While we were having a leisurely breakfast on the back deck, the first boat of the day came past heading west. Unfortunately, it was a hire boat driven by someone who didn’t know anything about etiquette when passing moored boats. They steamed past at about 8-10 kph, pulling Kanumbra well away the bank. They went past so quickly that we didn’t even get the chance to tell them to slow down. Luckily, the ropes and stakes held the barge in place, but it did convince me that next year I would make my own 3kph speed sign, and attach it to the side of the barge whenever we were moored on stakes (rather than bollards).

As we passed the moorings at la Magistere, we noticed something large on the bank and had some difficulty working out what it was. Eventually we realised that it was an old dredging barge, turned on its side and made into a sculpture. Quite a novelty.

We stopped for a quick lunch at Pommevic and then resumed the trek to Moissac. The storm that we had in Vianne a few days ago must have gone through here as well, as there were many newly felled trees along and across the canal. On one, we spied a tortoise sitting on a branch of the tree in the water. it stayed there while we brought the barge to a halt and backed up closer to the tree for a photo, but eventually it scampered back into the water.

In mid-afternoon, we arrived home to Moissac and tied up in port. We had only got a couple of weeks proper cruising this year, given the issues with Frank’s health and other interruptions, but they were thoroughly enjoyable and a welcome break. We resolved to do more next year.