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| Lough Ree |
Lough Ree at Galley Bay just East of Knockcroghern Co.Rosscommon was like the proverbial millpond on the morning we started our leg through the lough to Athlone. Sun shining and wind slight, moral was high and an air of confidence and joviality prevailed. After clearing up the cans of budwieser that Jonny had run over the night before we climbed into the canoes ready for a leisurely paddle across the lough. Paddling was easy and the photographers in the boats had time to snap a few shots without fear of being blown backwards by the wind. Ambling along without a care in the world, warm and wind free, I thought myself very privileged to be here at this time in such a glorious setting and without a worry in the world. Jokes and laughter abounded and when one of the crew noticed that the lake had a "few ripples" on the water toward the headland that we were heading, none were too concerned and most shrugged the comment off and indeed pilloried the "over-cautious" orator. Steadily however the wind began to pick up although and the waves grew, not to bad at first but seemingly increasing every few minutes. Slate grey clouds formed seemingly from nowhere and it was noticed that most of our feet were now submerged in ever deepening puddles at the bottom of the boats. Rowing was now getting harder and the wind in the lough was producing larger waves which deposited more water in the boats and made for a more roller-coaster ride through the water. At this stage although it was hard work it was quite enjoyable bobbing up and down over the waves and personally I did not feel in danger or unsafe at all. Then we turned around the Warren Point Peninsula. With the waves now as big as we had experienced during the trip doubts grew as to if we could battle through the water to the next headland which looked a long long way. Of the five canoes we had four of them were "rafted" together in two pairs and one canoe remained single. The single seemed to cope much better in the "maelstrom" and surged ahead of the two rafts which were by now almost continually baling out water with makeshift "milk carton" balers and in the case of the raft which I was in, drifting out and backwards into the lake. A decision was made to scramble for the peninsula which at the time we thought was one of the many islands in the lough. This course meant that we would be paddling side on to the wind and incoming waves which is not recommended and it was at this point that my own sphincter started twitching a tad and thoughts of treading water after we had sank abounded. All four of us would have given Redgrave and Pinsent a run for their money as we paddled furiously without a word being uttered toward the land and safety. Eventually we managed to get near enough to the rocky shore and just about managed to drag the raft out onto the shoreline. The relief was palpable from all four of the crew as, shivering with cold and adrenalin and after relieving our bladders, we hatched, which with hindsight was an absolutely ludicrous plan, to separate the raft and give it a go in single canoes. Dai and Jonny set of first and worryingly rapidly drifted around the other side of the peninsula and out of sight of the two of us left on the beach.
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| Warren Point "island" where four disconsolate Englishmen thought they would reamin marooned for all eternity |
Mundy and myself made our attempt taking a great effort just to get into the canoe and when we did, drifted alarmingly fast in the sea-like waves out and away from the sure and also in the wrong direction. I will admit now that when being buffeted about out in that canoe I was as scared as I have been for a long time and remember giving the straps on my life jacket a few tugs to ensure they were as tight as they could be. How we got back in without capsizing will remain a mystery to me and I'm sure also to Mr Mundy . But get back we did and we walked around to the other side of the peninsula and were very relieved to sea both a dripping wet Jonny and Dai folorn like looking out to the water. In fact Dai was the first of the team to plunge into the water and thus for three lucky patrons of the Hope & Anchor winning the pub sweepstake as to who would enter the drink first.
Very genuine worries for the safety of the others were now foremost in our minds as neither were in sight or answered their phones. We had a look around and to our surprise and puzzlement we found a narrow footpath through a wooded area, and when Jonny fired up his GPS app on his phone confirmed that we were in fact on a peninsula and not an island and not lost for all eternity thus spirits were raised a little as we knew we had an exit route. However dragging canoes in flimsy "wet boat shoes" firstly through a damp moss infested wood which spawned thoughts of the film "Deliverance" and a sticky end for us, then through a shin deep bog complimented with what cows deposit from under there tails, up a hill, down a hill, through thistles and nettles, not forgetting the odd horsefly or three, we would probably have been better off setting up home on the shore and adapting to a life of beach-combing. Survive we did and managed to get the vehicle up to the field we were in and back to "civilisation". To their credit the canoe with Steve and Noel managed to get to Hodsons Bay albeit with great difficulty and no doubt some hair-raising moments. The other raft sank but was baled out and salvaged and a local fisherman towed four shivering oarsmen into the bay just outside of Athlone Co Westmeath
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| Lustful fans of Hasadryoar and the Irish Deliverance team sit outside the Hope & Anchor in hope of a glimpse of the swashbuckling canoeists |
Everyone eventually arrived safely and more the wiser for the ordeal. Inevitably tales of this epic day will be told to awe struck swooning females, of the heroic battle against the cruel Irish elements with wildly exaggerate stories of ten foot waves, wild winds, demented Irish woodsmen, horsefly's the size of budgies, and bogs up to the armpit. Women will flock to the Hope & Anchor to meet the legendary Hasadryoar and the team. No doubt we will have to deal reporters, offers of drinks, lustful nights with nubile young things, and no doubt marriage
.............we'll be in the Hope on Friday night watching the England match.
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