Laurel Cooper – författare

When Bill and Laurel Cooper decided to spend the winter in the South of France, they took their seaworthy but half-finished Dutch barge Hosanna" by an overland route through the canals and rivers of France. Climbing the watersteps of the Massif Central, they passed through some out-of-the-way places, made a variety of friends and had many adventures before they arrived in time for Christmas in the Camargue. In this book, the Coopers describe their experiences of the French, their folklore, customs and food."

This sequel to "Watersteps" tells the story of the Coopers' voyage by barge from the North Sea, eastbound across flooded France, down the Rhine in full spate, through the new Rhein-Main-Donau Kanal, and down the Danube to the Black Sea.

Living afloat on inland canals, rivers and waterways is a popular choice throughout the UK and Europe, and its popularity is growing. Attracted for financial, environmental or lifestyle reasons, there are now so many people wanting to sell up and live on the water that there are waiting lists for permanent berths. Bill and Laurel Cooper are the experts on living afloat. Practising what they preach, they have lived aboard a variety of boats throughout Europe for over 30 years. Covering UK, European and American inland waterways, they offer practical, first-hand expert advice on: - Suitable boats - Likely costs - Rules and regulations - Insurance considerations - Pros and cons of the liveaboard lifestyle - Dealing with health and other problems - Provisioning And much, much more With anecdotes from their own experiences to illustrate their points, as well as maps, sketches and photographs, the Coopers can help anyone dreaming of selling up and cruising the inland waterways to make that dream become a reality.