Friday 28 October 2016

Back where we started from

The weather was just too good to miss so...Lough Erne it was. Three days or was it 4 to bimble the 14 miles to Enniskillen. Only some local fog to slow us down..... 











Sunday 23 October 2016

well...that was fun!

After just over 1400 kilometers our official 2016 cruise which began in March is over. We reached Killynick on Thursday. We had forgotten there were to be new residents....... Jamie and Oliver are  in the field next to the boat. Two rather cute goats. LJ is getting used to them! 







I say the official cruise is over because, with the weather staying lovely, we will be bimbling about for a bit longer locally. It would be foolish not to!!

It has been a fantastic year's boating. The coming back just as good as the going out. Our list of favourite spots is...well...extensive to say the least. Some we didn't manage to revisit on our return as the weather was against us at the wrong moment but there is always next year!!


well...that was fun!

After just over 1400 kilometers our official 2016 cruise is over. We reached Killynick on Thursday. We had forgotten there were to be new residents....... Jamie and Oliver are  in the field next to the boat. Two rather cute goats. LJ is getting used to them! 





I say the official cruise is over because, with the weather staying lovely, we will be bimbling about for a bit longer locally. It would be foolish not to!!

It has been a fantastic year's boating. The coming back just as good as the going out. Our list of favourite spots is...well...extensive to say the least. Some we didn't manage to revisit on our return as the weather was against us at the wrong moment but there is always next year!!


Sunday 16 October 2016

A fish and chips sort of day.

With the weather forecast turning to the miserable spectrum we came down Lough Allen and moored at Drumshambo on Friday. No plans as to when we would leave...rain depending.

Well....it wasn't going to be Saturday morning! The first three locks are controlled by one Lockkeeper and there was not a snowflakes chance we would take her out in torrential rain.


1215 it stopped and we were on our way.


This makes us think of....





Not sure if we were going to stop in Leitrim or tackle the 11 self service electric locks on the flight up to Keshcarrigan.

The sun got brighter as we went along and the decision was easy ...en y va!


The first two locks were in our favour...happy days. Then the lock keeper for the flight appeared and said ...your luck just ran out! Oh well.

Two locks later the lockeeper was waiting for us. Give me your card and I'll go ahead and help you up. Hallelujah!  We came out of the last lock at 1724. Opening hours on this stretch end at 1730 from October to March. We don't know....and didn't want to find out....if the card reader just stops working!
Thank goodness for lock keepers.....I often say.


Lock free for the last stretch. Hoping to moor before the sun went down. I was hoping there would be no need for cooking. Phoned the landlord at Gracie's Bar and yes....he would provide takeaway fish and chips...or whatever else was on the menu. Magic. 



A great run into Keshcarrigan and no worried that the moorings would be full. We hadn't seen a boat moving since getting back onto the Shannon.

The bar was just as it should be, roaring fire and a landlord who could not have been nicer. Coffee offered while I waited. Fish and chips fab. 




Tuesday 11 October 2016

As predicted...by everybody!

Onto Lough Allen today. We left it for our return trip as a flotilla of heritage boats were here as we went down the Shannon in August.The canal and locks on the passage up from Leitrim look familiar but....boy are those locks fierce....and no way of slowing them down!! Thank goodness for lock keepers!! Even so....the second lock had the better of us and between me and the lock keeper the two of us we couldn't quite hold the bow and we were across the lock and just caught the wall fortunately ... not at full tilt.

The pic doesn't do it justice as I was a bit busy when the lock was in full flow.



The one thing everyone,told us about Lough Allen was that themweather is...to say the least...unpredictable. We certainly saw that today. Fortunately after we were safely moored.




And it is absolutely stunning.

Sunday 9 October 2016

A naked boater....no pics!

A lazy start to Sunday. We are moored at the end of  a jetty. View on blog below. No-one can really see into the boat....guess where I'm going,on this...UNLESS they are on the boat!! So...Alistair...naked...walks from bathroom into kitchen...to find someone knocking on the glass panel of the door!! Shock! Horror! A naked boater!!

Not frightened away.. she stayed to talk boats and bringing boats to Ireland. Great chat. Let us know if it works out.

We got mail!

Into Carrick on Shannon on Tuesday. Chance to catch up with our mooring owner Colin on Wednesday at Carrickcraft. And pick up some mail. And reprovision. And get LJ to vet for some ear drops. And get my haircut..... Anna's Hair Studio if you're in this area and need an excellent cut. And top up Internet on Irish PAYG. Busy busy.

Then it was off to the peace of Lough Key. A favourite stop on our way south. Moored in the Forest Park. Fantastic walks in beautiful autumnal sunshine.


All being well next week will see us on new waters in Lough Allen.