We cast off around 10:30 after settling a few minor issues with the rental outfit.
We decided to head up river 25 ks to Beaucaire which is the start of the Rhone-Sete canal, which we are on, and Sete or close to it is our ultimate destination.
Shortly after setting out Dave suggested that I have a try at steering this boat. Easier said than done. It is a single diesel inboard engine, the steering of which takes a bit to get used to. The steering is what I call, Slow to Respond as when you turn the wheel, nothing happens and it depends on now fast you are going, the current and I later found out, the wind!
In the five hours it took us to reach Beauraire we encountered everything imaginable except a torpedoing and Somalia Pirates. After a few harrowing minutes we were all laughing about the experience but it was heart pounding at the time.
In the first and only lock today I got to boat completely turned around. Captain Dave got it straight again. When pulling out from our canal-side lunch, the stern went aground and I sharpened the propellers on the shore of the canal. There were several challenging to me experiences at the helm of this boat. I am not sure why Dave has such confidence in mu steering skills as they were nonexistent this morning and by 4:00 I was still sporting my Novice sticker that I wish I had.
When we finally made it to Beaucaire the canal was like a Chinese finger trap, once in the harder it was to get out or turn around in the canal. Later in the afternoon some wayward Brits came up the canal looking for a mooring for the night. Dave indicated that they could moor alongside us, which they did.
We had an interesting hour or two of cross-boat conversation before going below for a meal made by Alyssa that absolutely was made for the occasion.
An after-dinner walk through this once glorious town at the confluence of the Rhone River and a costal canal down to Sete on the Mediterranean.
Tomorrow we head downstream back past our starting place and moor tomorrow night we know not...
Great day...
Photos are not in the right order. Previous blog was sent before completed.
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