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Monday 23/04/2012 Dromod - Roosky - Camlin River

Length of boat trip: 1.8 hours

Motto of the day: Patience and impatience and patience

We start at Dromod as the last boat (yes the private owned boat has also started before us), and on the lake we are wondering that a hire boat with low air draught, which we saw going in the direction of Roosky a while ago, is slowly coming back.

When arriving at the waiting jetty we see the reason. 'Inis Cealtra', one of Waterways Ireland’s working boats, is blocking the bridge. Tom, the lockkeeper, whom we phoned before starting at Dromod said, he will be in 20 minutes (“you know”) at the bridge. Yes, we know. Our experience tells us that he will be busy for a time with boats coming upstream through the lock. So I take backwards upstream the last free mooring space at the waiting jetty and have coffee while the two male crews of big Carrick Craft boats behind and beside us are on the jetty watching the bridge and what is going on there."What’s going on?" I ask them. "The bridge is not open and the lockkeeper told us in ten minutes." "Yes,” I say while sipping my coffee "he told us 20 minutes or so."

I watch the fuss on the jetty. One crew member is using the waiting time and cleans the boat. Willi jokes that he can come over to clean our boat, when finished. The putative boss of the crews, who are waiting on the jetty with their hands in their pockets and impatiently discussing the situation, answers: "We give our own base and servile work by ourselves to crew members." I decide not to offer him tea or coffee. Willi does not give up and gets an introduction in broad knowledge about the navigation and that they intend to moor in a harbour on the Grand Canal next night.

The men on the jetty get more and more out of patience while I finish my coffee. Finally 'Inis Cealtra' moves and Tom arrives. I ask the "boss" of the boats if it is ok that I go first through the bridge. "Yes, but we need mooring space at the quay because a mechanic will await us there for a repair." "No problem, if I see there is not enough space I will let you go first in and then moor to you." is my answer.

We moor at the quay close to bridge and supermarket for a quick shopping and leave then for the lock.

Willi jokes with the lockkeeper that he should open all gates for the two impatient Carrick Craft boats which will arrive later.

The murmur of the water at the jetty below the lock is music to my ears.

Fishermen of two lake boats have lunch at the jetty and we get rocked by a too fast boat five minutes past one which looks like an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) working boat.

We enjoy a sunny afternoon on Lough Forbes and have a look at the entrance of the Rinn River and several new and old buildings and quays.

Willi is again hard working in reeds and stinging nettles when we moor to the bank of the Camlin.

Later two Carrick Craft boats pass on their way to Richmond Harbour on the Royal ;) Canal. We relax and watch landscape, changing lights and birds.

A Silver Breeze (52 feet) passes very slowly on the Camlin. The captain greets us with thumb up but then he asks if everything is ok. What a nice question! Yes! I ask him how he has fitted under the bridge over the Camlin and he points to the stern: “The dwarf has fitted under without ducking.” The dwarf is angling from the stern and I ask him: “Where are you going today?” and he answers pointing to the flybridge “Roosky, if the captain negotiates the next corner right.” What a nice conversation!

A big dark cloud arrives and gives us a shower. What would Ireland be without changing lights?

Knock Airport Max 11.6°C Min 4.2°C Rainfall 0.0 mm (We had one shower) Sun hours 11.6 Wind F3 NE