Tonnerrre

I have worked out the dead fish mystery. We have been seeing a few dead fish in the canals. When they get caught in a lock filling up all the air in the water suffocates them. I certainly wouldn’t want to fall in. We saw a little dog that had drowned yesterday, it wouldn’t have had a chance.

We had a beautiful cruise on l’Yonne river before coming into the Canal de Bourgonne. The locks in the river were huge and automated with sliding floating quays. A big change now we are back in the canal system and harder work with the locks going up. I was completely wiped yesterday after helping with some of the heavy gates that don’t have winders, just these huge bars to push.

The little towns on this stretch are quite different – bigger buildings and different styles. It is noisier at night as we are alongside the railway line and last night, in Tonnerre, across the canal from a huge grain silo.

We saw an amazing insect, a bit like a humming bird, which I am keen to identify. More birds of prey and lots of ducks, silvery skinks on every stone wall, there is always something new.