Pete finds it hard to sit still when we tie up the boat so luckily there are usually jobs to do. While at Seuil lock we decided to finish off making the fenders which protect the gunwales (our widest point) and protect the ropes that support our zigzag fenders. The gunwale used to pinch the zigzag ropes and snip them like a guillotine. It was a regular event for me to rescue a zigzag from dragging in the water on its remaining rope or from floating away as we had snipped both ropes. Since we made these macrami fenders from stretched old rope we managed the whole summer cruise and only broke one rope which happened when a zigzag caught in a hole in a lock wall. The rope fender has a core of 2 ropes straight through the centre and 2 outside ropes tied in reef knots around the core, very simple but effective. Pete was very proud of his handiwork!

So back to the flight of 27 locks on the Canal des Ardennes and a brief stretch crossing the river Oise before entering the first one of the flight.