18th - 19th October. Garadice Lough and Haughton's Shore harbour.

After staying overnight in Riversdale Marina, we continued on to cross Garadice Lough.

When we arrived at Haughton's Shore, three of the mooring bollards were under water, so we tied up in the corner. We were moored across the slipway, but it seemed very unlikely that anyone would want to use it.

The water level continued to rise during the day, and by late afternoon we decided that The Puzzler would be safer against the work platform, at the other end of the harbour. We did not want to wake up to find ourselves stranded on top of the wall!

Looking to the right of the harbour, the wall mooring was completely underwater.

This is a photo taken at the end of May, to show the water level as it was then.

At the far end of the harbour, the slip way can just be seen, in the centre to the left of the wall.The lifebelt is hanging behind the wall mooring on the left. Last night, just before dusk, a Carrick hireboat arrived in harbour and pulled in just beyond the lifebelt, not realising that there was a wall there! They stuck on top of it! However, by using our long pole to push them, they were eventually afloat again. They spent the night safely tied on to The Puzzler, and left early the next morning.

Access to land was across this floating bridge, created by the workboat. When Catkin came out here first, in the evening, it was dark, and she did not realise that we were now tied to another boat. She checked all round the edges then, as the water was quite calm and the harbour lights were reflected in the water, she jumped off at this end of the boat, thinking that it was her best option! By the time that Sally reached her, she had nearly swum to the harbour wall, and was soon clinging on to it, waiting to be pulled out. What a wet dog!

26th August - 3rd September. Back up Lough Derg to Garrykennedy, Dromineer, Rossmore, Kilgarvan and Terryglass.

We set off at 8am in brilliant sunshine, just as the mist was lifting,. However the sun soon went in and the clouds descended on the river again. Fortunately we were able to pull in to a private jetty for an hour, until it was clear enough to continue on to Lough Derg. The hills were very clear once we were out on the lough.

Lough Derg was extremely calm this morning, until a cruiser went past. It is surprising how the wake of another boat moves us, even in the deep water, out on the lough.

We sailed up the lough and round the corner to pull in to Garrykennedy Harbour. The stone wall is an effective barrier which stops the waves from the lough entering the harbour.

Across on the other side of Lough Derg, we could see the Irish Laser National Championships in progress. There were 151 sailors taking part over the four days of racing, with Eoin Keller, from Lough Derg Yacht Club, winning the laser radial class. It is the first time in 30 years that a Laser sailor has won a National Championship division at their home club.

The old harbour at Garrykennedy was constructed in 1849, using some of the stones from the old castle here. It used to be an important harbour on the Dublin to Limerick route for working barges.

Behind the old harbour is a pleasant forest walk.

Part of this walk runs along the flat stones by the lough. Catkin was much braver than usual about approaching the waves for a drink.

This weekend was also the first of the Autumn races for the local yachts. By Saturday evening Garrykennedy was a harbour full of yachts of all sizes.

We saw some exciting finishes, as they tacked into the wind.

The RNLI lifeboat pulled into harbour, near to The Puzzler, to check their charts. We could see them through our porthole!

As it grew dark, they set off for night manoevres.

From Garrykennedy we sailed on to the next harbour at Dromineer. The promised shop only sold ice cream so we stayed just one night there.

Next we went across to the west side of Lough Derg to Rossmore Jetty. The outside of the jetty is not recommended in rough weather, but we are having a good week with light winds.

At Rossmore Jetty we inflated Mini Puzzle, our dinghy, and went exploring up the Rossmore River. Having an electric engine, we enjoyed a very peaceful meander upstream and back.

We went about two and a half miles before we reached the head of navigation, even for dinghies! These boulders were right across the river bed.

Tomorrow is the first day of duck shooting, which lasts until the end of January. This dinghy ( not ours!) was camouflaged in readiness for the morning.

From Rossmore we crossed Lough Derg to Kilgarvan, which was the only harbour to disappoint us. It was very run down with practically no space to moor. After a brief stop we continued north towards Gortmore Point.
This marker H lies a third of a mile off Gortmore Point. Here today it is quite calm, but this is not the place to be on a windy day, as the waves build up as they cross the lough. It is a notoriously exposed spot. Waves can build up for seven and a half miles from the SW here, two and a quarter from the west, or over three miles from the ENE.

Duck shooting may have started, but this looks like a safe haven for them, in Terryglass Harbour.

From the numbers here, these ducks know when they are well off!

Is St Augh's Eye Well here in Terryglass to help us to see the distant markers on the Lough?

