TNC On Tour Autumn 2007 Page 2

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Tour 2007

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Autumn 2007 Irish Tour

Milltown to Ballinamore - Grand Canal, Shannon Navigation, Shannon-Erne Waterway, Upper and Lower Lough Erne.

Thursday 30th August 2007

Linda started off solo at 07:15 after the first dog walk of the day. Yet another shopping stop at the Daingean Centra, from 11:00 to 11:15. We started down the locks into Tullamore (Lock No 21) at 12:15, the lockies being much more in evidence this time as they correctly judged that just a couple in a boat need more help than the TNC crew. There was much evidence of trashed weed, from the assault by the Waterways Ireland weed boats.
Tullamore Basin was passed at 14:40. The lock keeper at lock No 27 was worried that we might have hit some reported underwater "large object" in the centre of town, but we had to disappoint and said that Irish canals seem to be devoid of any rubbish in them (well apart from in Dublin!). Wanting a quiet night, we passed through Pollagh and then moored up at 18:15 (not exactly satisfactorily), just down stream from the town. That evening we were amazed to be passed by two wide beam narrowboats, (one private and one Barrowline Cruisers), which ended up mooring on the village moorings in Pollagh.

Friday 31st August 2007

It was a 07:45 start from Pollagh. We managed to slip through Belmont Double Lock No 33, but Alan was soon about and set and worked us through Lock No 34. Jason was about at Shannon Harbour and set the two locks for us, we passed out onto the Shannon at 12:20. The level had come down considerably and there were a good few cruisers hung up on the banks below the bottom Grand Canal Lock. We passed through Shannon Bridge at 13:50, the flow through the navigation arch being pretty gentle.
A still fairly busy Clonmacnoise was passed by at 14:55, we got to below Athlone Lock at 16:45. The level was down again, a foot below the left hand fixed jetty. As it was free we ferry glided across the weir stream and moored on the old town wharf at 17:15. Being the start of a weekend, we don't know whether this was the best move, so padlocked the long chain on the centre fender eye. It was certainly quieter that side, as the moorings just above the lock arte nearer to bars. We had no trouble, apart from someone rapping on the side of the boat in the early hours. That night we had a nice meal in the "Le Chateau" restaurant, set in an old waterside Presbyterian Church. http://www.ireland-guide.com/establishment/restaurant_le_chateau.4062.html
It certainly was OK, but by English standards somewhat expensive, especially for the wine.

Saturday 1st September 2007

An early start from Athlone (07:05), as we are believers in the theory that the winds are always less on the big loughs, early and late in the day. It was indeed a nice smooth passage, but with somewhat dreary weather. We passed under Lanesborough Bridge (again with not much flow on the river) at 11:00, having had a slow trundle across Lough Ree, barely above tickover. We had an aborted diesel stop at Hanley's Marina. There was no one at the outer office and a phone call prompted a recorded message. Predictably a car came roaring up to the wharf, just as we were leaving!
Having been burned off by some rather fast moving cruisers, in the narrows just before Tarmonbarry Lock, we missed the 13:00 cut off for lunch, so managed to just fit on the upstream corner of the moorings below (12:45). Come 14:00 Neil moved out and planted Earnest's bow fender just outside the wing wall and held station in gear. This was because a good few cruisers had arrived and we wanted to make sure we got a reasonable mooring above, seeing as we were stopping for the night, going to the excellent Keenan's pub that evening.
We were indeed first through, but had to hover near the bridge as the long floating pontoon was full with boats waiting for the lock and to go through the lifting bridge. Moored up at 14:30, Linda went dog walking and Neil did boaty things. These included swapping batteries about, so as to charge the spare ones and filling greaser / adjusting stern gland. That evening we managed a late booking in the pub (Keenan's now has a large, posh new extension on the corner), the restaurant being fully booked.

Sunday 2nd September 2007

Linda started off on her own at 08:00. At 09:45 we arrived below Roosky Lock. The main lock keeper was about and worked us through, just as the young lady assistant locky arrived he stopped chatting and said we better move off, as if we got talking to his assistant we would never get away! There was space on Roosky wharf, so we stopped for a Centra stop (10:10). There was someone about at the boatyard, so he opened up and we had a diesel top up. Neil enquired about the depth of water through the non navigation arches of Roosky Bridge, after tales of other cruisers demolishing cabin tops (apart from the recent example on YouTube), we left at 10:25 and went straight through the centre arch, with plenty of room to spare.
We got specialist treatment at Albert Lock (12:00 - 12:15), as due to a rather shorter cruiser being unable to "fit" we were beckoned in and with the bow securely fastened, just fitted in with the stern of the boat hovering between the mitres. As we gently went up in the lock the locky moved the cruiser up, over the top cill and we just cleared the overhanging walkway. Boyle Junction passed at 14:05, Leitrim at 16:45, Kilclare Upper Lock (summit of the Shannon - Erne Waterway) at 17:15. We stopped at Keshcarrigan at 17:55. Linda went on at 19:00 and stopped at the top of Castlefore Lock No 8.

