The Seethalers were up early to drive off back to Bern.

Since we were up and it was promising to be another hot day, we also decided on a 9am departure from Agen to head towards Buzet. We crossed the Agen Aquaduct then went through the 4-locks with a German family in a small yacht.

At the fourth lock, there was a Sax-Guitar duo playing for the passing boats. We threw some money in their hat and then Rita asked me to get some video of them playing, as we descended in the lock. And the video below is an excellent lesson in what you should never do in a descending lock – that is, stop concentrating.

If you look at the video again, you will see that at 0.26, I start to move forward to get a better shot of the musicians – this had the effect of moving the rope around the boat’s bollard into a different than normal position. From about 0.45 onwards, you will hear some creaking noises at we descend below the level of the handrail on the dock – this was after the rope around the bollard had jammed tight on itself and was now taking the strain of the boat’s weight as it descended. At 1.08, I look around and realise what is happening. At 1.12, I put the iPhone down in the cabin, and reached for the knife hanging by the wheel. From about 1.16 onwards, you can hear me cutting at the rope with the knife (being careful to stay out of line with the rope when it goes). At 1.27, you hear the final cut at the rope and the “ping” of the taut rope as it separates. Luckily, I reacted fairly quickly and the boat only dropped about 30cm when the rope was cut (I think it scared the couple on the yacht more than it scared me; and Rita up the front was blissfully unaware of all that was happening). But it was a lesson for us all, not to stop concentrating for a moment when negotiating a lock, especially a descending lock.

Strangely, that morning I distinctly remember rearranging the torch, the key and the knife on the hook by the wheel, so that the knife was on top (just in case I needed it in a hurry, which of course I never would!). That will now become part of my permanent start-up routine when setting out from port each day.

After leaving the 4-locks we let the yacht move past us, and we then followed them down the Garonne Canal at a very leisurely pace. This is a very nice part of the canal, almost like a river with the overhanging trees on each side. You need to be careful and pick your places when passing oncoming boats, but it's a very nice run until near Serignan, when the canal reverts to being more of a canal. As can be seen below, our concern about the bikes obscuring vision was not a real problem, with a clear view ahead. Also since the bike handlebars were at the same height as the top of the wheelhouse, they were a good indication of how we would fit under bridges.

We then headed on to just past Au Canal (PK130.5), where we remembered a nice spot where we could spend a lazy afternoon in the shade at Phillipot Park. We have decided that we will wait for Stuart and Christine here when they finally catch up with us.

In the evening, we went for a relaxed stroll up to the nearby town of Feugarolles, which backs onto the River Baise on the other side of the town. A very quiet town, except for the roadworks going on at the new roundabout in front of the “old folks home”. From the LGV signs around town, it seems like the locals are not very impressed by this “waste of money”, in addition to their opposition to the upgrade of the TGV/LGV rail line through the Feugarolles area.