Once the International Wayfarer rally ended at East Down Yacht Club on Strangford Lough last weekend, five boats with 13 crew headed west to another, albeit smaller but memorable gathering at Lough Erne Yacht Club in County Fermanagh. They were joined by LEYC members James and Tom Burton, who had bought a Wayfarer last year but hadn't been far from the club with it. They really enjoyed sailing in company of other Wayfarers and extending their range significantly both to the south and north.
Lough Erne is actually two connected lakes in the west of Northern Ireland – the biggest lake system in Northern Ireland, which are widened sections of the River Erne, which flows north and then curves west into the Atlantic. The smaller southern lake is called the Upper Lough and the larger lake is called the Lower Lough or Broad Lough. The town of Enniskillen lies on the short stretch of river between the two lakes, which, with 150 islands, along with many coves and inlets, is a major tourist destination.
Wayfarers on Lough Erne approaching Blaney Bay
The first cruise in the Wayfarers, a dinghy which is very suitable for cruising and racing, was to the famous monastic site on Devenish Island, considered the most important of Lough Erne's many island church settlements. Devenish was founded in the 6th century by St Molaise. It was raided by Vikings in 837 and burned in 1157, but in the Middle Ages flourished as the site of a parish church and St Mary's Augustinian Priory. They went on to the county town of Enniskillen with its 15th-century castle, motoring/sailing/paddling through the lock and to the public jetty for a walk into town and welcome afternoon refreshments at the Buttermarket, a restored 19th-century dairy market.
The next day the group sailed west across the Lough to Carrickreagh Bay, landing at the jetty and walking up to the viewing point. With black clouds approaching the fleet returned to the club and were off the water just in time to escape a torrential downpour. That was followed by a trip by car to Carrybridge, where club member and organiser of the International Rally, John Miller, gave the sailors an outing on Upper Lough Erne in his family cruiser on the beautiful and peaceful waterway down to Knockninney for a short walk to a viewpoint. The return was in thunder and lightning with spectacular cloud formations. The day ended with a visit to Enniskillen Castle and a Riverside walk.
Monica Schaefer from Greystones Sailing Club in Co. Wicklow, recalled sailing past and dropping the mast for the bridges when taking part in a ‘raid’ of the Shannon-Erne waterways. The Wayfarer mast is easily lowered for shooting bridges one of its many qualities as an easily transportable and stable boat for cruising and exploring.
Midweek all six boats set out to the north of LEYC, navigating between the many islands with White Island in Castle Archdale Bay on the east shore of the Lower Lough. It is renowned for its ruined church with built-in carvings dating between 800 and 1000 AD. Three boats turned back and went on in increasingly choppy waters for a challenging, cold and wet ride up to White Island to see the carvings. After sailing across to Castle Archdale, they were met with flasks of hot drinks and cake provided by the ‘returners’. With a brisk following wind, the return to LEYC was swift.
White Island's carved figures Photo: Geograph
The final day of the visit saw light winds and sunshine as the fleet navigated between the many islands up to Tulley Castle near the village of Blaney on the southern shore of Lower Lough Erne. The Blaney area takes its name from Sir Edward Blaney, who was among the English advance party sent to Fermanagh to organise the Plantation in the 17th century.
They passed between Goat Island and Innishmacsaint with its 6th-century church on the approach. The sound of bird song radiating from the islands passed (sometimes in stereo) will be a memory of sailing this wonderful Lough. After a picnic lunch at the Castle, in perfect conditions, the final afternoon of sailing took the group to Blaney Bay, landing to visit a house owned by two if the party for afternoon tea in the garden. Getting three boats up to, then off a tiny landing with numerous hazards to navigation (rocks, poles, weed and reeds) called for some enterprising seamanship!
A final sparkling close-reaching return across Lough Erne to the club was enjoyed by all. It was a fitting climax to a great few days here, and all were keen to return.
