down amongst the boaty folk

Down amongst the boat folk……

A lot of money has been spent this holiday in ensuring that we have our power boat with us.

For that reason entirely we have left it almost entirely alone. Until yesterday, then safely hitched behind the IVECO we set off for Guerledan and the lakes, this inturn involved going through the small town of Seglien which was closed for a cycle race.

The ideal thing to come across in a huge IVECO with a trailer added for good measure. Some enjoyable anarchy of small narrow street with lunatic parking with matching lunatic driving and we were safely back on course for the lake.

Boating is a strange activity, even in France some level of competence is necessary before you take off in a car but anyone and his brother can simply arm themselves with Euros and get a boat.

A day or so back, Taliesin and I watched in silent amusement as a couple tried and eventually gave up at launching their boat. Ohh yes they had the hull, a superb rigid speed boat, perfect compliment for a 455 cubic inch marinised chevy V8 which was putting down 320 horse power, so we were assured. Naturally the trailer was high spec as was the tow truck that had I reckon donated it’s original motor to power the boat and which was now running some big meaty diesel that sounded like it had come out of a HGV.

Make no mistake, they had the boat they had the trailer they had the tow truck, all they were missing was a clue……

Ten minutes and they were no closer getting the thing in the water, much shrugging arm waving and they gave up.

That is not that I am holding us up as paragons.

We had successfully left our long ropes in Wales so naturally when we had to drag the boat out of the water, the height restrictions meant the IVECO stoped a few yards short by the height barrier, well OK about 100 yards up the slipway.

This in turn meant that we had to struggle out of the water and drag the boat up to the van. The surrounding boat people helpfully watched us struggle and, in a blaze of profanity we eventually got it hitched.

For some reason the enthusiasm for the boat and indeed boating has dimmed a little.

Today we are off to the bat museum and then maybe I am off to the internet café, you will be the first to know…..

R