A weekend, a week, a dash to maternity hospital

[oceanfroggie]

How far up north you can go with your boat? Lough Boderg? Even Allen?

All the way. 300km up as far as Lough Allen, or northwest to Lough Key, or north east along the newish SEW all the way into Northern Ireland's lovely Erne navigation with its two large loughs.

My navionics does not include Ireland but how is the chartography in Shannon? I know Alt had to do his own charts for the Corrib (which looks a nightmare on google maps, so well done, btw)

Navionics coverage of UK/IRL (ie UK/Holland app) includes the inland Shannon but it is very basic. Garmin Bluechart mobile app coverage is has much more detail and better depth info as well as great harbour and marina detail. I have been involved over the past decade building the Shannon gps chart coverage, and just recently finished the Erne GPS charts.

We don't know how lucky we are over here with this motor boat haven.

 

[AndieMac]

Excellent cruise report OF, it appears you folks had a sensational summer on a fantastic waterway.

Congrats to both of you on the new addition to the family.

 

[oceanfroggie]

. . . continued – Part Trois

Exiting the Boyle river for Lough Key. After three wonderful days at Rockingham we spent a night with the rally fleet in the small local town of Boyle which is accessible by a short 1 mile stretch of river. A fancy dress dinner dance to the theme of “lords and ladies” was following by a brief comedy play put on by the rally committee and a night of live music.

Clarendon lock was one of the last to be automated with hydraulics

We stopped for cooked breakfast on board at Cootehall Bridge and waited for the rally fleet to pass by.

“Samson” the rally commodore’s magnificent vessel was the first down from Lough Key. She is without doubt the nicest barge I have yet seen on the Shannon. The interior is magnificent and a real home from home.

It looks low but we fit under Carrickonshannon bridge easily without having to drop our radar arch or canopy, just antenna and light hoop.

We were due to meet pals from 60ft barge 4B for dinner on board in the town, but they decided to move their 60ton barge into the next finger beside us in the local marina – but I was also on board 4B so could not even put out a few extra “safety” fenders – eek! No worries skipper Cliff did a perfectly controlled “hand brake” turn and reversed in beside us despite the current and breeze – but he had only one chance to get it right and he did – perfectly! Still 60 tons of steel parking close to ones GRP boat with no fenders out requires absolute trust - and faith in the barge skipper!

We hand dinner on board followed by one of Cliff’s legendary “pavlovas”. Next morning we waved them good bye as they headed back south. 4B is actually the fastest barge on the Shannon. The evening before she allegedly did a slalom down the buoyed rowing course lanes!

The river was closed for periods as a large rowing competition was taking places – ladies coxed eights prepare to race.

We enjoyed a wonderful 10 days on the Shannon boat rally but now it was time to head south homeward bound in of the happy event. Blue lagoon as we plodded at relaxed displacement speeds the autohelm doing most the work. We are on tender hooks expecting the phone to ring any time.

Jamestown railway bridge was raised by over a meter a few years ago, and done in only ONE day.

We got lucky at Rooskey lift bridge and were able to fit under with 1 inch to spare with all the gear down.

Typical Shannon lock scene at Rooskey. We usually the last vessel to enter busy locks to avoid hire vessels “going bumpedy bump” but no problems here.

Shannon One Designs (SOD) having their annual regatta at Lough Ree YC. LRYC is the second oldest YC in the world after the Royal Cork in crosshaven. There are only two people alive still building these sail boats which need a crew of three. They can be quite a handful in a breeze.

Classic grand canal boat 118B under restoration. We got a guided tour of her before she departed to explore Lough Ree. These wide beam barges were the mainstay of commercial traffic between Dublin, Limerick and Shannon towns before the canal closed to commercial traffic in the early 60s.

Athlone Marina – Only €8 per night is great value. We moored here for the night planning an 9am departure next morning when the lock opened, but . . .

Athlone Cathedral – We cycled around town on our folding Brompton bicycles and found a nice restaurant, a former church in the west side of the river.

Our daughter had been in touch to advise all was well and no hurray home, but I felt edgy the night before, so I moved our boat out of the marina, went through the lock just before it closed for the night and spent the night at the holding jetty which left us free to depart early in case we got “the call”. Well I woke early at 05:00am so cast off while “Froggette” slept and heading down stream into the morning Turkish delight.

About 09:15am I got “the call” from my son in-law – Ok only obstacle was a swing bridge that opened at specific times, so I increased speed to time our arrival exactly at the opening time and phoned ahead to bridge keeper to apologies for not stopping to pay the bridge fee until next time we would be up that way – no problem, he had the bridge open a few mins early and let us straight through. A famous old barge 45M (see photo) was also waiting to pass through. She sank on Lough Derg in 1946 during a storm with the loss of three lives, lay on the bottom of Lough Derg for 30 years before being raised in the 1970s and restore to original condition. Legend has it that the single cylinder bolinder diesel engine was so well preserved it was restarted before she reached dry dock a week after being raised!

Portumna swing bridge – 45M navigates the traffic. The extended legend about 45M's refloating was that the barge towing her to dry dock broke down crossing Lough Ree and that 45M's bolinder engine was incredibly restarted having spent 30 years on the bottom of Lough Derg at 100ft, and that 45M towed the recovery barge to Lansboro. True or False I have no idea, but I've been told the yarn enough times.

Clear of traffic it was time to make waves and floor the throttles if we were going to make it back to our car for the trip to Dublin . . . a baby was on the way and had its own time table.

to be continued . . .

