Cruising towards Négra on the reach of the canal (the part between two locks), we meet a colony of still-downy young ducks which swim prudently away from the boat.

We stop off briefly at the Négra Locaboat base we left yesterday to fill our water-tanks (6 people use a lot of water), and to eat from the provisions we bought in Toulouse. On our route, there is no lack of supermarkets, little restaurants bordering the canal, and taxis to get from the locks to neighbouring villages.

 

The afternoon again enchants us. The green archway becomes a long tunnel of leaves and we take real delight in the way our boat parts the water, as a skier takes pleasure in marking new snow. The sunlight filters through the foliage, its reflection dancing on the water like thousands of tiny golden streaks of lightning, dazzling us.
We spend a peaceful night at Gardouche, a few kilometres further on, sheltered by the trees. Dotted here and there along the banks, patches of colour stand out against the green background : the tall, feathery, rosy-white stems of pampas grass. This is a painter’s haven.
A gourmet’s haven, too, moreover, for we can’t resist temptation any longer : the thought of Castelnaudary (renowned for its cassoulet ) being so near, whets our appetite. We have a word with the lady lock-keeper who advises a good restaurant and, only a short taxi-ride later, we are enjoying a sumptuous cassoulet at the Hotel-Restaurant du Lauragais in Villefranche-de-Lauragais (tel. 05.61.27.00.76). An address worth keeping in mind!
We are woken up by the ducks (most likely exchanging the morning news) and, while outside a gossamer mist floats languorously in the air just above the water, we drink our coffee in the cosy saloon.

Turn the engine on and soon it will be humming discretely.  We've untied the ropes and are getting organized. The children have taken over the showers - not for very long - and the rest of the crew members are trying to make the boat presentable. Life on board is calm and tranquil. Everything is done naturally. With three cabins and two showers nobody gets in the way. We live in the galley or outside, in the shade of the huge trees.
Sometimes in the morning it's time for summer homework. No work ? No visits. At least, thats the warning. It seems to work because both of the school children are studying. Well, nearly.  Because the opportunities to be distracted are frequent.

Soon we come to the double lock at Encassan. Here we need all the experience of locks we have previously gained, for, as the water fills the lock-chamber, the strength of the current is amazing and two other boats are going through at the same time as our own : another barge, manned by a couple of friendly, voluble Italians from Anconna ; and a small yacht being conveyed to the blue waters of the Mediterranean by two cheerful helmsmen.

After this ‘turbulent’ episode, we cruise past Port Lauragais which boasts sheltered modern facilities, and Montferrand where castle ruins can still be seen dating from the time of Simon de Montfort who launched the Albigensian Crusade. On the hillside there is a wind-farm. The windmills look like gigantic ventilators, their huge blades beating the air. I wonder if the rabbits appreciate them in the heat of the summer.

We pass an old stone bridge guarded by a family of mallards and arrive at the Ocean lock, near the highest point on the Canal du Midi, that is the Naurouze pass, where an obelisk has been erected in memory of Riquet.

The lock-gates are handled by a young man who is earning pocket-money to help pay for his studies while at the same time developing his arm muscles. A one-hundred-year-old cedar stands guard at this spot. We advance under the foliage, following the yacht in front. Somewhere amongst the vegetation, we sail past the plaque signalling the Atlantic /Mediterranean watershed. It’s a little like crossing the equator. Yet this historic moment passes without any ceremony on board. We do, however, celebrate this unforgettable occasion with a festive drink and a succulent, locally-produced confit . For those who choose to be lazy about cooking, there are a couple of little restaurants, friendly as could be, in Le Ségala just after the bridge (going south).