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Canal Du Midi


Stephen Sugg

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And don't get me started on Teeside! It's Tees - side! Teesside! And - UTB! What will the derby be? Tees/Wear or Tees/Tyne?

 

I think traditionally Sunderland have been seen as the arch enemy so Tees/Wear I would say. Assuming of course Sunderland stay up which is by far from certain.

 

They are currently losing 1-0 at home to Chelsea.

Edited by MJG
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Just as a matter of interest, did the people at Le Boat emphasize to you, the need to slow down when passing moored boats. I've been told that most hire boats cruise past at the same speed, oblivious of the problems that can be caused by not slowing down

 

But as mentioned they charge quite steeply for fuel, based on the number of engine hours recorded. This is a major factor in the speeding problem.

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But as mentioned they charge quite steeply for fuel, based on the number of engine hours recorded. This is a major factor in the speeding problem.

The prices were eye-watering, the one time we went on the Canal du Midi, both the hire costs and the fuel on top of it all. About £3000 for a week in October. Then when we couldn't turn the engine off one evening, they didn't bother to come out and fix it. No, we haven't been back.

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Some hire firms offer an all-in package surplus to the hiring fee: Locaboat, for example, charged a fixed fee for unlimited engine hours + cleaning on return + bicycle hire. We did not want the bike but, as we averaged 8 or 9 hours travelling per day (the hire base people could not understand this) we came out in front. It was about £200.

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I may ask then about doing a deal. Also, they upgraded us from our original boat to a more expensive one because the original one had a problem. Original boat 5 euro an hour, this one 7. I think I have a case to insist on the original price.

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It's a common mistake. Even the close by market town between us and Middlesbrough is spelt Guisborough. There is no definitive reason as to why the name is spelt as it is one theory being it was a simple spelling error very early on in the town's history and the 'incorrect' spelling stuck.

Of course, the correct older spelling is Gisborough, and the canal connection is that one Lady Gisborough was the Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter of Thomas Steers, probably the most important British waterway promoter and engineer of the early 18th century.

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I may ask then about doing a deal. Also, they upgraded us from our original boat to a more expensive one because the original one had a problem. Original boat 5 euro an hour, this one 7. I think I have a case to insist on the original price.

Yes and no. You're getting a better boat for 2 euros an hour extra. Sounds reasonable to me. Have a look at the price difference between the two craft - you may find that you're in fact getting better value.

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Of course, the correct older spelling is Gisborough, and the canal connection is that one Lady Gisborough was the Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter of Thomas Steers, probably the most important British waterway promoter and engineer of the early 18th century.

 

Correct.

 

The Hall just outside the town is still referred to/called 'Gisborough Hall'.

 

It's a 'posh' hotel nowadays.

 

http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/gisborough-hall-hotel/?gclid=CjwKEAjw6sC5BRCogcaY_dKZ2nESJABsZihx-l_7BBCDqMR08ocn5U4AU6wuPyrmbgtndiPXfkBSpxoCYpTw_wcB

 

Some people think its a mistake. laugh.png

 

I wasn't aware of the canal connection though - cheers.

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We are aboard. It is raining. We are now moored just below he Laurens Staircase. We will go up tomorrow. Thing is, every lock so far has been completely automated with signs and traffic lights and buttons. This has none of those things! Any ideas???

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But as mentioned they charge quite steeply for fuel, based on the number of engine hours recorded. This is a major factor in the speeding problem.

A real ripoff, If it was for diesel the boat we hired did about a gallon an hour.

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Yes and no. You're getting a better boat for 2 euros an hour extra. Sounds reasonable to me. Have a look at the price difference between the two craft - you may find that you're in fact getting better value.

As an aside, they had pre empted my question and lowered the price already to the pre upgrade price

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Lockie turned up this morning and did it all with a remote control thing. Very impressive, he also completely missed the middle lock of the three and just filled it from the top pound. Quite a sight seeing the water flood over the middle cill.

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In the past, you only had to pay for the fuel needed to refill the tank when your holidays were finished, so then it was possible to safe some cash by filling up from a cheap roadside pump before topping up at the hire base.

 

Now they just look on the hour counter and multiply that by whatever ridicules amount they've decided on, so now to limit these hours, you should stop your engine while waiting for a lock to be prepared, and while locking through too, that can make quite a difference over a week.

 

Also try to avoid running the engine without moving, only to heat up your water, as that will make for very expensive showers.

 

Have a nice Holiday anyway.

 

Peter.

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Lockie turned up this morning and did it all with a remote control thing. Very impressive, he also completely missed the middle lock of the three and just filled it from the top pound. Quite a sight seeing the water flood over the middle cill.

 

This happened to us at Castelnaudray in 1988 on a staircase of (I think) 7 locks, Quite scary!

 

 

102%20Canal%20Du%20Midi%20%20Castelnaudr

 

Tim

Edited by Tim Lewis
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This happened to us at Castelnaudray in 1988 on a staircase of (I think) 7 locks, Quite scary!

 

 

Tim

 

After such a long time, I can't blame you for not remembering the exact place.

 

The only 7 staircase lock on the Midi is at Fonserannes just outside Béziers, after which (going towards Carcasonne) you have a lock free pound of almost 54 kms.

 

They normally let the water come in from the top, and as soon as the level in your lock chamber is high enough to allow you to pass the cill of the next lock, you go forward and they close the gates of the lock you just left behind you, this is done to waste as little water as possible.

 

Peter.

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After such a long time, I can't blame you for not remembering the exact place.

 

The only 7 staircase lock on the Midi is at Fonserannes just outside Béziers, after which (going towards Carcasonne) you have a lock free pound of almost 54 kms.

 

They normally let the water come in from the top, and as soon as the level in your lock chamber is high enough to allow you to pass the cill of the next lock, you go forward and they close the gates of the lock you just left behind you, this is done to waste as little water as possible.

 

Peter.

 

Got me confused now as this is one of my pictures labelled​ Fonserannes and it doesn'y look like the location of my first picture that was labelled Castelnaudray?

 

163%20Canal%20Du%20Midi%20Fonserrannes%2

 

Tim

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Hi Tim,

 

your photo didn't look like Fonserannes, but that's the only place on the Midi with a 7 staircase lock.

 

Closer towards Castelnaudary where your photo was taken there are a triple staircase lock followed by a double staircase lock followed by a quadruple staircase lock, after which you'll arrive at Castelnaudary.

 

They are quite impressive too, only slightly less than Fonseranne.

 

Peter.

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We are now stuck at a lock. Was particularly annoying because a hotel barge called Louisa pushed in front of us and then faffed around just long enough for the lock to close for lunch. We have now failed to get to our chosen place for lunch.

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