At a recent meeting with Waterways Ireland, the subject of their work at Castle Harbour Portumna was discussed. To those not familiar with the location, it was built roughly thirty years ago of the submarine pen type plan with fingers on either side of a square area. The harbour is popular with boaters and at times very full, which was a problem for barge owners without a lot of options being available.
For some time the HBA had been in discussion with WI on the installation of mooring posts which would be adequate for barges to over-night on, and if placed at the outer break-water, would add to the harbour's capacity.
Last July WI installed a metal mooring post with rings, on the edge of the southern break-water and a mooring buoy roughly eighteen metres east of the post.This arrangement is ideal for barges to moor and raft on. This is a pilot project and use or abuse of it is being monitored.
We are grateful to WI for the provision of this facility and look forward to it being applied to other busy areas.
Some pictures below of a trial in July 2011.