just short of Les Sables, other alternator pulley went walkabout, so pulled in for an unschedulled overnight. Following afternoon, all order restored in the oily departments, so on for an overnight in Belle ille which is an island a few miles off shore, the harbour is N.E of the island, and consists of a breakwater a bit like Alderney, but not as big. No pontoons, just mooring bouys. All night we had a N.E wind blowing, sending spray over the sea wall, and setting up a nasty swell which kept me awake. Next day got as far as Cameret-sur-mer, which is about 7 miles from Brest, Stayed here a few days waiting for the week long N.E 4,5s +6s to subside.

Sat made the jump to Guernsey, punching into a heavy swell, still N.E, so right on the nose. 10 hours later, got to St Peter port, where I had a drink with Depsol. Sunday went to re-fuel for the final Channel hop, only to find fuel pontoon doesn't open- Depsol to the rescue, he gave me the phone no of the tanker service which met me in St Sampsons, I have never been there, and didn't have detailed enough charts to be happy with the passage, Deps came for the trip as pilot, once refuelled he persueded me to take a blast around Jethou. Now I have seen that with the tide out, There is the odd bit here and there that HASN'T got rocks, So slaloming around was, er, well fun I 'spose, specially when Deps kept re-assuring me with calming remarks such as " What draught did you say you had?"
Anyway, the jump across the Channel was a walk in the park, flat most of the way. Safely home all in one piece.

Would I do it again? You bet'cha!