River Saone closed

The continued cold spell has cast its magic on the River Saone and large sections of the river have frozen over and are impassable. The VNF (French rivers and canal authority) have closed the river to all traffic for the first time since 1956.

And now it has started snowing too...

Champagne on Ice

The extreme cold weather hitting Europe at the moment has made its mark at the Old Lock. The Lock is frozen solid and the ice incredibly thick. Andy drilled a hole and estimated that the ice is about 25cm (10 inches) thick. The boats are fine but the noise that the ice makes, as it flexes and cracks, resonates through the boats' hulls and makes you fear for your life.
However, it is not all bad. On Sunday our madder than mad French neighbour invited us for a drink on the ice. In the middle of the lock.

News got round rather quickly and a crowd gathered.

Even the cat's curiosity got the better of her.

That sinking feeling

Lots of drama on the towpath between the Old Lock and town. A 2,500 ton commercial barge laden with grain began to sink. Fire crews, divers and local Police gathered and did what they could to help in the freezing weather.
Opportunistic ducks and swans gorged on the jettisoned grain.

The drama continued for several days until another vessel arrived and the grain could be unloaded.

And in the same week Andy had to jump into action and help our neighbours whose barge had sprung an alarming leak late at night. Let's hope this isn't a run of three!