Reflections

It’s been a week since we came home and life is getting back to what was once known as normal.
We both agree that this has been a wonderful year of cruising, and what we had wanted from the beginning. Last year was getting to know the boat and the waterways and moving down into France; this year was about enjoying France.  The weather was perfect for us which made a huge difference.  It was gorgeous as we came from Strasbourg across to Paris, got cooler and grey for most of July and part of August (which was perfect as we were in Paris) and then was gorgeous again for most of September and into October as we cruised up the Yonne river and the Burgundy canal. Now I look on the internet at the temperatures I know we made the right decision to come back to California.
The biggest surprise this year was how few boats seemed to be out cruising. There were plenty when we arrived in St. Jean de Losne but it seems not many of them went very far.  It meant that we never had trouble finding a mooring anywhere and we still made lots of new friends, but sometimes it was eerily quiet.

This must have been the year of the spider as they were everywhere – in the ropes and the covers and on everyone’s boats.  I only make this comment because now we have returned they seem to be everywhere here too.Could it be they are making their move for world domination?
Rosie really likes being home – we were worried it might revive painful memories of Noodle - but she settled straight back into the old routine and actually seems happier here. As for us, it is nice to have the comforts of home and to catch up with friends and family.  We don’t have to schlepp off to the grocery store every day or lug clothes to the Laundromat. Nor do I get to go searching for the patisserie and the pain au chocolat every morning, but that means we don’t eat them either (we are missing the patisseries already). It  means our day is not as full, and we don’t go new places and meet new people every day.  In short we are already looking forward to next year!
Armida is sitting on the land at H2O in Saint de Losne, about 1/2 hour from Dijon in Burgundy.  I hope she will come through the winter that can get well below freezing with snow and strong winds.  It will be her first winter outside since she was built 25 years ago but that’s the way it is in France, and we didn't want to go all the way back to Strasbourg, or the Netherlands for a covered mooring.  Below is the map of our travels this year. We ran for 250 Engine hours, went through 394 Locks and travelled 1083km (650 miles). Next year we are thinking of doing the loop through the Canal de Nivernais and then back down the eastern Loire valley on the Canal de Centre and then shooting down the Rhone and into the Canal du Midi to finish in Toulose. Still projections at this point.
This is my last post of this year – back next Season!
Rob, Terry & Rosie.