Saturday 18th October
0500 - Up at 5am due to taxi booked for 5.40 – at least 20 mins before we needed it! Usual panic regarding tickets, passports, feeding goldfish, setting alarm, travellers cheques – taxi driver impatient. Arrived at airport – nobody about, no queue, dozed.
0830 - Arrived Gatwick, pilot proudly announced we were on time – neglected to announce we were parked on some bit of tarmac away from the terminal, and what with the wait for steps and buses it took another half hour. No problem for us, as we had a five hour wait anyway!
1100 – Bored with shops/cafes in North terminal, so went through to ‘Airside’ and checked out all the shops/cafes there too. Tested every perfume in Duty Free at least twice. Bored by 1230.
1330 – Boarded plane to Bordeaux strongly smelling of ChanelDiorDKNYTommy HerreraGaultier aftershave - passengers in next seats moved away for some unknown reason. BA version of lunch was something in a trendy plastic bag and a Kitkat.
1610 – Arrived at Bordeaux, managed to lose an hour and some of the DKNYTommy, as well as avoiding French customs (thank goodness). Did not lose bags this time and were met by lady taxi driver waving Crown Blue Line placard.
1740 – Arrived at Jarnac en Charente (Crown Blue Line Base) cowering under taxi seats. Lady taxi driver was clearly in training for Formula 1 and intent on deposing Schumacher. Crown Blue Line past closing time, so given speedy briefing in French on river vessel – how to start engine, three mooring ropes, gas tap. Enquired that we may not need driving lesson as we seemed to be salty sea dogs – we said ‘non merci’ as we had been trained in RYA Level Deux by none other than Monsieur Evans! One other river boat occupied by German family.
2000 – eventually found restaurant open on Saturday night after touring half the town – forgot the French-English translation book so guessed at the menu items on the 15 Euro Menu. Turned out to be very good or very lucky!

Sunday 19th October
0830 - Awoke late – could not figure out why it was still dark and why we were wet? Latter solved by observing condensation on dripping windows above bunk, former solved when sun came up about 9 o’clock. Visit to boulangerie and found baguette and chocolatines.
After breakfast, trip around Jarnac for other provisions and ‘Emergency Meal supplies’.
1100 – Started engine and cast off to go downstream toward Cognac. Discovered boat had vicious propeller kick to starboard so did two complete circles to port in middle of river before getting hang of steering, much to the merriment of local onlookers!
1200 – Came up with German family going same way very slowly and erratically, seemed to be struggling with steering too. Stopped at pontoon for lunch.
1330 – Approaching lock found German family had just opened and entered it. Followed them in to take advantage of their two teenage boys doing most of the gate work. On leaving, they waved us on, so we thanked them and left the boys to close the gates.
1500 – Stopped at pontoon near country chateau for tea. German family arrived obviously making for same pontoon and disappointed to find us occupying it!
1600 – Passed two fisherman in a small punt. Decided we seemed to be going very slowly, so followed handbook procedure to clear weed – out of gear to nearly stopped, then rev engine furiously in reverse and forward a couple of times to clear prop. Forgot we were still near fisherman who shot us furious daggers!
1700 – Moored at main quay in Cognac opposite the Hennessy factory. German family had arrived before us and secured better bit of mooring quay. Started to rain. Relaxing over cup of tea and cake to celebrate successful first day voyage when we noticed two eyes watching us just outside cabin window. Turned out to be extremely large rat with very long tail which disappeared behind fender – rush to shut and lock every window and to check all doors and openings closed and rat-proof!
1900 – Walked around Cognac in search of restaurant or café. Not a single eating place open, so resorted to eating our ‘Emergency Meal’ – boiled rice with mushroom sauce – we had forgotten to get anything for the mushroom sauce!

Day’s log - 15 kms, 3 locks.

Monday 20th October
0830 – Raining. Discovered leak in cabin window soaking one of the bunk cushions, arranged bowls and pans to catch drips.
1000 – Decided to take cognac distillery tour – visited ‘Otard’ and ‘Hennessy’ receptions to find no tours available until afternoon despite advertised times.
1100 – Decided to move 1 km downstream to find supermarket. Tie-up quay missing so moored to two trees by river bank at end of supermarket carpark. Officious security guard would not allow us in with small rucksack – insisted on sealing it up inside plastic bags! Bought further provisions and ‘Emergency Meals’. Rucksack plastic bags most useful to keep things waterproof.
1330 – Decided to try our luck again with distillery tour as it was now afternoon. Otard gates completetly shut, so joined Hennessy tour in French at € 5 each which included one cognac tasting. Understood about one quarter of tour. Rain cleared.
1630 – Rather late, so set off back upstream toward Jarnac. Stopped about 1830 after two locks at village of Bourg-Charente which had a pontoon and Bar-Café with illuminated Kronenbourg sign.
1840 – Decided to head for bar – on approach the Kronenbourg sign promptly switched off and Bar door shut!
1930 – No option but to eat second ‘Emergency Meal’ – Fondue with remains of previous day’s bread.

