Headed off from Moissac at 10.15 am on our way south, with the intention of reaching the Montech Canal tonight.

We were thinking of double-locking with Hilda May as we left Moissac, but the VNF eclusier at Moissac advised against it, based on our barges’ sizes and the spacing of the sliders and bollards in the locks. So Hilda May went first and we followed about 15 minutes later (the time for a cycle of the locks). Since we had already done the run to the west yesterday, we were already facing the right way, but Hilda May had to reverse down the canal then turn around in the space near the lock down to the Tarn.

The cross currents below each lock from the overflow channel, and the sidewinds, made entering some of the locks tricky. However, all was OK till lock 22, where we whacked the left side of Kanumbra on entry, and broke the lead rope on the zig-zag fender. We decided to stop and fix it before the next lock, but we then got out of synch with the four linked locks we were in the middle of at the time. So we had to wait until the VNF person returned to that lock to reset the sequence.

Then we chased off after Hilda May. They had stopped at Castelsarrasin for some lunch, so we called them on Channel 10 on the VHF radio and advised them of our delay. They suggested we pass them and they would then follow us. So we did that and went in procession to Montech, having phoned the eclusier for the Montech 5-locks system to advise them of the arrival of both boats (06 33 85 48 11). When we got to Montech, we turned left into the Montech Canal and then stopped after a while for the night at Lacourt St Pierre. We were going to phone the eclusier on the Montech Canal in the morning (06 85 75 71 38) to advise them of our passage, but as we were mooring at Lacourt St Pierre, we met him and so let him know directly. He reminded us that the Montech Canal locks don't open till 9.30am each morning.  We had a few drinks and a cheese platter on our rear deck with Stuart and Christine, and then an early night after 8 hours at the wheel.