After a cooler evening and a good sleep, we awoke excited because this was to be our first day on the water for 2022. So, after noting the results of the attempt at recharging the bowthruster batteries, we reconnected them in hope, and left Auxonne around 0930h.

After we had been cruising at relatively high speed for about an hour, I decided to test the bowthrusters to see if the alternator on the main engine had been able to restore them to life. So I turned them on, and to my surprise they kicked into action with the joystick movement, even if their strength was fairly weak. I thought that perhaps this was because they had only been charging for a little while, so I turned them off again and vowed to test them again at the end of the day.

When we reached St. Symphorien, where we turn off the Saone and into the Canal du Rhone au Rhin, we saw a large blue boat hovering mid-stream. This turned out to be the cruise-boat Daniele, which was also waiting for the lock.

Since there was no chance of us squeezing in with them, we also hovered in mid-stream and watched them manoeuvre their way into the lock. They were assisted by bowthrusters and sternthrusters, which was just as well because there wasn't much leeway as they edged their way in. While they were a much bigger boat, I did wonder about how we would fare without our bowthrusters.

But when it came our turn about half an hour later, after waiting for a downstream boat to clear the lock, we did it in style, and were soon tied up in the lock. Rita went ashore to get the Zapper for opening the locks on the Doubs, and after a long conversation with the VNF lockmaster (who was anxious to get to lunch) she came back to remind me that we hadn't got a Vignette before we left Auxonne! However, because of the proximity of the lunch-break, the lockmaster let us through and gave us a Zapper on the condition that we stop and get a Vignette online as soon as possible, and then bring it back for him to see the Vignette Number after lunch. So we tied up at the next waiting pontoon for 2 hours, bought and printed our vignette, had our lunch and waited for the lockmaster to return from his lunch, and then went on our way.

As we waited, another boat came through the lock and passed us, but we didn't worry too much about it, until later in the afternoon when we arrived at Abergement-la-Ronce, our intented mooring place, and saw them already moored there. Luckily however there was enough space behind them for another boat. So I turned on the bowthrusters and started to pull Kanumbra into the space, but my first attempt was an absolute disaster when the bowthrusters lost power halfway through the manoeuvre, leaving me hung out to dry. So I turned them off and decided to use only the rudder and engine, and with the help of two guys from the other boat, we got Kanumbra safely moored. I'll have to think more about how to moor without bowthrusters before I try it again.

After a nervous first day without bowthrusters, I was grateful to have a shower, even if it was cold. We then put out a table and chairs in the shade of some canalside trees and settled down to wait for Valerie and Hilde (another singer, from Brugge, who was on her way back to Belgium) who were going to make some music on-board tonight. Around 1900h they arrived, and we had some drinks and dinner on shore, then moved to the rear deck of the boat. Rita asked our boating neighbours if they minded if we made some music, and they had no objections (just hope that stays the same after they hear us!). So with Valerie on accordian and guitar (not at the same time), Rita on flute, Hilde on percussion and me on Bongos (and all of us singing), we wiled the night away making sweet music (and the neighbours didn't complain). They even gave me to opportunity for an interesting abstract photo through several panes of glass.