 |
 |
| Home | Search | About IWAI | Join the IWAI | News and Events | FAQ | Sitemap | | |
|
Local info on the Erne required Posted by Richard Ellis
hi All Back looking for the local info again as we are starting a couple of weeks on the lower Lough next week in Reflection drawing 1.1mtrs. -Has anyone any recent experience(last 2 weeks) of travelling up to Kesh and how are the levels there. - Which is the best route to the jetty on the East side of Devenish. OS Map seems to indicate 0.5Mtrs only on the southern channel and as low as 0.3 Mtrs on the Northern channel, yet the WI map indicates that both are navigable ! - Is there public moorings at Castle Archdale, charts seem to indicate not. - Does anyone know if the old "Drumrush Holiday park" still welcomes visting cruisers and is the little Pub and Restaurant still open. Richard & Mags "REFLECTION"
yes castlearchdale has a public mooring.nice place,ww2 museum,lovely forest,tea rooms,shop,chipper,pub,mobile home park,watersport gear and small boats and bikes to rent. i cannot really recommend much about kesh except the butcher,great sausages.belleek has far more to offer in the line of pubgrub , crack and charachter.i would not eat in the hotel though,try the jolly farmer over the bridge.muckross is ok,close to kesh as is rossigh.i would highly recommend staying on some islands for a couple of nights,white island,north crevinishaughy,davys island,we didnt stop on lusty more but heard its nice,hay island.i would think that most islands are lovely,if your into that sort of thing.one piece of advice...stay away from public jettys that have slipways at the weekend unless you want to be seriously disturbed by jetskis and speedboats going nuts in public harbors.castlecaldwell is nice too.in short,i can not say that we had a negative experience in anyplace that we stayed except for the lack of speed limits in public harbors which was seriously out of control.
Richard, Would not risk Kesh river today, but could be OK tomorrow as up to inch of rain forecast overnight. You can get into Devenish East jetty by either route, Lower Lough is not that low. There is a public jetty at Castle Archdale but it is often occupied by small boats, it is the port side of the jetty to Starboard as you come into the harbour. Not certain about Drumrush but think you can moor there if using the facilities. Mike Kingston'Escapade' > Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:28:50 +0100 > To: waterways[AG]iwai.ie > From: forum_user[AG]iwai.ie > Subject: [waterways] Re: Re: Re: Local info on the Erne required > > Posted at: [www.iwai.ie] > Richard Ellis wrote: > > hi All > Back looking for the local info again as we are starting a couple of weeks on the lower Lough next week in Reflection drawing 1.1mtrs. > > -Has anyone any recent experience(last 2 weeks) of travelling up to Kesh and how are the levels there. > > - Which is the best route to the jetty on the East side of Devenish. OS Map seems to indicate 0.5Mtrs only on the southern channel and as low as 0.3 Mtrs on the Northern channel, yet the WI map indicates that both are navigable ! > > - Is there public moorings at Castle Archdale, charts seem to indicate not. > > - Does anyone know if the old "Drumrush Holiday park" still welcomes visting cruisers and is the little Pub and Restaurant still open. >
Richard, last time we were up the river to Kesh the levels were not as bad as at the moment, but even then some hire vessels were rubbing the bottom. I'd be careful but I assume you've a keel and skeg to provide some level of prop protection. OceanFroggie
Hi Richard and all, as I mentioned in an earlier post, the depths on the Lough Erne Outdoor Pursuits Maps are the depths at the lowest possible water levels, which are 44.81 (Lower Lough) and 45.72 (Upper Lough and above Portora), both figures to Poolbeg datum, which in the legislation are 147' and 150' respectively. Converted to Belfast datum, these would be 42.00m and 42.90m respectively, which are the datum levels given on your chart. However, we work to Poolbeg datum and have done so for the last 130 odd years. No, I don't remember when we started. Therefore, as generation stopped completely on 6 June in anticipation of this long dry spell, the Lower Lough is not particularly low, at around 45.75 Poolbeg, or somewhat above the middle of its range, despite what the press say. Granted, the Upper Lough is suffering, we have rarely had such a prolonged dry spell, but as I said earlier, there is no solution other than to build two more control weirs. There should therefore be around 1metre more water in the Lower Lough than your charts indicate, so no problem round Devenish, but the Kesh river might still take extra care as I don't think WI have dredged it recently. My first job in 1972 incidentally was dredging the mouth of the Kesh river! I lost an aluminium staff in it, damn close to a sacking offence at the time, but they kept me. Castle Archdale has a public mooring area as well as a pump out (don't know if it's working) and can be a busy spot with holidaymakers, but good facilities. Drumrush Lodge is advertising this week as having a greatly expanded menu etc so might be a bit bigger than I remember it, haven't been for 10 years or more. Would highly recommend Lusty Beg. Belleeks good too although the last 5 miles down the river to it aren't the prettiest part of the navigation, but Belleek itself is good. Personally, I wasn't that impressed with the couple of meals I've had in the Jolly Farmers, bit dear too, but then its in the south! I was impressed by the Carlton hotel the few times I've been there, and the pottery has a staff restaurant/ tea rooms place too which is good, cheap and they'll not throw you out, but limited opening hours during the working day only I think. There's also a coffee shop up the street, The Thatch, which is good, and theres a really old style pub near to it on the same side of the street (can't remembers its name) in which I've had a couple of good lunches. I think if I remember it doesn't advertise its food all that much. Theres also a very neat chipper called McDonalds but not part of the chain! Enjoy. weather looks set to improve a bit after tomorrow but I fear that the really hot and sunny has left us up here in the north west. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 30/06/2010 17:43 by alungoodall.
