2nd - 7th September. Back down the Lough Allen Canal to Leitrim, then across the Shannon-Erne Waterway through Lough Garadice and on to Aghalane.

We had to wait quite a while at Drumleague Lock as the lockkeeper was busy at Drumshanbo lock. We were considering working the lock ourselves when he arrived, so asked if that would have been OK.            "Definitely not" was the reply! He might have been quite upset if we had already done so!

Hazard ahead! We were just deciding how fast to push this fishing boat out of our way, above Battlebridge lock, when it was pulled in to the side. There was to be duck racing here this afternoon, with the lock sluices being opened to create a flow on the canal. Plastic ducks, by the way!

We turned left to go through Leitrim, and on to the Shannon Erne Waterway. The byflow below the Tirmactiernan lock (lock 15) is always an attractive spot.

At Lisconor lock (lock 12), we caught up with two penichette hire boats which were sharing the lock. It was quite a tight fit for them.

Boat crews walk between locks 11, 10 and 9 as these three locks are close together. Once The Puzzler was safely coming up in lock 10, Sally walked on to lock 9, ready to empty it, as soon as the penichettes had gone, so that Andy did not have to wait when he got there. Andy was to open the top gates of lock 10, once the lock was full, and sail round the corner to lock 9. This stone boat is just below lock 9, and is an interesting sculpture. After preparing the lock, Sally looked at this boat for some time, before returning down the canal to see The Puzzler still in lock 10, with the gates open, but with no sign of anyone on board. Was this cause for concern?

However, as Sally approached the lock, Andy emerged from The Puzzler with two ladies. She was told that they had shown great interest and had been having a guided tour of the boat! As they too were going to Keshcarrigan, they sailed on with us, and were kind enough to bring us some fresh vegetables later on, which were much appreciated.

 It was nice to meet John and Bill again on Celtic Duke at Keshcarrigan. We last met them on Lough Ree, over a year ago.

The sky was different yet again today.

Castlefore lock, has no walkway over the top gates and this makes the lock look rather incomplete.This is the first of eight locks which take us down to Upper Lough Erne. For new viewers of our blog, the control panel in the foreground is the push button method of working the lock. No heavy paddles to wind here!

The Shannon Erne is a waterway with many different parts, narrowing in places through the trees.

Just round the next corner it opens out again into St. John’s Lough.

The reflections are excellent by bridge 18.

The Shannon Erne is certainly scenic, here above Ballyduff Lock.

Church Island looms ahead of us on Garadice Lough. We hope that the old mooring on the far side of the island is free.

We are in luck! This isolated island mooring is one of our favourites.

Next it is on to Haughton’s Shore, where we are having our new cratch cover fitted. These nomadic craftspeople are a real asset to Ireland. Their canine crew is waiting to board.

When we were here last autumn, this jetty below Skelan Lock was completely under water.

This herd of Friesian cattle must be expecting rain.

By bridge 26 a cat is watching the world pass by. This mooring is now in use again.

The bottom walkway at Corraquil lock makes a good picture frame!

Click on this photo to see the brilliant green on the trees in the distance. It is a shame that we have lost the sun on the jetty at Aghalane so early.

1st - 3rd September. On up The River Shannon, then the Lough Allen canal to Acres Lake.

On our way up the River Shannon, the waves were rolling down the river towards us, which was not very comfortable for The Puzzler.

At the approach to Leitrim, it was off to the left to continue on up the Shannon River.

The lock at Battlebridge is the start of the Lough Allen canal. The River Shannon is to our left, having flowed parallel to the canal from Lough Allen.

On the opposite bank can be seen a permanent campsite, with camping huts as well as tents. We were told that this is the only campsite in Ireland to remain open for the whole year, in both summer and winter.

The water on this canal is very brown from the peat, filling Battlebridge lock through the high gate paddles.

Above Battlebridge lock the canal is very peaceful as it continues through the trees.

Sailing on towards Drumleague lock, Slieve Aneirin can be seen in the distance.

The scenery by the canal is changing as we climb, and is more open, with moorland around us.

Yes, it is that time of the year again! Andy spotted this branch when we were up this way in early May, so it is out with the chain saw to help clear the towpath of unwanted wood.

Out with the axe too!

On the approach to Acres Lake, Slieve Aneurin does not look any closer than before.

There is room at Acres Lake for a lot of boats, but there were only two of us there this time. We are told that the busy time here is during the Drumshanbo Music Festival in July.

28th - 31st August. Derryvunny again, then back to Carrick.

On our return down Lough Key to Derryvunny, we were again impressed with the remoteness of this jetty.

The evening view across Lough Key from Derryvunny is wonderful.

Next morning, however, the wind was getting up, so an early start seemed a good idea. The wind can increase very quickly on Lough Key, and The Puzzler was not built for high wind on open water. We sailed on to Clarendon Lock, to await the lockkeeper's arrival.

Further on, at Knockvicar, this strange vessel came past us, looking like an insect on the water! His floats are designed to help him when he is putting out new markers.

To get through Knockvicar Bridge he had to fold his floats up very high.

The next boat past was an extremely fast hire boat, which had obviously not realised what damage his wash can do to moored boats.

This time we were not the only boat to stick out past the end of the finger jetties in Carrick-on-Shannon.

22nd - 27th August. On up Lough Key to Boyle Harbour. Circular trip to Derryvunny, Droman's Island and back to Boyle.

The weather has been getting into the pigeon loft so Andy has been catching up with the varnishing. We have moved back to Lough Key to take Palo Alto's place, and more importantly, electric point!

Sally has been rubbing the boat with baby oil, to renovate the paintwork. One boater, who shall remain nameless, suggested that he could be next!

On Thursday we sailed, in fine weather, on up Lough Key to Boyle Harbour. Both the washing machine and tumble drier in the service block were very useful today, as the weather worsened during the afternoon. Friday was a bike trip to Boyle for shopping. While at the Lough Key moorings we have been overwhelmed by the kindness of other boaters, who either took us shopping, or else bought us anything when we were short of essential food. We are so grateful to them all.

70M arrived at Boyle. She is another lovely barge, professionally fitted out by the skipper.

Our friends, James and Teresa, arrived on Saturday. We received a bad weather warning, by phone, from another thoughtful boater, so delayed our trip for a while. It was then a case of sailing slowly, close to the North shore of Lough Key, with a sharp lookout for rocks which might be lurking below the surface. We reached the new mooring of Derryvunny jetty safely, to join two cruisers from Knockninny there. One of them kindly moved across to tie to his friend's boat, leaving us the other side of the jetty. This is a very sheltered spot, with a lovely outlook across Lough Key.

The pirate ship turned near our mooring to sail back across Lough Key. She is a wonderful sight when in sail, only needing the jib today.

From Derryvunny we can see boats at the Lough Key Forest Park mooring, in the distance, behind the trip boat, on the right. The pirate ship is still sailing, to the left of Castle Island.

Tea-time!

Next morning it was nice to see Teresa  keeping a close eye on things!

After a sail down to Clarendon Lock to watch boats using the lock, we returned to Druman's Island to pull in behind De Eems. A walk past the bridge to Druman's Island was good exercise for the day.

Further on we saw some unusual fungus quite high on a tree trunk.

Having completed our circuit of the island, it was back to The Puzzler.

Looking back as we sail up Lough Key to Boyle again.The weather has been kind to us today.

Back at Boyle Harbour, with 68M behind us.