Day’s log - 13 kms, 2 locks.


Tuesday 21st October
0900 – Thick fog, could not see other side of river bank (50 metres). Decided to wait.
1100 – Fog clearing – set off upstream. Stopped at Jarnac for further supplies and top-up water tanks. Frightened to death by officious Gendarme blowing whistle in ear – turned out to be aimed at cowering car driver not wearing seat belt!
1230 – Set off again upstream, avoiding green buoys opposite Courvoisier distillery – no idea which side of buoys to pass but just missed crunching the Courvoisier quay.
1400 – stopped for lunch. Continued upstream, more weed in many parts of river. Saw several Kingfishers and Otters swimming near banks, also herons, swans, lots of varieties of ducks and wagtails. Met American on boat coming downstream – warned us of shallows and sandbanks ahead where they had run aground and taken an hour and a half to refloat.
1630 – continued upstream toward Chateauneuf in trepidation of reefs, shifting sandbanks and treacherous rocks! River was certainly shallower and prop needed clearing of weed more often. Navigation by lookout (no echo-sounder). Did not run aground.
1830 – arrived at Chateauneuf, tied up at wooden jetty near town centre.
1930 – found one bar open (bit unsavoury) and one restaurant. We were the only customers. Forgot the food translation book again, had the € 18 menu – chose spiced sausage thing for main course which turned out (on return to boat) to be peeled pig’s trotters – yum yum!

Day’s log - 21 kms, 6 locks.

Wednesday 22nd October
1000 – fine morning, still cold, off fairly early continuing upstream (east) after fresh baguette and chocolatines. First lock within 5 mins.
1100 – rain started. Lock duty very wet. River navigation chart soaked at second lock.
Discovered that the concave roof to the sliding cockpit roof collected large puddle of rainwater which normally drained off the sides. However, when reverse gear was engaged (eg when stopping at pontoon or lock), the bow tipped down just enough to cause the whole puddle (about 3 litres) to swoosh forwards and pour down windscreen with a significant proportion pouring into cockpit over chart, controls, seats!
1230 – still raining, still getting soaked by roof puddle despite VERY careful reverse gear use!
1330 – Through 3rd lock at St Simeux. Weather still hosing it down. Stopped for lunch.
1430 – Rain easing slightly, set off again upstream. Weather still cold so running Eberspacher heater – problem is that all the windows misted up as it was all so damp they needed constant wiping to let helmsman see. River certainly a little shallower and more weedy above Chateauneuf.
1600 – Rain finally ceased, stopped at Sireuil for tea and loaf of bread.
1700 – Carried on upstream through two more locks – had decided to stop at Trois Palis, Bridge Pont de la Meure gave us fright – arches were very narrow. Restaurant at bridge closed.
1845 – Arrived Trois Palis landing stage. Quay was at end of Corn field about 300metres from village. Started raining again.
1915 – Went in search of grocery shop which supposed to be in village. No sign of shop at all – twelfth century church and one cat met in street. Seems like ghost village!
2000 – Another ‘Emergency Meal’ – Steak.

Day’s log - 16 kms, 6 locks.

Thursday 23rd October
0800 – Woke to condensation drips in ear! Beautiful blue sky and sun just about to rise over the trees – Fantastic, would be a wonderful day at last! Leapt out of bed to find temperature nearly Baltic! This was supposed to be South of France!
1000 – leisurely breakfast and visit to village to Chocolate Factory (recommended in all the books) to get a tour and tasting.
1015 – Found factory shop open (but no lights on) but welcomed us for tour. Started with a video (English soundtrack even). Came out of video – raining!!!! Had excellent tour of rest of tiny factory and tasted couple of chocolates, all handmade (very laborious and expensive). Bought couple of bags in factory shop.
1115 – walked back to boat in heavy rain. Cast off and started to head back downstream (west), another boat just coming other way (upstream) through lock – great, the next few locks should be already filled for us going downstream.
1230 – Continuing downstream in rain – two bowls on bunk to catch drips from leaky window. Helmsman perfected technique of reverse gear in rain – put engine into reverse, leap out of driving seat and hold up washing basin and big casserole under cockpit windscreen, then put engine into neutral quickly. This procedure caught about 80% of the roof water, but looked daft to any onlookers, and needed to be really slick otherwise the boat started charging backwards into the opposide side of the lock!
1400 – Stopped at Sireuil again for lunch, nice landing stage with colourful flowers. Baker shut this time (extended French Lunch (three) Hour). Saw more wildlife in the upper sections of river.
1600 – Rain cleared at last. Stopped at Chateauneuf for baker. Decided to carry on a little more to St Simon which is picturesque village with grocery.
1800 – arrived St Simon and moored at end of quay which was not being rebuilt
1830 – Went in search of grocery shop which supposed to be in village. No sign of shop at all – thirteenth century church and one growly dog met in street. Seems like another ghost village!
2000 – Another ‘Emergency Meal’ – Pizza.

