A Week on the River Shannon, Ireland, August 2008

Woke up to a grey and slightly drizzly morning, and set off downstream at about 09:30. We had checked the excellent navigation guide to see where we might stop for lunch and dinner. However, we may change this :o)

Navigation is very straightforward. Finding the next markers to pass between is a bit of fun, using both the guide and the provided binoculars. However, it is essential that the guide and briefing notes are followed closely - particulary when the river is higher than normal.

As we approached Jamestown, and the Jamestown canal towards Albert Lock, the weather had much improved. After passing through the lock and before going through Lough Bofin at the bottom of Lough Boderg, we spotted a mooring place at Carnadoe through a narrow channel and headed that way for lunch. With the sun now out, this was a lovely spot for a lunch stop.

Look out for cormorants perched on the marker posts, some with their wings stretched out!

We decided to pop into Dromod Marina to see what it was like and to visit the village, before deciding where to moor for the night.

Indeed it is a pretty little place, with quite a large Marina for a small village. It has quite a few amenities, and is also free to moor. I usually fill up with water if I moor near a public tap, so took the opportunity here.

The navigation notes say it's a short walk to the village, it's actually around 10 minutes. The main "supermarket" is a further 15 minute walk or so past the railway station, but it's only really a small minimart.

The clouds came over, and it started to rain a little. So after a coffee, we decided to stop overnight as we didn't want to get wet :o)

The boat has a radio/CD player, so we took our own selection of CDs to play. We tuned into the local radio stations to find the weather forecast for the coming day or so. We also took a couple of puzzle & reading books to pass some of the time, but it's always good just to watch the other boats mooring and leaving, as well as chat to other people.

Although there were some lovely looking pubs in the village, we decided to eat in this evening. We had previously bought some provisions (including wine and beer) from a small shop on the main road and the minimart. It's worth noting that prices seem quite a bit higher compared to the UK, particularly alchohol - even when purchased from larger supermarkets.