 

[Kawasaki]

Marvelous as usual Froggie
Memories
The Pub at Shannon Bridge
Kilalloe
Thanks
Great stuff
Made me Day
Tiss horizontal and gusting 7 here at the Mo!

 

[oceanfroggie]

Excellent cruise report OF, it appears you folks had a sensational summer on a fantastic waterway. Congrats to both of you on the new addition to the family.

Thanks Andie. Happy days. Yes the weather all this summer up until mid August was stunning. Cheers, Noel

Noel, I'm in Shannon Sailing in Dromineer since 2012, I was in Banagher before that in Lusmagh.

Hi Mick, Ahh We used to be in Silverstone Marina until 2003. SC in Dromineer is a great base for Derg. Must keep any eye out for your next season when we are on Derg. What is your boat name? Noel

Marvelous as usual Froggie, Memories, The Pub at Shannon Bridge, Kilalloe
Thanks, Great stuff, Made me Day

Cheers Kawasaki. Yes Killeen's in Shannonbridge is "unique", pub, shop, hardware store, sky sports in the owners sitting room to watch sports on a rainy day, etc, selling grub at one end of the counter, through a small door and selling maggots to angers for bait down the other end of the counter through the wall into the shop end of the pub. From another time, but boy he has some clever and dry sense of humour. Good live music there on Friday and Saturday nights.

 

[AndieMac]

?.............. From another time, but boy he has some clever and dry sense of humour.

He sounds like most Irishmen I've met

 

[Shannoner]

Hi Mick, Ahh We used to be in Silverstone Marina until 2003. SC in Dromineer is a great base for Derg. Must keep any eye out for your next season when we are on Derg. What is your boat name? Noel

We have one of the ex Derg Line 38 ft Birchwoods, name is Enniskerry, original name from her hire days. She has a black canopy over the back deck, I did meet you briefly a few years ago in Mountshannon, I will keep an eye out for OF too.

Mick

 

[oceanfroggie]

We have one of the ex Derg Line 38 ft Birchwoods, name is Enniskerry, original name from her hire days. She has a black canopy over the back deck, I did meet you briefly a few years ago in Mountshannon, I will keep an eye out for OF too.

Ah, Enniskerry is only a few miles away from where we live. Likewise will keep an eye out next season.

He sounds like most Irishmen I've met

. . . and Scotsmen, Welshmen, and Englishmen all named Paddy, but not from Cork or Belgium

 

[oceanfroggie]

. . . continued – Les Finalé

As soon as we cleared the traffic I floored the throttles for the fastest trip we have ever made down Lough Derg as we are not too far from our car.

Got back to Killaloe in record time. We had never moored nor disembarked so fast, left most our gear on board, jumped in the car and headed for the motorway, and caught a double rain bow. Got phone call no 2, baby had decided to start the final passage into this world, but it looked like we would get home in time – and we did.

A beautiful baby girl, two happy parents, and two relieved 1st time grandparents.

A few days later we return to the boat spending an afternoon exploring places in Killaloe we had still not found before. We had planned to anchor out later that evening, but decided it was such a nice night to stay in port and have a celebratory meal in the “wooden spoon”.

Killaloe by night

A new charter yacht operating on Lough Derg http://www.luxuryyachtingireland.com They can deliver clients to the boat by sea plane!

Met YBW forumite Peter “PEJ” who happened to be on a charter holiday that week with his family.

We were on a high so headed up the Lough to find a nice sheltered anchorage for a night swinging in the hook.

No stars that night as the moon shone brightly as we swung on the hook to candle light listening to soothing music. A wonderful new life had come into the world, our little girl was a mummy, how time flies, how blessed are we?

Next morning we awake to sunrise almost exactly where the moon had been the night before.

Our little dogs were on board for the first time in months so when anchored one has to do an early morning run in the dingy for their “walkies” and last thing at night, but it is worth it. They sleep up in the cockpit. Froggette takes them ashore in “Kermit” our tender.

Eagled eyed the Cavaliers spot the boat at anchor knowing their “breakfast” awaits!

One more night on the hook, one more sunrise, it’s time to head home and end this adventure that had such a happy ending.

What a privilege to have such a waterway on our doorstep. What a blessing to spend time chilling out in such a beautiful cruising sanctuary. I still find it hard to believe my little Girl’s Daddy is now a grand parent, and even more unusual that he is married to a beautiful grand mother.  We think we are still kids ourselves!

Good night all

 

[AndieMac]

You are on a high Noel!

What a gorgeous baby, well done and thanks for sharing.

 

[Shannoner]

Noel, How long did it take you from Portumna to Killaloe with WOT? It would take me the guts of 4 hrs WOT

 

[Whopper]

Great post! Congrats on the grand daughter! The photos look great! Shannon region tourism industry owes you one for sure!

 

[oceanfroggie]

Great post! Congrats on the grand daughter! The photos look great! Shannon region tourism industry owes you one for sure!

Thank you. She is a joy and a blessing to her whole family. We are lucky to be able to cruise the inland and tidal Shannon estuary which is the gateway to probably the best cruising area on the island - Cork/Kerry coast with its mountains, cliffs, and massive rhea valleys (Dingle, Kenmare and Bantry bays). We spent most time inland this season, but next year hope to cruise up the west coast.

Noel, How long did it take you from Portumna to Killaloe with WOT? It would take me the guts of 4 hrs WOT

Our WOT is 26kt, but we came down at about 18kt in well under 2 hours. Had to deplane a good few times when passing or overtaking other displacement traffic craft. Dispute the sense of urgency I didn't want to roll "wake" other vessels to their gunwales, so got into displacement mode well before passing unless they were over 500m off our beam.