Slept in, waiting for rain to stop. Saw Papillon pass on their way to Meilhan while I was showering. After breakfast, we were ready to leave when a big tourist barge went past. We gave them time to clear the next lock, then headed out just in front of a hire boat coming out of Pont des Sables. On reaching the first lock, just beyond the small aqueduct, they had caught up with us and wanted to double-lock. That was OK with us, so we moved forward as far as possible, and they came in behind, but instead of tieing up on the other side and moving their nose forward, they stayed directly behind us and held onto their ropes rather than using the bollard with us. As we left the lock, we heard them revving the motor, but going nowhere. Seems they were stuck on the cill, since being behind us on the same side of the lock had forced them too far back and they couldn't hold their ropes without using a bollard. We warned the tourist barge which was on its way back to the lock. As we disappeared into the distance, they were still stuck on the cill.

Headed on to Meilhan. At the last lock, it started to rain - our first wet locking. By the time we reached Meilhan, it was pissing down. Cruised slowly through port looking for a space, but nothing big enough. So went downstream about 20 boats and finally moored just beyond Ailsa, in torrential rain. I was trying just to hover in midstream until the rain stopped, so that Rita would not have to do the ropes in the rain, but my forward and reverse movements moved us gently into the bank - looked like I knew what I was doing. So we moored, and then had a relaxed lunch while we waited for the rain to stop, which it did about an hour later.

Another hour later and still no sign of the hire boat - maybe they are still stuck on the cill! Spent the afternoon reading and following the Olympics while we waited for the rain to fully stop. When it stopped, we went for a walk around Meilhan looking for somewhere to eat, since we hadn't shopped because of the rain today, but found diddly squat. So back to the boat for pasta and sauce and then an earlyish night.