TNC On Tour April 2007 Page 2

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April 2007

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2 - Carrick-On-Shannon to Tarmonbarry - Shannon Navigation.

Sunday 1st April 2007

It was a late start from Carrick, due to the restricted opening hours of the Shannon Locks on a Sunday (and further constrained by the fact until April 4th we were still on winter opening times). This section of the Shannon begins to open out, the navigation passing through the wide and reed bed fringed Lough Corry. We soon reached Jamestown, the village wharf and visitor moorings are straight on, by Jamestown Bridge (no navigation beyond). The navigation channel unrepentantly swings to the right, down the Jamestown Canal. This cut built during the Victorian modernisation bypasses the weir and a large loop of the river. There are a couple of fine stone bridges over the canal, at the bottom we reached Albert Lock. (11:15) We moored up and Neil went up to see the lock keeper. Mrs Bourke was about and immediately recognised Neil, or assumed that the narrowboat on her waiting area was "the one that was looking for moorings"! Neil told her of our transporting exploits from England and that we were now installed at Riversdale Barge. Mrs Bourke gave Neil a Shannon Registration form and asked us to drop it in to the Inspector of Navigation at Athlone.
The main Shannon Locks were all improved in Victorian times and are 102ft x 30ft down to Athlone. Athlone Lock is 127ft x 40 ft and Meelick (Victoria) 142ft x 40ft. We shared the lock with a hire boat who assumed that they had right of way and that we would not both fit! We paid our 1Euro 50 charge and passed out through the entrance cut and into the wide below, just looking back to the left we could see the entrance cut into the Bourke's mooring arm beside the Jamestown Canal. The hire boat worried us until we had turned right, through a markered entrance back onto the Shannon, then still failed to burn us off until we were through the Sligo line railway bridge. The Shannon is navigable upstream from this point until the Bridge at Drumsna, where there are some visitor moorings.
Beyond the railway bridge the Shannon opens out as we passed through Lough Tap. Not far beyond the first of the medium sized loughs we encountered, Lough Boderg. To the right another navigation channel cuts off to Carnadoe Quay, there are some peaceful backwaters up here, going to Kilglass, Grange and Mountain River, which are a good place in the summer to escape the hire boats.
The exit from Lough Boderg is via a narrow channel at the bottom corner, this passes into Lough Bofin. The navigation passes to the eastern side continuing up to Dromod Harbour, or then to the south, to exit the lough. The mid stream waiting pontoon for the lifting section of Roosky Bridge was soon upon us, but we would fit without it being lifted, unlike this joker! (LINK) The turned below the bridge and went onto the long wharf (a good place for a crane to launch transported barges).
Being a Sunday, the boatyard was not open for diesel, but the Centra supermarket was, so we stocked up on food.(13:15-14:00) After the many visitor moorings at Roosky we encountered our second Shannon Lock, arriving just after the lunch time closure. The Shannon is back in a river sized channel for a mile of so below Roosky Lock, and then opens out as it passes through Lough Forbes. As you pass out of the reed bed fringed Lough, Camlin River exits off to the left. This is a narrow river backwater that by passes the lock at Tarmonbarry. It is navigable and is the top way into Richmond Harbour and the yet to be connected Royal Canal. At the bottom of Camlin River there is the short, narrow Clondara Canal and Lock, which takes you back to the River Shannon.
We arrived at Tarmonbarry Lock at 15:45 and just made the last locking through of the day and moored up below the lock (16:15). That night we walked up to Tarmonbarry Bridge (this also has a lifting navigation arch) and went to the very busy and heaving Keenans Bar. Amazingly we soon swiped a table as some people left and had and excellent meal and the soon to be, inevitable pint of Guinness.

Leaving Carrick - On - Shannon. Shannon Navigation.

Carrick - On - Shannon, looking back at the Crown Blue Line hire base. Shannon Navigation.

Approaching Jamestown. Shannon Navigation.

Entering the Jamestown Canal, this cuts off a loop of the river. Shannon Navigation.

Jamestown Canal, visitor moorings by the top bridge. Shannon Navigation.

Jamestown Canal. Shannon Navigation.

Albert Lock, Jamestown Canal. Shannon Navigation.

Leaving Albert Lock, Jamestown Canal. Shannon Navigation.

Leaving Albert Lock, Jamestown Canal. To the left is the entrance to the lock keepers moorings. Shannon Navigation.

Looking back after having joined the River Shannon. The course of the Shannon visible in the distance is navigable to the bridge at Drumsna. Shannon Navigation.