Having a great time up here on the Lower Lough with the "luxury" of loads of water under me (Depth finder ran out of steam the other day at 52Mtrs and just displayed the word "DEEP" ! ! ! Hoping the head back towards Crom and the SEW next Sat/Suin if levels permit. Does anyone have any first hand information on present levels in that area and whether or not the recent rain is likely to make an impression. Even better, if anyone has travelled that route in anything around 1.1 mtrs draft I would be interested in hearing how you got on. Many tks Richard Richard & Mags "REFLECTION"
Quote: Hi Richard, seem to keep missng each other, we had a long w/e so we went to Ballyconnell to meet up with my cousin & his wife on Sat evening. Since Friday, the water as Alun says is up, yesterday I would have said up a good 6"+ on Friday ( measured by me eye ), spoke to a few guys in Ballyconnell on Sat & Sun who said the SEW had good water below their keel before the rain, although to me it looked a wee bit low ?? a few notes, the new channel on the west of Inishcorkish has very large areas of thick weed, that stopped me 3 times on Friday ( my draft 2' 6" ) also another cruiser was stopped on Friday for about 1/2hr with the weed in this new channel too. Our return trip yesterday along the west shore Lady Craigavon Bridge > Tirraroe > west of Nann > then across to the east entrance to Carrybridge we had no problem with weed. the pumpout at Carrybridge was not working on Friday ( reported ) , pumpout at Knockninny was working well on Friday. Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 13/07/2010 10:25 by Pas Vite.
Tks for that Alun / Austin. "nearly" got to Kesh town moorings yesterday evening when we got stopped by a mudbank (about 0.9 Mtrs depth). Stuck fast and would not go either way ! Eventually a bit of jiggling with the bow thruster managed to unstick her and we were able to reverse back down to the River jetty which is only about a 7min walk to the town anyhow. Had a good night in the Mayfly Inn last night .......! At Whites Island at the moment and might head down to the Manor house and overnight there as we are expecting fresh Easterlies tonight. Have d'cousin and his wife visiting us on Thurs/Fri and as they are non-boatey people the weather will dictate whether we go up or down on those days. If we go up we might drop into the Moorings for a snack on one of the days. Booked into the Ardowen for a show on Sat evening before we start the trek south again on Sunday. PS: ohh forgot to say got distracted whilst mooring at White Island by a float plane appearing around the corner at full take-off speed. I have seen a quite a few of them on the Erne but not as close as this chap who was only about 100 yds away ! Managed to get a good photo which I will post if I can hijack the Wifi in Pats bar in Enniskillen again within the next few days Richard & Mags "REFLECTION"
will keep an eye out for you this w/e......... think I had a note re the Kesh river on another thread on here a few weeks ago, another UPDATE, a mate in a dutch cruiser ( 1.1m ish draft ) " hit a rock mid-channel " on Friday/Sat at Inish Rath, south of marker 27A1 & in the line with the path of the ferry to and from the island & main land. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 13/07/2010 15:33 by Pas Vite.