We went to find Terryglass Church, as we had heard its bell chime every hour since our arrival.

Upper Shannon Meanderings 18th – 26th July.

Monday was wet and windy, but we set off down Lough Key, in order to be at Carrick-on-Shannon in good time. It was a wet crossing with waves over the bows!

At Carrick we took the only free finger mooring. There is room for 29 boats on these moorings, but they are only 28 foot long, so The Puzzler sticks out into the river. Our bows are in as far as they will go, really they are! There is also space along the wall near to the bridge for several more boats. It is busy this week as the Shannon Annual Boat Rally meets here at the weekend, and several boats are already here. Unlike in England, boats here move from harbour to harbour during the rally. The Shannon Rally has over eighty boats attending this year, so they will fill the harbours wherever they stop!

We sailed from Carrick up the Shannon and on to the Boyle River again. The weather was much calmer this time when we reached Lough Key, and we continued on to Boyle, at the far end of the Lough. We visited King House, a magnificently restored Georgian Mansion, built in the early 1700's for Sir Henry King, whose family was one of the most powerful and wealthy in Ireland. The house later became a military barracks for the famous Connaught Rangers, and is now a museum. We each had an audio guide, and there was an immense amount of information to absorb.

We next visited Boyle Abbey which is in the process of restoration. It was founded in the 12th Century as a Cistercian Monastery.

The abbey ruins were very well preserved, as were the visitors!

These donkeys came straight over to see us, and were very friendly.

 Martin enjoyed taking the helm back across Lough Key to the Lough Key Forest Park mooring.Martin is an incredibly experienced sailor, albeit usually out at sea.

We did the Lough Key Experience, which includes a trip underground, through the cellars of Rockingham House. They are the only remaining part of this stately home, which burned to the ground in 1957. There is a lift up to the top of the Moylurg viewing tower, which gives a good view over this part of Lough Key. Jenny is listening to her audio guide, not her mobile phone! After leaving the cellars, the return route is by way of a tree canopy walkway.

Castle Island was our next stop. This folly was built in the 19th Century from the ruins of the old castle.

It was a very short mooring here, with The Puzzler resting on the rocky shore. We created a minor problem for visiting canoes!

It was possible to scramble right round the island and also to climb up to the ramparts.







Next stop was The Zipit Experience, also at Lough Key Forest Park. Sally and Martin were strapped into their harnesses, ready to go, while Andy was photographer-in-chief !

There are four levels of difficulty at Zipit. This shows one of the early obstacles on the White course, which was also one of the most difficult obstacles, due to the height being climbed up the seemingly level steps.

This one was much easier!

Martin strolled across the ropes with ease!

These pallet type platforms tended to swing apart as we stepped between them.

The zipwires themselves were the best bit!

As we only had time to complete two of the four courses, we had to forego riding a BMX bike along a wire from treetop to treetop. Maybe next time!

Jenny steered back down Lough Key to the Boyle river. The weather has been kinder than it was on Monday, when the waves were coming over our bows.

This gypsy horse and caravan were in Leitrim.

From Leitrim we cruised up the first six locks on the Shannon-Erne Waterway, to moor above Kilclare Lower lock. We played Petanque on the newly mown grass beside The Puzzler, before going to the local hostelry to sample the Guiness there.

We continued up the last two locks to the summit level. Passing Keshcarrigan, we went down one lock, before turning off into Kiltybardan Lough. The mooring in the middle of the lough was a perfect place for a swim, followed by some sunbathing on a glorious afternoon.

On our return down to Leitrim next morning, Martin and Jenny nearly had an unexpected shower, as the lock above us was emptied by a following boat. As the pound between the two locks was already full, the excess came over the gate of Kilclare Lower lock. There was nowhere to run!

Well, you could go and work the locks instead!

We had a very pleasant meal at The Barge in Leitrim, before rejoining the Shannon to continue southwards.

This young foal was having a drink as we sailed past on the river.

We moored at the end of the Jamestown Canal. It is a lovely place, with our own lawn, which had been freshly cut. The weather is still being kind to us, so we had our second game of Petanque here. It was closely fought, but this time Martin and Sally were victorious, so it is honours even!

Catkin has been coping very well with these high wall moorings

We made an early start through Albert Lock before continuing on through Lough Tap, Lough Boderg and Lough Bofin to reach Dromod Harbour in good time. Dromod is a beautifully kept village. Martin and Jenny left us by bus. We have had a great week together.

We spent the evening on our new neighbours' boat. There were 23 boats in harbour, one of which was a small cruiser tied alongside us.