June MBM - South West Ireland

[oceanfroggie]

Super piece by Kindredspirit (aka Kevin) in this months issue. Congrats mate and well done. Great spread. South-west Ireland Experience the Begley's mesmerising cruise from Mizen Head to Dingle Bay http://www.mbmclub.com/mbm/mbm_this_month/mbm_this_month.html

Here is a pic of Kevin as he photographed our CIC through Ardnacrusha a few weeks ago (will post pics later)

Kindredspirit himself on Pat Lysaght's patrol boat

102ft to the tidal Shannon

 

[Sneds]

Cripes! That looks scary!

 

[kindredspirit]

Oy! Stop embarrassing us!

Here's some pics of the river between Limerick and Ardnacrusha.

5 boats coming down from Lough Derg to the Limerick Riverfest, May Bank Holiday weekend. Going up from Limerick to meet them at the Power Station Lock and then accompanying them downstream to Limerick Marina.

Mathew Bridge.

Iron Bridge.

Forty Foot.

Parteen Bridge.

Ardnacrusha Hydro-Electric Power Station.

Salmon lift at Power Station.

Some of the turbines.

Boats waiting for us in the Tailrace.

Ardnacrusha Lock.

Off down the Tailrace.

Ocean Froggie.

Under Baal’s Bridge.

George’s Quay.

Kindred Spirit there first. (We had come up from the sea the previous weekend)

 

[oceanfroggie]

[ QUOTE ]
Cripes! That looks scary!

[/ QUOTE ]Well this is the only way we can get to the SW Atlantic coast of Ireland from Lough Derg, either than or on the back of a low loader /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Actually the lock at the Ardnacrusha hydroelectric dam is one of the most amazing boating attractions in Europe.

It's a 102ft drop through 2 chambers, first is 62ft, the second 40ft, and while it's a little like going down a mine shaft in a boat, it is very calm and relaxing, with almost no boat movement or turbulence. The whole stretch of Navigation between Killaloe and Limerick is spectacularly awesome. I've been down it on many occasions without incident. Airdraft limit of 3.6m due to the guillotine gates at the lock entrance and Killaloe bridge, hence some very large high flybridge boats (ie 50+ footers) need a low loader to get to a sea port. The inland Shannon and Erne with their vast inland seas have been the centre of the Irish motor boating and power boating activity.