Day’s log - 23 kms, 7 locks.

Friday 24th October
Awoke to beautiful blue sky and sunrise again, boat very Baltic. This time viewed all the weather signs with deep suspicion! Ice on decks and roof.
1000 – Walked around St Simon on self-guided tour - very cold. St Simon was an important barge building village. Went into Musee des Gabariers (Charente Barges) to warm up and look around. Score 3 out of 5 only. Collected conkers from chestnut tree by quay for ‘juggling’ practice.
1115 – Set off again downstream toward Jarnac – still blue sky but very cold wind. Some of the locks were against us so made the locks a little slower. They needed filling before one could open the upper gates to enter the lock.
1315 – Stopped for lunch on little pontoon at Pont de la Vinade, near Bassac. As this was last full day we tried to eat up all the excess lunch supplies until we exploded! Boat came upstream shortly afterwards clearly looking for the pontoon we were occupying. Turned out to be the same German family from earlier in week, so they ended up ramming their bow up the bank and tying to a tree!
1415 – set off downstream again toward Jarnac. As we were dropping through the next lock, the German family appeared behind us! This meant that all the locks would be set ‘against’ them as were well ahead of them and would leave them empty – suspect that they must have began to hate us!!
1600 – arrived in Jarnac. Some beautiful and wealthy properties adjacent to the river. Managed to avoid the green buoys this time and the Courvoisier Quay. No idea if we passed the correct side of the buoys or not? Still sunny but very cold wind.
1700 – another walk round Jarnac to suss out the restaurants. More than half seemed to be shut as well as the Courvoisier Distillery Tour. Discovered one other restaurant – The Blue Restaurant which looked a bit pricey but after all it was our last night and we had economised on lots of ’Emergency Meals’ during week!
1930 – Went to Blue Restaurant for dinner. Only one other table occupied – the German Family!! We smiled and exchanged polite nods at each other. Specials board had warm salads – in error ordered main course which was virtually identical to starter, but warm – tant pis, lots of vitamins!

Day’s log - 11 kms, 4 locks.

Saturday 25th October
0800 – Awoke, Ice on INSIDE of all the boat windows as well as decks! Seriously arctic! Started engine to get heater blowing. Breakfast, cleared/cleaned boat, final shopping stroll round Jarnac. Strange sign in Jarnac square – Dalkeith (Ecosse) 1500kms!
1200 – settled fuel bill and recovered deposit. Same taxi to Bordeaux, but this time it was the owner driving – much better driver. Arrived an airport – driver no change (conveniently) so ended up with €10 tip on top of the €130 fare! France v Scotland rugby on airport TV’s – appeared that France doing rather well from sound of onlookers cheering.
1630 – BA flight to Gatwick
1945 – BA flight to Aberdeen
1015 – 45 minute wait in queue for airport taxi

Voyage totals:-

• 3000 Air kms
• 99 River kms
• 28 locks (ecluses)
• 25 Engine Hours

Note to Log
Although the Cruising Log is deliberately written in a light-hearted style which concentrates more on the funny or problem parts of the holiday, we very much enjoyed the week despite the poor weather.
Crown Blue Line (sister company to Sunsail) were efficient and courteous, we had deliberately selected an older style of boat for just three people, but it was very clean and tidy and everything worked well apart from the window leak.
The Charente river was charming and rural with plenty of good landing stages, and the self-operated locks well maintained and easy to use. The navigation chart book was excellent and no commercial traffic on the river, so it does not get crowded with boats.
We had planned to eat out most evenings, but the holiday was after the main tourist season and it turned out to be French school holiday week, hence so many restaurants and café’s closed. Weather was just bad luck – the previous week had been dry and warm.
We would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone else wanting a relaxed holiday in very rural France, only suggest slightly earlier to benefit from more places being open. Very few people spoke any English in this area so it is a great way to improve one’s French!