Revenge is a dish best eaten cold.....but for breakfast?

Into Carrick on Sunday. I was heading to Yorkshire on Monday to see my Dad who was 94 this week. The moorings could not be nearer the airport bus so very convenient. What a schlep though! 2hrs 45 min to the airport through several small towns we will be visiting by boat very soon. The flight to Manchester took 30 min.

Back on Wednesday evening. Same journey. Different driver. Non,of the stop starting, hitting brakes we had on the way there. It was painless. 

I returned to find NB AMPERE moored on the jetty though I still haven't had chance to chat to them. They arrived from UK just a few weeks after we came over. They started their travels in Dublin and we went for Fermanagh. You can see her long elegant tug front below. Sadly they don't blog.

                                           

Thursday morning was a quick top up of provisions and away. Not quite sure where we were going to stop. Jamestown was full but, with a bit of shuffling by a not at all keen hire boater and a very helpful Irish cruiser we were sunggly alongside at Drumsna. Lovely village. Thankfully the rain held off after we moored so were able to manage a couple of walks. The trusty Nene gangplank came into play for LJ. 

As we were getting ready to leave this morning. The hire boat crew came out and untied us.....far too early!! Was he being helpful....or was it revenge?

Fancy seeing you here!!

There is currently one person in Ireland.that I could put a name to....well OK ..two as Graham Norton is probably in his house in Cointy Cork .... the other is a lovely chap called Andrew who takes photos for a living and bought his first boat 10 days ago. We met him in the week. Yes...he only lives 5 miles away .. but...the Loch Key forest park is 800 hectares and we walked right into him out with his wife and 8 month old son in the park today.  They were on their first boat outing. We felt like locals!!



                                                   


 I don't know what this is actually called but I could have stood and watched all day. Today we went back and a large group of Spanish teenagers were there.  The courage and determination of one youngster in particular..who clearly wasn't enjoying it ... was inspiring. Far more so than some of his more adventurous friends.

Missing if not in action

How can I not have blogged all week? Goodness. My head is hanging in shame.

Fortunately, we are retracing our steps so I'm starting with where we must left and will catch I
Maithili where we were before when we get back there. Easy!!

We must had a couple of nights at Boyle Harbour. What a lovely spot. A bit out of town but much used by dog walkers and keep fitters. It could have been hard for us to get a mooring that allowed for LJ to get on and off. Fortunately, a hire boat moved off at must the right moment and...with our River Nene training...we were sorted.

A delivery from Lomdis after telephone order on day 1 and a walk into the very pretty town on
Day 2. Even for here met some lovely people.

Happy Birthday to .... QISMA,

Enjoying the sunshine on Loch Key. What a six years it's been. 

A bit like Sir Bruce Forsyth

i forecast that this trip is hoping to be full of...so pretty .... Rather than it's my favourite. Pretty certainly applies to County Leitrim.

We made our way from Ballinamore to Keshcarrigan. Lucky to avoid the showers that came later. The workboat was in the first lock and worked us through after a short pause to let some paint dry!! E were in no hurry.

Only saw 2 boats on the move before we moored. Keshcarrigan was small, the grocery shop now closed but an interesting peace garden dedicated to a priest, FR Mychal Judge, with family connections who was recorded as  the first official casualty in 9/11 attacks.

Today we are moving to Leitrim. 11 locks... picked up a great crew of 5 in a cruiser at first lock. Happy days! Well...all except woman who insisted on  turning second lock and was so nasty she reduced teenage girl who had set it for us to tears. Mortified that she was English.

I had trouble loading pics yesterday so this blog is From yesterday. As if anyone will notice!!

Are we there already?

A quick cruise form Leitrim to Carrick on Shannon today. Or did it just seem quicker because I was following the Cabinet announcements via Twitter?

I also missed the opportunity for some pics of the Shannon as we came down. We are going back up for the weekend so I will get another chance tomorrow.

Moored on what are now (2000) very busy moorings. We are on the outside of a 3 boat sandwich. We've had a lot of attention. Not many narrowboats to the Euro here.

Too close for comfort!

Finally....the personal admin was finished on Saturday morning .. in teeming rain. It stopped as we got back to QISMA and off we went...heading south and the border.

The first stretch, to Lock 1 wasn't new for the boat. She was launched at the marina there on arrival in March.

We had an  escort of kingfishers for most of the way. Have never seen so many on one stretch of River  Too quick for the camera though!

 Safely through our first Irish Lock. All electric. Very civilised. Then came the excitement.

Cruising slowly along the winding Woodford River. I decided that as we had sunshine I would polish THE headlamp. Shock horror!! At a blind bend the Inver Quenn cam towards us. At,some,speed. I leapt up and put my hand up. He screamed into reverse and went right across in front,of us. Then he shot forward and. Issued us by inches. Continued on at a somewhat slower pace. The speed of action meant no pics ..but she is big enough close up!!

Too much excitement for me! 

With the weather holding, we decided to push on to Haughton's Shores. I can tell you, it is not a mooring to arrive,late to, certainly not at a weekend. 

                                      

So this is where everyone is!!

We were lucky. A cruiser pulled back and we got the bow firmly secured on,the,jetty and the mooring pins came out.

    Not long before we had company. 

Short Straw!

Back from France for one week. QISMA .. and Alistair...have travelled 70km LJ and  has travelled 35km. On QISMA. ...me? Glad you asked...I have travelled 97km....none of them by boat!

Car servicing and MOT meant the car had to be in Enniskillen so.... That was my job. I have been mooring hopping.

  Of course, I do not like driving the boat. The conclusion then is that this is my own doing. BUT, even if I couldn't get enough of driving QISMA, I somehow doubt I would be allowed out on Loch Erne on my own!

Currently on 'our' jetty. Rain teaming down. One last bit of domestics to complete and off we go. Heading South with locks ahead!

It's July!!

So the log burner is...of course.....in use!!

But..the filthy weather ..... has some advantages.

Postcard from Il de Re

Back from our stay in Bois.  Weather not brilliant. Swam 1000m most days. LJ loved it. Home safe.

On arrival

On departure