Prosecco in the rain

What can you do? You arrange for friends to visit with plans of a trip up the river to Scarriff and it rains. Wetting, ceaseless, you-know-it-won't-stop rain. You can either be a slob or have a small adventure. We went for the adventure. Or at least the getting out of the house. And one of the party happened to have a bottle of Prosecco about her person, so we anchored off Iniscealtra within sight of the round tower and Erin popped the cork.

Catching the moment

Joe and I had decided at the last minute to stay on board that night - Friday - and play some tunes in the session at the hotel, so a hurried packing for one night. Saturday was sunny and, astonishingly, hot. We couldn't go home now. We'd a car in Scarriff and one in Mountshannon for car-shuttling purposes, so I took one of them home and cycled back to Mountshannon over the mountain. Joe and I did this ride in April, but there seemed to be a lot more uphill this time. I had a rucksack on my back full of clothes, and various essential supplies in my bike bag, so I suppose that was it. Still the joy of it at the top, bog all around, and views of our own valley behind, Lough Derg in front.

Back in Mountshannon and Joe had had a text from friends. Were we on Derg and if so would we like to join them in Kilgarvan. A beautiful late afternoon. A trip up the lake would be just the thing.

Looking back at Scarriff Bay

Next day we dropped anchor beside Illaunmore, the inhabited island that lies off the Tipperary shore north of Dromineer. The tiny bay we chose, we realised as we reached it, contained a cut into a small harbour with a house beyond. I wonder how people in such places feel when a boat anchors off? The water doesn't belong to you, yet you must have a sense of ownership of the lake beside your house.

Later, after a drive-past from the RNLI who, we later learned, had been involved in a rescue, we chugged into Castletown Bay for a mooch and a look to see could we find the way into Black Lough. Joe was sure he'd heard this was possible. Couldn't see a way in at all, but that's often the way when there are reeds lining the bank. We had the old Admiralty Chart which we were sure showed a river from this bay. However we must have been mistaken - I'll check when on board again - the way in goes from just beyond where we anchored for lunch. In fact a boat went in that way, but we assumed it was heading for its own little harbour. We should have followed it.

Anyway, there was a nice ruined castle to look at from Casteletown Bay.

The crinkly bit on the hill is the castle

Ridiculous that we haven't explored all this before. It's the Lough Ree syndrome I think. You get stuck in a certain pattern of movement. On Ree it was north to south and onwards, but spending a week there allowed us to find all the hidden-away bits of the lake. We're going to stay on Derg for the next while, do a bit of sailing, explore wherever we have yet to explore.

Sunday night was tunes in Garry. Considering we'd only come out for a night we were doing well.

In Garrykennedy