Test-Run

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13/5/2013

It mightn't have been a good idea to eat out last night. My stomach revolted all night until mid-morning. This gave me plenty of opportunities to say goodbye to Frank and Jill whose berth was right beside the H2O toilets and who set off down south today.

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Due to my attachment to the toilet-block, we set off late, at about 10.45am. Our worries about the first lock going up-stream were unwarranted. A very nice lock keeper helped putting the ropes into place, and provided us with a remote control to activate the automated locks of the Canal du Rhône au Rhin leading to Dôle. Without exception, all of the locks go up, which means, that apart from negotiating the narrow entrances with the boat, we also had to get the ropes placed around the bollards 2-3metres up to keep the boat in check while the water was rushing in. Previously on the Midi we had done this with a smaller, idiot-proofed hire-boat and 4 people. But now with a larger boat and only the two of us, it was another kettle of fish. It turned out to be a good test for our planned trip this year and we managed better than I expected.

And here we are, back again in Dôle, which we already fell in love with last year.



© Austin Robinson 2019