Saturday, July 24, 2010

Enniskillen on one engine



We're back in Enniskillen. Getting to know this town well. We did get beyond here for a couple of days. It was glorious on Thursday and we pulled into the Lough Erne Yacht Club. The club is set in a sheltered bay and has a visitor jetty, although the status of this jetty is a little unclear - some say it's public, some say it is not. Anyway, we were made very welcome and we did a spot of business. The fellow on the boat in front of us was Mr Irish Spars and Rigging. We've been thinking about getting a winter cover for the boat for a few years. It usually goes like this when we first put the scraggy old tarpaulin onto Winter Solstice around November time:

Me (who hates the messing around with bits of fraying rope and overstretched bungees): We really should get a proper cover made. It would be so much easier.
Joe (who doesn't feel the cold or mind the messing): Sure this'll last us another year.
Me: But it such a faff putting it on. It'd be worth getting a cover.
Joe: Maybe. But this'll do for now.

Nigel from Irish Spars and Joe got chatting and it soon came round to a cover for the boat. Nigel knew exactly what we needed and gave us a good price. A deposit has been paid. Hurray! We'll have something easy with zips and velcro. No more shivering in the rain and the cold.

We decided to come back to Enniskillen last night, tried to start the starboard engine and nothing happened. After consultation with a Man Who Knew (aka a boat mechanic) it was concluded that the starter motor would need taking out. This is where having a twin-engine boat is so brilliant. It's a bit awkward getting into a mooring, but the challenge is interesting. On the way here we came around Devenish Island which has this amazing round tower. Didn't stop. It was nearly 8 and dinner was calling. Back to the great Indian restaurant in town. Yum.


The engine that's down is the one that heats the water, so no shower. I don't do cold showers. Even in tropical temperatures I don't do cold. So we're heading to Knockninny next where the chart says there are showers available. Otherwise it'll be boil a kettle and get out the flannel.

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