Messing about on the River! Wednesday 29th October 2010

After going to the chandlers to buy another boat hook (ours was also nicked from our cockpit along with the bike!), we fired up the engine, which started immediately (not bad for having been out of the water for a year), nervously (well in my case anyway) cast off our lines at 11am, fuelled up, and then headed north on the River Saone. The weather today is a bit overcast, but there thankfully is no wind. With full canopies off, keeping our bimini up just in case! we travelled at the maximum speed allowed on the river of 6 knots in the direction of Verdun sur les Doubs. We passed the lock exit of the Canal Du Centre and beautiful riverside cottages, which brought back very happy memories from 2008 and continued along the Saone for about one hour, blowing the cobwebs off the boat. We had a light lunch on board of garlic sausage sandwiches and spicy chicken and then headed back to Chalon Sur Saone, with Jim berthing Ginger Grouse II perfectly astern in our No.59 berth. Whee! Our first couple of hours on our new boat on the River and absolutely no shouting at each other and no hiccups. Hallelujah!
We spent the rest of the afternoon pottering on board and putting our SSR number on the hull. It is amazing where the time goes when you start pottering!
To celebrate our first day trip on the River, we are going to La Table de Fanny for dinner this evening,which is another of the lovely restaurants on the Ile St. Laurent.
Jim has been here before for dinner when he brought the boat over in July and recommends it, but I reckon anything with that type of name, most men would recommend! Time will tell.......