A Long Haul - Trebes to Homps

Today we have a long trip ahead to our next stop - 28 kilometers - so we wanted to get an early start.  Since many other boats in our crowded marina may have had the same idea, we decided to get going to the lock, which was right at the edge of town as soon as we were dressed.  Before we could shove off, the Swiss guy from the next boat came by asking if we had internet cause he had an important work email that had to be sent.  He came on our boat to send it.  Unfortunately, the internet was working particularly slowly in this town, so it was taking about a half hour.  His boat was also heading the same way as we were, so we all decided that he'd ride with us to the next lock to finish up.  However, his email went just before we were ready to go.  He went back on his own boat and gave us a box of Swiss chocolates for our trouble!  He told us that these were made 15 minutes from his home.

Swiss guys who borrowed internet

The first lock was actually a series of 4 locks and it was good that we were there early because we were in the first group to go through.  Had we waited, it might have been an hour or more to wait!  We continued on in the canal, occasionally passing through locks with the Swiss people and a small boat with two French men.

Scenery along the way (above and next three pictures)

We came upon one lock that we thought would have room for four boats and we were number four.  However the lockkeeper felt otherwise so we had to pull over and wait.  Because it was a triple lock and there would probably be another boat coming up after the three ahead of us went through, we figured we had about 40 minutes to wait.  So, we got out some fruit, cheese and veggies and began to eat lunch.  We no sooner started eating when the green light came on that we could go through.  So we jumped off and went through the three locks.  The next set of locks came  up quickly, but by then it was lockkeeper's lunchtime, so we pulled over and tied up.  We walked around a bit and found beautiful vineyards from which we stole grapes.

Stolen grapes

At the vineyard where we stole grapes

One of the locks we passed through had all kinds of sculptures that the lockkeeper had made.  He used old tools, shovels, bicycle chains, etc to create people or animals, some of which were very funny.  After we went through the lock, we pulled over and tied the boat up so we could go back and look at them.

Later on, we stopped in the small town of La Redorte.  We wandered around the town and saw the old cross marking the existence of an alms house; and the old pump.  We looked for but couldn't find the Chateau.  We did get inside the church, but it wasn't anything special.  While walking around, we came across a mother cat nursing a litter of tiny kittens.  After a bit, we noticed the dad, peeking out of the top of a barrel!  Before we left this lovely little town, we bought pastries and meats and cheeses.  Then we got back on the boat and started "sampling" the pastries. 

Around La Redorte

Old pump in La Redorte

I haven't mentioned that we've been plagued with flies.  While we were going through another lock, I saw that they had a small souvenir stand.  I went over and found a couple of things to buy, but I was so excited to see a fly swatter, which I promptly bought and everyone was happy (except the flies).

A Chateau we saw from a distance

Argentdouble Aqueduct 

Typical low bridge

When we finally arrived in Homps we moored in the LeBoat dock and filled up with water.   Then we took a walk around the town, stopping in the Captainierre to buy some more wine and other souvenirs.  We scoped out the various restaurants and chose a nice one with outside seating.  We had a very unfriendly waitress but good food and lots of wine!

It's a little blurry but so were we!