Monday 3rd September 2007

09:20 start from Castlefore Lock. At Kiltybartlan Lough we did not take the through route across, but instead went into the main body of the lough (it has a markered course) and checked out the isolated from the land fishing pontoon at the end. (10:30 - 10:50) It was a brilliantly clear and sunny morning, so there were some really excellent views across to the surrounding hills. At 13:05 we arrived back at our home port of Riversdale Barge at Ballinamore. After a quick get away we went off in the car and investigated the Shannon end of the Royal Canal, to check out the restoration progress.

Tuesday 4th September 2007

The continuation of good weather meant we decided to go boating, rather than touring in the car, so set off at 09:45, bound for the Erne. As the idyllic Houghton's Shore mooring basin was free we checked this out (11:00 - 11:20). After a pleasant trundle across the SEW we entered Upper Lough Erne and spent the night in the company of one other boat on the Naan Island West mooring Jetty. (17:15)

Wednesday 5th September 2007

10:00 departure from Naan Island, we arrived in Enniskillen, on the Forum / Broadmeadow visitor moorings at 13:00. We went through the Erneside shopping centre, to find the new large ASDA, this had been open only a few weeks. All signs of the small old ASDA, in the Erneside Centre, that Martin Clark complained about only a couple of months ago had been removed. The new ASDA was certainly up to UK mainland standard...and it was about to be extended by another 30%!
We went to Wetherspoons and had an early (two for the price of one) evening meal and a pint (NOT Guinness!). On the way back to the boat we decided as it was a nice evening, we would go off down to Lower Lough Erne, to find a peaceful island mooring. We came up trumps when we passed round Devenish Island, the moorings were all free, so we stopped on the sheltered east moorings, in the shadow of the religious site ruins (20:05). It was one of those magical evenings, we wandered around the ruins, then went to the highest point of the island to watch the setting sun.

Thursday 6th September 2007

09:10 start from Devenish Island. It was a deathly still, gloomy morning. After passing down the north of the lough, going past the Lough Erne Yacht Club moorings and past Manor House Marine, we stopped on the deserted Rossigh Jetty (10:50 - 11:10). Neil checked out the Waterfront restaurant. It certainly looked very nice, with its lake side setting. After this we went across to the other side of the lough and went back the southerly way past Carrickreagh, where three Police RIBs were milling about, presumably their rooky crews learning how to moor up and manoeuvre at low speed.
We came back the quieter way past White Island, Neil noticed that the charge rate was going down so checked under the engine boards to find some disarray. The twang he heard the night before was a bolt shearing on the Travelpower 240vAC alternator bracket. The Travelpower belt had then come off and in doing this had knocked off the outer house battery alternator belt. We could have carried on, as the water pump belt was OK, but with plenty of time on our hands, Neil pulled up on the Devenish West jetty. Having put the engine boards up on the back hatch, Neil was aware of a boat approaching, it was no other than the ever vigilant and helpful Erne Ranger, in his patrol RIB. Having established we were OK, we had a good natter, before he departed.
Our repairs stop took, between 12:50 - 14:50, as Neil had a good clear up in the engine compartment and bilges. At 17:20 we stopped for the night on Tully moorings, at the start of Upper Lough Erne, on the large Inishmore Island. A nice quiet spot, apart from the mooing cows. That evening Linda spotted a totally unaware badger, only a matter of feet away.

Friday 7th September 2007

An 08:35 start in a total pea souper of a fog. Fortunately this began to clear when we started across the main section of Upper Lough Erne, we only started to go wrong once! At 11:35 we started the Shannon - Erne Waterway and arrived back at Riversdale at 17:00. That night we drove into Carrick - On - Shannon and went to the Victoria Hall Thai restaurant, in a converted chapel. We have visited this before, with Brain Goggin and was as good as our last visit.

Saturday 8th September 2007

This was a touring day, when we started to explore County Donegal. As is sadly the case in modern Ireland some development along the coastline was less than sympathetic.

Sunday 9th September 2007

Our last day, after a big clean up, we decided to have out last trip of the season, for a final battery charge, down to Lake Garadice and back. We started off at 12:50 and ambled down on tick over, ending up on Houghton's Shore moorings between 14:15 - 14:50. Some friendly Belgians in a Locaboat Penichette hire boat came over and talked about Earnest and English canals.
We got back at Riversdale at 16:25. Our neighbour was fishing from the back of his boat, the ex-hire Riversdale wide beam narrowboat, now renamed Finn Mc Cool. Having talked with Paul we found out he used to live in Hillingdon, West London, only a matter of a mile away from us! He had retired with his wife Oona to Ireland a few years back to the wilds of Co Leitrim.

The rather twisted narrow gauge Bord Na Mona railway leading away from the BNM Swing Bridge. Grand Canal, Shannon Line.