We were bound for Metz, but Ron and Robin had a shopping errand to take care of at the waterside hardware store in the morning, and six kilometres of relaxed drifting down the waterway was what we had in mind for the afternoon. There's no point in over doing it after all.
If every journey of that distance was as eventful, perhaps we would adopt a more sedentary lifestyle, something entirely risk-free like base jumping comes to mind.
We had no reason to suspect for instance, that the operator of the lifting bridge would commence unlifting it while were below. Just how someone whose sole job is to stop traffic and allow boats through was able to avoid noticing us is something of a mystery. Not long after that the ferry that we were following stopped without notice, and with even less notice suddenly began to turn in the waterway apparently oblivious to the quite immutable fact that not one of the three pleasure boats heading towards it was equipped with a braking device of any kind.
Somehow we all avoided an untimely demise with nothing more than a cheery wave from the captain apparently unaware of his misdemeanour.
With hearts now beating at least a little above normal resting rate, we secured ourselves quietly on our mooring and were just settling down to a quiet little drink, each with the beverage of choice in hand, when an errant barge skipper, as oblivious to our presence as the ferryman had been failed in his effort to slice us in two by less than a metre.
Suddenly, in one sunny afternoon we had experienced more excitement than most would see in a lifetime on the canals. I suspect that we have used our quota and all we have to look forward to now is clear skies, calm water and incredible scenery.
Life may tend to become a little tedious!
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