Hi, I am thinking of taking Markie next year to the Shannon Earne Waterway (ferry from Cairnryan to Larne). Has anyone any info re slipways, good mooring spots, anything at all?
Hi,
This looks like a great place for a WB. I gleaned this info online, but I don't know which issue of Watercraft it was published in or when. There are some sources listed at the end of the article as well as what you can find in the text. Let me know how you get on, I might try to come with you.
Paul
Quote from: Paul Thomas on October 03, 2016, 10:26:12 AM
Hi,
I gleaned this info online, but I don't know which issue of Watercraft it was published in or when.
You lost me . What info ?
Sorry I must have had another concentration glitch.
http://larkins.ie/Kite_in_Ireland.pdf
Thank you for the link Paul, Lough Derg sounds delightful, I will investigate further. The ferry crossing Cairnryan-Larne is the painful bit, costs wise. £300 + return
Try taking a Motorhome to Spain, £400+ each way !
Just booked ferry, Cairnryan-Larne return car+boat mid September 10.30 sailings, £200, a bargain I think. A slight change of plans, now going to Lower Lough Erne, renting a cottage for a week at Manor House Marine and mostly day sailing (will spend at least one night at the north end of the lough), we are getting soft in our old age. We are then planning a 3 day voyage through Enniskillen to Upper Lough Erne before returning to the marina and pulling out. Anyone fancy joining our mini cruise?
I think it is about time I reported back on our trip to Lower Lough Erne. The road and ferry journey over went very smoothly, no problems at all. Manor House Marine is a superb base for exploring Lower Lough Erne but because the weather was so (unusually) unpleasant, it was great that we were staying in a chalet overlooking the lough and we day sailed if the weather allowed. Some days it was blowing a gale and/or pouring with rain but there is plenty for landlubbers to see and do in the local area. Enniskillen is a lovely town, but a bit of a pain to drive through in the rush hour.
The facilities at Manor House Marine are near enough perfect, an excellent slipway that goes down in to the marina main basin, so well sheltered, plenty of parking for cars and trailers with/without boats on-board. And we had our own private floating jetty, a little tight for getting in when it is blowing a gale, but we managed it (a few attempts needed on one occasion). To top it all we did not have to pay a single penny for any of the marina services used (as we were staying in one of their chalets), fantastic.
As for sailing on Lower Lough Erne, it is paradise for a Winkle Brig, lots of islands with (deserted at that time of year) jetties to visit and open water sailing to the north. A lot of fetch built up one day but we motored through it and found very quiet overnight moorings at Castle Archdale and up the River Kesh. You do need a good chart as it is very easy to mistake one island for another and there are some areas with a lot of rocks but they are mostly well marked with buoys and markers. Only once was I worried and decided to retrace my tracks and take the long route round. But it was great fun navigating through the channels and going ashore and exploring.
There are a few public slipways with parking and facilities that are available free of charge and water is available at a lot of jetties. If you want to do some serious inland sailing, or just potter around some islands, Lower Lough Erne is perfect, well worth making the trip.
Hopefully, here are some pictures from our trip to Lower Lough Erne
Getting the hang of this, some more photos
Hi, We kept Constance in Ireland for two years and sailed on Lough Derg and up the Shannon a little way. I can thoroughly recommend sailing on Lough Derg. The little harbours are great fun, free and many with good facilities. Nearly always a a few great pubs nearby often with trad music.