TNC On Tour Summer 2007 Page 25

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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Irish Summer Tour 2007

25 - Lecarrow to Richmond Harbour - Lough Ree, River Shannon Navigation, Cloondara Canal and Royal Canal, Richmond Harbour.

Sunday 15th July 2007

Neil woke up early to a sunny and still morning, he winded the boat by ropes, then set off solo (06:50), as the sun was burning off the last of a mist. After clearing the canal we carried on out of Blackbrink Bay and headed north westwards, past Galey Bay and into Cruit Bay. At the end of the bay, the low outer harbour wall could be seen, protecting the pontoon moorings at Portrunny. We curved in following the markered course and found a hammerhead free on the pontoons (08:00). After a wander about and a check out of the pub (Shannon Lounge, did not do food) we left at 08:30 and retraced our steps until we came across the large red marker protecting the top of Wood Shoal and the Large Black Buoy, protecting the top of the Iskeraulin Shoal.
Coming past these we found with aid of the ships binoculars, the next black marker at the top of the Iskeraulin Shoal. Keeping well clear off this to the north, we made an arced course into the little visited Barley Harbour. This has a shoal in the middle of the harbour, so we edged round this, once past the outer breakwater and moored up on the inner wharf (09:15). What a stunning location this was, just us and two permanently moored little sailing boats, a bright sunny clear morning, without a breath of wind. After wandering about and having breakfast on the bench looking out across the lough, we set off at 09:50.
It was an easier route out of the harbour (still missing that shoal), aiming straight for Big Red Buoy No7. We then followed the main course up the lake, there being no more ports to visit. The basic course is to the right (west), between the shore and the islands of: Inchleraun, Muckinsh, Clawinch, Inchenagh and Inch Macdermot. From here (Red Buoy No9) the navigation course heads for Gardentown Point, to round shoals, then heads to the north east corner, to exit the lake between Ballyclare Point and Ballyclare Island. Finally Lanesborough Bridge came into view, just before this we turned left, into the new Lanesborough Moorings, to check these out.
After mooring on the outer hammerhead (11:40), we had a wander around, while filling up with water. After this we carried on through Lanesborough Bridge, then stopped at Hanley's Marina for a diesel fill-up (12:00 - 12:40). We carried on up the Shannon, but below Tarmonbarry Lock we spotted the red and black markers for the entrance to the Clondara Canal / Camlin River and headed up that way (14:30).
After mooring up on the Clondara Lock waiting jetty Neil wandered up to the lock, mobile in hand, expecting to have to phone up the Tarmonbarry Lock keeper for someone to come out and work the lock, as it is classified as a Shannon Navigation lock but is not permanently manned. There was a young lad in attendance, waiting for a cruiser that was coming out of Richmond Harbour. Camlin River feeds into the Shannon some mile and a half above Tarmonbarry Lock and also just below it, so in conjunction with Clondara Canal / Lock, which duplicates Tarmonbarry Lock, this forms a bypass for this section of the River Shannon. It is also important, as the Royal Canal enters via Richmond Harbour just above Clondara Lock.
The other boat was soon locked through, then it was our turn. The young lad also did the Royal Canal entrance lock, up into Richmond Harbour, Lock No 46. Neil made a bit of a pig's ear of waiting for the lock. He tried to drop someone off before the lock, but there was a cruiser and a barge permanently moored on the lock waiting area. There was also another cruiser coming down the lock. Eventually Neil got back past the moored boats (rather difficult, as the Camlin River flows past here) and planted the bow on the bank and powered into that, to keep the stern from drifting round. Eventually the cruiser passed by and we made a quick dash into the lock.
One good thing came of this, the two departing cruisers had left a 60ft spot free on the harbour wall, something unheard off! So we moored up at 16:00 and checked out the Richmond Inn. It was doing food up to 20:00. Neil decided to check out the Royal Canal, but this turned into a bit of a marathon, as he legged it up to Lock No 44, to check out the rebuild of Lock No 45 Chamber, the new machinery bridge and Bord Na Mona railway lift bridge (already damaged by a de-railment!), the Benaugh road lifting bridge (a Vertical lift, on jacks concrete bridge, like Grimshaw Lane on the Rochdale Canal) and the line of the rebuilt canal below and above the restored Lock No 44. All looked well advanced, the last two road crossing bridge replacements are just about to be let. Neil made it back to the boat just in time to have a shower, before joining the others at 19:30. A nice meal, washed down with the inevitable Guinness followed.

Leaving Lecarrow. Lecarrow Branch.

Lecarrow Branch.

Leaving Blackbrink Bay to enter the main body of Lough Ree.

Heading up to Cruit Bay, bound for Portrunny. Dog's Island to right. Lough Ree.

Cruit Bay, Portrunny ahead. Lough Ree.

Cormorant gets twitchy...shall I stay or shall I fly!

Cruit Bay. Lough Ree.

Approaches to Portrunny. Lough Ree.

Portrunny. Lough Ree.

Portrunny. The Shannon Lounge Bar. Lough Ree.

On our way to Barley Harbour. Looking up Lough Ree, Inchcleraun to left, Buoy No7 and Buoy No8 ahead.

On our way to Barley Harbour. Looking back across Lough Ree, Inchcleraun in the distance.

Barley Harbour. Lough Ree.

Barley Harbour slipway. Lough Ree.

Barley Harbour. Lough Ree.

Looking out from Barley Harbour. Lough Ree.

Heading up Lough Ree. Buoy No8.

Heading up Lough Ree. Clawinch to the left and Inchenaugh to the right.

Heading up Lough Ree. Red Buoy No9 dead ahead, black beyond protects the rocks off Blackwood Point.

Heading up Lough Ree. Blackwood Point to the right.

The top of Lough Ree, Ballyclare Point to the left and Ballyclare Island to the right, Lanesborough dead ahead.

The top of Lough Ree. Lanesborough Bridge dead ahead.

We are about to turn left into the main Lanesborough moorings. Shannon Navigation.

Lanesborough moorings. Shannon Navigation.

Lanesborough moorings pump out bay. Shannon Navigation.

Lanesborough moorings. Stone dispenser??? Shannon Navigation.

Lanesborough moorings. The stone dispenser...but is it art? Shannon Navigation.

Lanesborough moorings. Slipway. Shannon Navigation.

Lanesborough moorings. But just how many Amphicars will use it? Shannon Navigation.

Lanesborough moorings. Shannon Navigation.

Lanesborough Bridge navigation arch...there is quite a flow! Shannon Navigation.

The start of the Cloondara Canal / Camlin River, below Tarmonbarry Lock. Shannon Navigation.

Cloondara Lock, Cloondara Canal. Shannon Navigation.

Leaving Cloondara Lock, Cloondara Canal. Shannon Navigation.

Cloondara Canal. Shannon Navigation.

Cloondara Bridge, Cloondara Canal. Shannon Navigation.

The Royal Canal entrance lock No46, up to Richmond Harbour. Shannon Navigation.

Looking down at the Camlin River from the Royal Canal entrance lock No46. Shannon Navigation.

The Royal Canal entrance lock No46, up to Richmond Harbour.

Richmond Harbour dry dock. Royal Canal.

Richmond Harbour. Amazingly we find a spot on the bankside! Royal Canal.

Richmond Harbour. Royal Canal.

The Tour Continues...

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