TNC On Tour Summer 2007 Page 17

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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Irish Summer Tour 2007

17 - Meelick to Garrykennedy - River Shannon Navigation and Lough Derg.

Saturday 7th July 2007

Meelick / Victoria Lock opens at 09:00 and there was an opening at Portumna Swing Bridge at 11:00, it was going to be tight for us, at narrowboat speed! Fortunately the locky was fairly with it and we left the chamber at a fair pace at 09:30. After adjusting our speed up, then down we arrived above Portumna at 10:45 and started the process of milling about. A good few other boats came down, including a couple of M barges. As is normally the case if there are a lot milling about above the bridge, the downstream boats were let through first and at 11:10 we roared through with numerous other craft.
A sudden rain squall erupted, so we left the navigation to John Chapman! Within 10 minutes were were going through the "box" of navigation markers and starting Lough Derg. We had agreed to meet the Goggin's on MV Knocknagow that afternoon, at Garrykennedy. We were to be the advance party to get some barge length moorings in, we assumed the Old Harbour.
Garrykennedy is at the bottom of the top section of Lough Derg, so it was a question of following the main, large buoyed route down to Dromaan, then finding Garrykennedy on the far shore with the binoculars and aiming straight for it. So after a three hour haul we entered the markered channel into Garrykennedy Old Harbour. We were in luck, it was as good as empty!
We hogged the long wall and when Brian arrived (16:00, he thought we were in the rather easier to manoeuvre in, new moorings!) we directed him in, moving Earnest right up to the corner of the tiny harbour. Later on the harbour completely filled up with cruisers and sailing boats. That night we went to the excellent Larkins pub / restaurant, then back to the extensive rear deck of Knocknagow for a drink in the sunset. The weather almost being like summer in the afternoon and evening.

GCC M barge 72M mills around waiting for Portumna Swing Bridge. Shannon Navigation.

We have the green light for Portumna Bridge. Shannon Navigation.

Heading through the box of markers and into Lough Derg.

Buoy "J", buoy "H" in the distance. Lough Derg.

Looking across past Buoy "H" at Gortmore Point. Lough Derg.

Looking back at Buoy "H" and 72M that shadowed us for a while. Lough Derg.

Passing Marker "D". Lough Derg.

Looking across towards Dromineer. Lough Derg.

Passing Williamstown Harbour to the right we line up for the red buoy marking the entrance of the channel into Dromaan. Garrykennedy is directly ahead, on the far shore.