21.05.12

Thought I would take this opportunity to update the blog as rain has stopped play today.... It was pouring hard when we woke up and it just hasn't stopped, so much as we would like to finish our time on the Seine we have stayed put with hopefully only a day's travel to our adventure on the Marne beginning.  The Seine is massive and the nearer we got to Paris the more industrialised it became with our encountering huge giants of boats which don't even seem to see us. I can't say we have enjoyed the Seine which we were both looking forward to so much. It is a full time job just staying alive, the current is so strong and the locks are massive and very unfriendly, give us canals anyday!

 We encountered this lock-keeper who, for the benefit of Darcey, was seen catching crocodiles in the lock........

 The old castle in Monteraux Fault Yonne is being renovated so they have erected this covering around the walls whilst it is being done. The pictures are in fact painted onto a giant backdrop!

 My hero Napolean, a fine statue in Monteraux.

 An ancient hospice in Monteraux which was built by the' Poor Daughters of Mercy' in the 1600's.

 Our moorings in Monteraux, a dodgy pontoon for which they charged us 12 euros for one night, and they charged us for half our length of boat! Goodness knows what they should have charged us!!

 We moored here at Samois sur Seine for the night on Friday, where to our amazement we met up with our old friends of ' Cave Vagabonde'... This small speedboat came at us whilst we were looking for moorings and as I was thinking "what twit is that coming straight at us", I recognised Elio!!! We had a lovely time with them that evening, we were invited to go to the island with them for a BBQ and sleepover at 10.30pm but we declined.......

 Good job we did as this is their boat nestling on the island but with no apparent sign of life at 11.30 am the next day!

 5 pictures of the types of massive cargo ships we are encountering on the Seine.

 We moored just above 'Coudray No 7' ecluse on Saturday evening, in the middle of a thunderstorm with torrential rain. It all started suddenly and we did not have time to put up the windscreen in the wheelhouse and everything got soaked including Patrice!

 This is some of the architecture seen whilst travelling through Melun. It also hosts an enormous victorian built prison which is still in use, on an island in the middle of the river.

 Two swans showing what good parents they are in looking after the youngsters!!

 An idyllic cutting off the Seine, sadly not big enough for us to access but these people waved merrily to us as we went by!

 This is our mooring for Sunday night, sadly Mr heron did not stay to welcome us but flew off smartly when he realised we were going to moor there.

The pontoon was a bit small for us but we just managed to fit on it. We thought only for one night but as I said earlier we are here two due to the very wet weather!! I did think I would do the ironing but Patrice tried to put me off the idea.......