Tuesday 13 June 2017

Get out those winders .... Back on the canal!!

A bit premature with the winders ..... the lockeepers prefer to wind the locks for you whilst you stay on board and watch the ropes!! No complaints from me.

I was going to title this blog a sudden turn to the left but thought it might seems as if I was talking about politics. Definitely not UK politics on social media...well except with one or two ...yes Nick Stanley, you and a.n.other.

We had set off on the 2017 cruise with every intention of sampling the Grand Canal and the River Barrow. Naturally, we got held up by weather and wondered if we might just head for Lough Derg. I don't think we had even made our minds up when we left Athlone yesterday. Still windy...just on our limits and ...those familiar words....with the forecast looking set for a few days of even  stronger winds ...left it was.

Already delighted we made that decision. Once Shannon Harbour was behind We,had,a,comp,etely empty canal ahead. We had arranged with the Lockkeeper to moor below the Belmont staircase locks.
A long and informative chat with the lockie and we knew we would cross two barges today and that might be it until we reach the Barrow Arm, some 88 kilometres,distance!!! Can you belive it!!!

As always when we reach a new stretch of water,  we are re-reading the blogs from NB PUZZLER's 3 years on the Irish Waterways. This time their Grand Canal adventures.


Staircase lock Grand Canal style!












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