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HBA Royal Canal - Week 2

13 March 2013

“THE BIG BOATS ARE COMING”

Week 2 update and photos

Week 1 update and photos

Itinerary for HBA on the Royal Canal 2013

HBA on the Royal, Week 2 – Ballymahon to Ballynacargy

Saturday 23^rd March

11.15 We began off the water in Ballymahon Library for the launch of the book H.B.A. on the Royal 2013 written by the 5^th class pupils of St. Matthew’s National School. A super book and well done to all those involved. The library provided us with tea and cake and we left Ballymahon about 1.40 feeling very well catered for.

It took us just over 2.5 hours to reach the 39^th Lock. No rain but biting cold. We arrived in Abbeyshrule forty minutes later and tied up to the welcome sight of the Abbeyshrule Canal Group trailer set up on the quayside. The tables were laden with hot tea and coffee, sandwiches and cake and when the chill had worn off a glass of wine! Many thanks to them. We did all adjourn to the heat of the stove on 74M and another glass of wine. The evening saw us in The Rustic Inn where we all quietly caught up on the day’s events.

Sunday 24^th March

11.15 And 74M was the penultimate boat to leave with six miles and three locks ahead of us. Another day – no rain! But the cold was worse than the previous day. There were a few flakes of snow, but it was too cold even for them! The lock keepers were great; they whizzed us through cheerfully and speedily and I suspect barely tasted the tea and scones! Through the last lock and 20 minutes later, at 1.50, we tied up in Ballynacargy.

The canal on this stretch was full of water and apart from the sharp turns, which took a bit of getting used to (the eleven year old crew member fared best!) we had a lovely run over the two days.

CMD