Quote: Not exactly a good idea, if you don't mind me advising. You could make bits out the bow thruster in no time, if you pick up a stone or a branch or something. I have seen a bow thruster last year, which suffered from the attack of a stone or the likes - 2 of 6 blades gone, the rest in a fairly bad state  Best regards from Killinure Point Sven ~~~~~ www.waveline.ie ~~~~~ www.pikeblog.de ~~~~~ www.loughreemarineservices.com ~~~~~
Quote: Yep, fair point Sven, tks for the advise. Richard & Mags "REFLECTION"
Quote: Tks Austin, Yep someone mentioned that rock at 27A1 previously. I would intend taking the Northerly route around Inish Rath and Dernish anyhow as there seems to be more water there. Richard & Mags "REFLECTION"
IWAI forum Pas Vite wrote: > Posted at: [www.iwai.ie] > Pas Vite wrote: > > will keep an eye out for you this w/e......... > > think I had a note re the Kesh river on another thread on here a few weeks ago, > > another UPDATE, a mate in a dutch cruiser ( 1.1m ish draft ) " hit a rock mid-channel " on Friday/Sat at Inish Rath, south of marker 27A1 & in the line with the path of the ferry from the island & main land. > >
Reflection now sitting in Carrick on Shannon and back in O2 Broadband land...... Finished off our Northern adventures with a visit to the "Clubsound" performance in the Ardowen on Sat evening before heading South at about 10:00 Sun am and getting as far as Ballyconnell. Mon am started in good time and completed the rest of the 16 Locks and treated ourselves to a well earned dinner in the Leitrim Marina Hotel, I see the Menu has been extended and now offers an even better choice at excellent value. No room at the Inn I am afraid in the Hotel Marina though and we ended up berthed outside a very nice German family in an ESL boat, who uncharachteristically did NOT wish to leave their berth at 06:00.....! We took the route South of Naan Isl and around by Tirraroe, also went on NE side of Inish Rath and Dernish. At Gad Isl we headed towards Crom and then doubled back towards the Woodford river. Only encountered shallows as we turned right towards Tirraroe after passing Inishlught(may have been weed though).A good few areas of ULE seem to be suffering from heavy weed and on a number of occassions we found we were slowing and had to give good sharp burst of reverse. This usually resulted in a spray of chopped weed appearing on both sides on the boat. Strangely the weed filter did not seem to suffer at all, althought we did manage to catch a small fish in it(more that I managed to catch with the rod and line....!). SEW was in good condition the whole way through and apart from some soft mud opposite the new holiday homes and jetty north of Ballyconnell we had an event free journey. At some stage I will get around to posting a some pics and I am sure boring the pants off a few people, but in the meantime I just wanted to thank everone who provided us with lots of help,information, support and craic(you all know who you are) and enabled us to have a truely wonderful time on the Erne since we arrived there at the end of May. We are very happy with the amount of ground we covered but there certainly is lots more left for a return visit which I am sure will happen. We feel that basing the boat up there for the Summer really was a great way to explore in a relaxed way all the nooks and crannies and also get to know a lot of local boaters who pointed us towards a number of little Gems we would not have known of otherwise. Only regret is that Reflection draft meant we could not see as much of ULE as hoped for. I have now revised her draft from 1.1Mtrs to a more likely 1.2Mtrs(at least !) By the way if anyone is wondering about an apparently abandoned Dublin registered car in the Lisnaskea area for the last three weeks please do not have it disposed off as I will (hopefully) be collected within the next 2 weeks !) Now, on to the next Northern adventure "The Shannon Rally", now where did I put my Liver tablets......! Richard & Mags "REFLECTION"
Hi Richard, We were in the Broom 37 Crown that did get upriver to Kesh on 12th July--- although after you told me you got stuck I never really relaxed till I got down past you the next morning. I had this vision of having accidently found the only slightly deeper part of the river allowing me to get up that I couldn't find again the next day !! Nice to see you enjoyed the Erne, you passed us in Carrick-on-Shannon on your way down again. We had to leave the boat on the Wednesday of that week to head to Belfast for the day & so were doing catch up on some friends who were already well down the SEW, made it from 1st lock to Leitrim Hotel by 6pm on the Thursday but took it much easier on the way back up & enjoyed the waterway. Maybe see you again if you are up this way. Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum. Online UsersGuests:
11 Record Number of Users:
11
on 28 June, 2010 Record Number of Guests:
84
on 30 July, 2010
|
- 
