Who Goes Swimming in the Canal du Midi?

Woops a Daisy!! Quite involuntarily, Johno ended up in the muddy Canal du Midi - not known for its good water quality!

OMG! Life buoy to the rescue

Climbing a slippery, steep ladder up the side of the lock

Heinz and I waiting to drag him up

Johno's rescue was assisted (and photographed!) by Sabine and Heinz Brieskorn. They were on a cycling holiday from their home in Germany, and had stopped to watch our barge pass through. They chatted to me as our barge came into the lock, and also helped with the ropes as there was a strong crosswind. But they soon had to swing into action…...

A few days later, we met Sabine and Heinz, in Carcassonne.  Johno was happy to confirm that he was all OK, and to thank them again. 

​And again by chance, we met them several times more, including when they resupplied us with some German beer - using an ingenious transfer method - beer in a bucket on a pole. 

We look forward to meeting Sabine and Heinz again - next year, when they come to Rarotonga.