Theodore (Teddy) and Spud, “Les Matelots”, are so much part of our lives afloat it is impossible to imagine life without them. I suppose they are right in believing that We all live in the same kennel, albeit a large floating metal one.
Teddy is a very amenable Norwich Terrier given to us when Spud’s father (Puck) died. He has difficulty in curbing his appetite.
Spud is pack leader – he’s a seven year old Jack Russell. Read on…….
It’s September 2nd and this morning, believe it or not, we are eating local strawberries for breakfast on the “Poop deck”. My wife (Lucie) complains that such ecstacies make me go deaf.
“Actually Darling, funny you should say that,” I reply, “I was just thinking of extending Spud’s training programme for yet another year – he has a habit of ignoring me, it’s as if he is going deaf too”
You see, Spud is always making me look foolish when he totally ignores my call. An observer would be forgiven for thinking that I was calling another dog out of view altogether or that I had got his name wrong. The fact is that, like me with those delicious strawberries all covered in Yoghurt, Spud finds a more interesting thing to do which distracts him. He suffers an almost incurable disease called “Selective deafness”. Arguably, although this phenomenon is caused by creeping senility as far as I am concerned, with Spud it is quite obviously a genetic disorder peculiar to Jack Russells. It was the same with his father, Puck. I have nothing but a great deal of anecdotal evidence for this.
Anyway, inspired by the success that my friend George (from our neighbouring boat, Vertrouwen) seems to be having with his newly acquired 5 month old puppy, called Bosun, I am determined to find a solution to this embarrassing problem. Bosun already, after only three days, can do more on command than my two dogs put together. I watch George carefully and note that he always has a pocket full of tit-bits with which he rewards Bosun each time he does something on command. It’s simple enough, nothing new – I actually gave up this idea long ago after Lucie complained that I always smelled of tinned frankfurter sausages – which was indeed recommended by our dog training lady, as an irresistible reward. That was a long time ago. Year one in my training programme for Spud. So George kindly supplies me with some of his tit-bits - they are odourless and a good alternative. Our two boys love them. I start the new training regime with enthusiasm and renewed hope. I am soon to be disallusioned.
Bosun, our new neighbour - half Spaniel and half Jack Russell.
Boating life for dogs is great – when we are on the move, every day is different. They have all the excitement of visiting new places, new smells at each mooring and either sleeping, running up and down the roof of their kennel-boat or just barking at anything that may be posing a threat – like other dogs on other boats or on the distant banks of the waterway with lots of fauna, like Coypu. Of course, without a garden, they need plenty of walks ashore each day – usually first thing in the morning when I fetch the bread from the nearest boulangerie and then at least twice more when we explore the surrounding towns and villages.
It is now day three of the new training regime and there is already a difference in behaviour. Teddy is an angel – the greedy little chap – he tends to get fat through over eating and is now on a strict diet of carefully weighed dried food which, he clearly thinks, is not enough. This tit-bit idea is like “kind of cool” . I call him to heel- he sits and he is rewarded. Great! I adjust the dried food quantity accordingly, to compensate for the increase in his overall consumption. Simple.
Spud is unusual for a dog. He is not very interested in food and only eats when he has to. Today, we are still in Saint Sylvestre which lies about 58 kilometers up the Lot from where it flows into the Garonne. It’s a beautiful spot and we stay here for several weeks with splendid views of the bridge and the hilltop Basilica high above us.
Morning mist on the Lot at Fongrave
I am modestly proud of my pair of hounds. They are indeed a delight to the eye. Spud likes to take a different route each day so today we venture up to the field of charolais cows near to the village kindergarten. The children are just back from holidays and are running around their playground shouting and screaming excitedly as they see us. They all rush to the perimeter wire fence, as we approach, their faces pressed against it. Both Spud and Teds are off the lead. The cows amble over interestedly. Teddy is wagging his little tail as he pokes his head through the fence. He is adored by a multitude of tiny hands.
Our mooring at Grange sur Lot.
Spud is not interested in the least. He is, after-all, a one man dog. Yes, my dog, I like to think. The rest of the school including some teaching staff are now at the fence uttering cries of delight – lots of “oohs and arrrhs”, in French. I smile proudly and call Teddy to heel “au pied!” I cry. He comes, he sits and is rewarded. More “oohs and arrrhs”. But what is Spud doing?… oh no!……he is starting a peculiar series of circular movements with his body, a sort of ritual dance on the grass by the school fence, something which he always does before relieving himself. This normally lasts for about three minutes before the final crouch……the audience is fascinated. Three minutes is a long time when you are holding your breath. I am horrified because I know what is going to happen.
A picnic with the Nunns before visiting the prune museum.
Chris and Scioban Nunn were old friends of Robert with whom Chris shared an office in the ministry of defence, London, prior to his retirement from the Royal Navy. Now our friends too.
I call Spud to heel, my hand is reaching into my “tit-bit” pocket. It’s Teddy who comes back for more. Spud is oblivious. The children go quieter now and there is a sort of lull, like the silence before an earthquake. One of the brighter children works it out and utters the first of a crescendo of disgusted “yuukks” as the deed is done. It’s a sound which I am unlikely to forget as I slink off, shamefully unwilling to prolong the embarrassement by picking it all up with my “doggy dump” bag. Back to the drawing board for year seven! What happens when those cows do it, I wonder?…. Now there’s a thought!
Just another view of the Lot whilst cruising. Note the logs stored on deck for the coming winter not to mention the basil parsley and fucias and tiny lemon tree cutting..
