Since the battery charge level had fallen to 63% over the past couple of days, I decided to start the generator at 0900h to re-charge the batteries. But, as expected, the generator battery was flat again, so I had to use the jump start cables to get it started off one of the engine starting batteries. While I was in a handyman sort of mood, I also decided to re-attach the gangplanks to the underlying ladder, since the zip-ties I used a couple of years ago seem to have become very brittle fron U-V light exposure. While I was doing this, I glanced up and noticed the varied rooflines in Dole.

I adjourned to the wheelhouse to do some catch-up work on this blog, when I heard a knock on the door. On opening the door, a guy said "Hi, I'm Ross Smith". I had a strange feeling; I knew the name, but couldn't place the face (and normally I'm exactly the reverse; can remember faces but not names). And then he explained he was from Piper barge CLEO, and I realised where I knew him from, having just conversed last night on the internet on the Piper Barge Forum about insurance issues for Australian registered barges. His barge CLEO was still in Auxonne, and they had just come over to Dole by train to have a look around. So I invited him and his wife Sandra on-board and we yacked for about a hour, before they had to go off for lunch.

Soon after, Sarah and Albon (our farming friends from Bessan) arrived for lunch on Kanumbra, and then we went for a walk around Dole. Having been here several times as a "local", Albon knew much more about Dole than we did and showed us some interesting sights, including the Dole cat-logo showing their walking tours, some of the hanging signs and the underground tunnels that were used for water supply in the olden days.

In mid-morning we noticed a large barge (Ateron II) entering Dole from the north, so we waved a welcome to the skipper. We thought he was just waving back, but he was in fact asking us for help in mooring.

So we followed him up the quai toward the space where we had intended to moor yesterday, and helped him tie up. He just fitted into the space, but did not need any spars to keep him off the dock, since he was already sitting on the mud,

We also found cat "artwork" in some unusual places elsewhere in Dole.

We took a walk along Rue Tanneurs (behind the three smilers below)...

...where we made the obligatory stop at the childhood home of Louis Pasteur, whose father worked as a tanner at this site.

We then walked to the other side of Canal des Tanneurs, where we looked back at the houses with the Basilica behind.

We then returned to the barge (to deposit excess clothing we had taken with us on the walk, and to turn off the generator - batteries up to 94% by 1500h), and then headed for the Doubs barrage upstream of Dole, which we had heard was a favourite swimming spot.

It turned out to be exactly that, and the three of them really enjoyed the "spa" at the foot of the barrage.

After they had thoroughly cooled down, we returned to the barge, and then headed across to Mermaid, where Judy Lynne and Peter had invited up for apero and nibbles, and told us to bring our guests along as well. They also invited ian and Lynda (Aussies from the boat next to Mermaid), and we had a great few hours before Sarah and Albon had to leave to attend to some evening duties at the farm.