TNC On Tour April 2007 Page 14

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Tour 2007

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April 2007

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14 - Spencer Harbour to Ballinamore - Lough Allen, Shannon Navigation, Lough Allen Canal and Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Friday 13th April 2007

We planned and agreed with the locky that we would be at Drumshanbo, when he opened up shop at 09:00, so we left at 07:30. It was still windless and that brought other problems, fog! As we left the sun had began to burn off the fog, but it seemed to be hanging around in a visible bank at the bottom of the lake, just where the exit was. Fortunately the fog just lifted enough for us to have a clear run out through the many markers.
We got to Drumshanbo at 08:45 and hung around waiting for the locky. It was one of those occasions where he managed to creep into the cabin undetected and the first we knew of his arrival was when the bottom gates opened. It was a much quicker passage down the canal and we exited at 10:55, by which time the Germans in the Linssen cruiser had caught up.
We had a bit of an interesting diversion at the junction with the Shannon Erne Waterway (11:10 )...no, you can't get even take a shallow draughted narrowboat the direct route at the end, but definitely do have to go round the island!
There were a good few boats moored at Leitrim and we passed a cruiser that was heading down through the bridge. Although we had stopped, he backed right off and called us on through. Neil bought another 20 unit card off the Waterway Patroller from the hut beside the bottom Killarcan Lock No 16.
Nothing really to report on the way up to the summit, we passed out of Kilclare Upper Lock No 9 at 14:10. There were still plenty of moorings available at Keshcarrigan, which we passed at 14:50. We wanted to get to our "home" port of Ballinamore that night and made it within plenty of time, arriving at 17:05.
After a quick shop in Centra we repaired to Smyth's Bar, for a pint of Guinness and a meal. The service was rather quick, so at 07:30, with half an hour to go before the locks shut off we decided to shove off an get clear of the Riversdale fleet which was on the moorings, having their last night in town before returning their hire boats the next morning. This proved a good plan, as a young girl had gone ahead to set the lock for her parents on a Locaboat hire boat that had the same idea! They let us go first, so got a freebie at Ballinamore Lock No 6, as well as at the nearby Ardrum Lock No 5, as another Locaboat hire boat was just leaving the lock.
We arrived at Aghoo Lock No 4 at 20:20 and predictably did not get through, so joined the Waterways Ireland works cruiser that was moored on the lock waiting area. We examined the "works" that were going on around the lock, which according to Graham Thomas had been going on for nearly TWO years! rather a long time to put in a floating pontoon below the lock and improve the lock side.

The incredibly still and misty morning departure from Spencer Harbour. Lough Allen.

Departure from Spencer Harbour. Lough Allen.

The incredibly still and misty morning departure from Spencer Harbour. Lough Allen.

Lough Allen.

Last view back at Spencer Harbour. Lough Allen.

Lough Allen.

The mist thickens at the exit point from Lough Allen.

Lough Allen.

The Shannon exit sluices from Lough Allen. These were put in at the time of the building of the Ardnacrusha hydro-electric dam, to regulate the flow in the Shannon.

Lough Allen.

Drumshanbo. Lough Allen.

Drumleague Lock, Lough Allen Canal.

Waiting (there was a lot of this on the Lough Allen Canal!) for Battlebridge Lock. Lough Allen Canal.

Battlebridge Lock. Lough Allen Canal.

Battlebridge Lock. Shannon Navigation.

The junction with Shannon-Erne Waterway in Leitrim. There is NO channel straight on! Shannon Navigation.

Leitrim. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Leitrim. The floaty pontoon visitor moorings. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Leitrim. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Killarcan Lock No 16. Leitrim. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Tirmactiernan Lock No 15. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

The waterfall like by-weir at Tirmactiernan Lock No 15. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Tirmactiernan Lock No 15. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Drumduff Lock No 14. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Newbrook Lock No 13. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Newbrook Lock No 13. Peter Wright looks on. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Lisconor Lock No 12. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Kilclare Lower Lock No 11. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Kilclare Middle Lock No 10. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Kilclare Upper Lock No 9. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Looking down at Kilclare Middle Lock No 10. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Kilclare Upper Lock No 9. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Bridge No 8, Lough Conway off to the left. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Bridge No 10. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

The Rock Cut. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

The Rock Cut and Bridge No 11. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Entering Lough Scur. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Lough Scur. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Exiting Lough Scur. We are now on the Erne marker system. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Keshcarrigan. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Rossy Footbridge. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Castlefore Lock No 8. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Muckros Lough. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

St Johns Lough. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Kiltybardan Lough. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Bridge No 18. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Ballyduff Lock No 7. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Entering Ballinamore. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Ballinamore. The Riversdale fleet is in town! Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Martins coaches run the courtesy bus service for the upper Shannon and Shannon-Erne hire boat bases to Belfast and Dublin. Ballinamore.

Ballinamore.

Ballinamore Wharf, the Riversdale Fleet in town. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Bridge No 20 in Ballinamore is on a nasty sharp corner. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Just below Bridge No 20 in Ballinamore are some more moorings in the short stub up the weir stream. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

The Locaboat base in Ballinamore. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

Ardrum Lock No 5. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

We arrive at Aghoo Lock No 4 out of time, so we moor up for the night. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

The new floaty pontoon below Aghoo Lock No 4. Shannon-Erne Waterway.

The Tour Continues...

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