Today is Monday 8th September 008. We are at Castelmoron-sur-Lot where we have been since Saturday morning. I have a second meeting with Dr.Tony Coope, whom I met for the first time last week when he came to lunch on board Body & Soul. This was a kind of return match and we visit his home up the hill in Laparade. He is planning to convert his huge basement into a studio and keeps his excellent set of drums there. He is a jazz drummer and we may get together when he gets back from the UK some time in November. I have yet to find a double bassist and a front liner or two. Will Lucie learn her guitar in time? or will she be our singer!!!!? mmmmm we’ll see.
Castelmoron-sur-Lot facing down-stream
Castelmoron-sur-Lot lies 22 kms (3hrs by Barge) from where the Lot runs into the Garonne and is supposed to have been the place where we were to winter 2007/8 but the mooring was closed for political reasons too complicated to relate now. We had a lovely time at Capestang instead. We have moved here to be nearer to the river Garonne which one has to cross in order to re-connect with the canal system. Currently because of the lack of rain in the Pyrenees, the Garonne has too little water in it to allow us to cross – a crossing for which one has to book a river pilot who guides you through the dangerous sand banks. This happens regularly each year but we may find that the window of opportunity to go across won’t happen until mid September or even later. We have to ring the pilots each day to ascertain the state of the water levels. “Do we look bothered?” Not at all. What a lovely summer it’s been. We have had this lovely river almost to ourselves since July. Almost no hire boats to get in our way. Fantastic!
The Evening Market at Fongrave where you buy your food from the stalls and then have it cooked for you before taking it to your reserved table. Lots of wine for sale too, of course.
There’s a live band of mixed ability and styles each week and a great chance to meet the French and speak it too!
The river Lot is arguably one of the most beautiful rivers in France. History relates that 234 kms were navigable in earlier times and it is a shame that so many of the old locks and barrages have been left to decay and to become Dis-functional. The good news is that the authorities, who govern the affairs of the river, have agreed to restore much of it over a period of years. Only for the last 4 years has it been navigable from its mouth where it flows into the River Garonne up as far as Lustrac – some 68 kms – and it has been our delightful stamping ground this summer.
Alongside at Lustrac
They may open the river as far as Puy l’Eveque by 2012. This means that some of its most beautiful high-sided stretches will be open to river traffic like us. It is then only a short distance from the next stretch of the river which goes up to Cahors and beyond – a stretch which is, so far, isolated but already navigable. Wonderful – we hope to be there! The other good rumour is that the equivalent body to the UK Electricity Board, the EDF, may soon raise the water level of the Garonne by building a barrage across it in order to create hydro electricity, at a place called Nicole, just south of the junction lock. This will mean that there will always be enough water to enable boats to cross the Garonne throughout the year, to and from the Lot. It will be an enormous improvement for the economy of this area and a great expansion of the waterways for boaters.
Our vague plan – and it has to be vague whilst we remain “trapped” on the river Lot – is to turn West on the Canal Lateral à la Garonne at Buzet towards Bordeaux. We are very interested to see the places like Meilhan, about half way to Bordeaux, where there are, apparently, very good free facilities. Then we will be chugging back to Castelsarassin for the winter season 2008/9 starting 1st November. We may well take a backward step to Toulouse to correct our painting on the hull, in dry dock, in the early spring. Enuff sed…but more to come.
Port de Penne, opposite side of the riverto Saint Sylvestre and upstream of the bridge where we stayed for several weeks.
The boat on the right belongs to Eva and Robert who have lived there for some time.
They invited us to a great Paella party as a return for us having them over to B&S for drinks. We were the only English….well I was anyway….
Morning treats at Campagnac
Getting back to the Dog Training Programme….. Teds is doing fine and is a joy to “promenade”. He never ceases to attract admiration from fellow walkers. Spud is still taking command of me. He is very difficult when off the lead. This morning (Tues 9th sept) for instance, I let him off the lead on the grassy verge leading up to the town centre at Castelmoron. Teds follows me intently “au pied”. I look back to see that Spud has stopped 20 yards back and is sitting down. He is what I call “refusing”. He wants to go up the long stone steps to the road and no matter what I do to discourage him, it is to no avail. In the end, I am forced to go towards him in order to prevent this dangerous idea causing an accident. Seeing that I have done what I am told, he now wags his tail and demands a “tit-bit” by sitting down again.
Can I ask, – without being silly like certain men often are – and dare I say, usually from the farming or hunting /shooting/fishing fraternity - when they tell me to use my stick, boot or even a gun (not that I have one ….. a gun I mean!) - what am I doing wrong?
It isn’t always sunny!
Our mooring at Castelmoron with the “coat-hanger” bridge in the background, seemingly supported by our chimney
Spud, the disobedient little s*d!
Moored at Saint Sylvestre looking across the river Lot towards Bourg De Penne (a basilica standing high above Port De Penne)
– watching the éclipse of the moon.
The side of our gang plank is in the foreground.
It’s OK, I’m alright now, thanks. It’s called a “hospital dive”. Fongrave has never seen the likes of this before.
Dusk at Campagnac
Brother-in-Law, Jean and I take a dip at Fongrave
The French take their fishing very seriously, like their bicycling. This shows some of the high technology involved at a fishing competition that we witnessed at Port De Penne, opposite side to Saint Syvestre.
Moored with us at Saint sylvestre – left to right– Vertrouwen, Body & Soul, Moet 1 Chandon, Lagon. All British. Excellent facilities.
Next week, we go downstream to Clairac and get stranded on a wall for lunch. Don’t miss this exciting episode of “It isn’t all plain sailing, y’know!” Part 8
Here we are at Aiguillon where we have been since 14th September. we are here waiting for the pilots to tell us that there is enough water in the Garonne to allowus to reconnect with the main canal system. If you click on this photo you will get a full size view.
Great weather and free facilities. Nice town. Could not be better.