Leaving the Nivernais, joining the Lateral a Loire, and arriving at Nevers

We had a lovely green mooring, at a place called Champvert where we  werent going to stop but we had a spectacular hail and thunderstorm from which we had to take cover.

My Saturday night treats from John didn't help the dieting but the Black Forest nougat was absolutely delicious and I managed to make it do two nights.

A very proud Mother and Babies, who hoped we had some bread for them but were sadly disappointed.

We waited on this aquaduct for an hour, for the lockeeper to arrive, despite having told them when we would arrive!!

These two pictures show another storm approaching....!!

 We only travelled a short distance from Champvert as there was a mooring right alongside a huge hypermarket, and we were in dire need of provisions and fuel! After two nights there we moved on, out of the Nivernais Canal and onto the Loire at Decize where we encountered our first 'rope' lock of this year. You have to pull the rope to activate the lock!

It was quite a deep lock, and for some bizarre reason the top of the lock gates were missing!

The new port at Decize, costing 12 euros a night plus fees for water and electricity.. needless to state we moved on!

Despite the frequent storms, there is a water shortage and we had to wait 2 hours until another boat joined us in order to join the Canal Lateral a Loire. This is a very pretty and green canal so far but the water level is low in places.

A pretty aquaduct over the Loire river

This lock had carefully sculptured the bushes to make the name of the lock!

We moored here at Fleury-sur-Loire for 3 nights, the charges were reasonable and we had a delicious dinner at the Quai side restaurant.

 We had a couple of nights at a 'wild mooring' before yesterday making our way to Nevers where we plan to spend about a week. We were greeted by another rope lock at the entrance to a small branch of canal which leads to Nevers.

Our sighting of a city, Nevers, the first one since we left Auxerre in April!

 So we are moored in the harbour, there is more inclement weather forecast but with museums etc to visit, and shops to shop in, we don't mind at all!