We got chatting with Dave who invited us aboard his boat 'Carrick Spray' she is another Bruce Roberts design, based on Joshua Slocums boat Spray, aboard which Slocum achieved the first solo circumnavigation. The builder obviously has a bit of a thing for pirates because she is about as far removed from an average white boat as it can be, oozes character, even has a lovely lady as a figurehead and also has a Parrot ( stuffed ) on board.
Lynne was very taken with the figurehead. I know she looks a bit Disney, but she is very practical and comfortable below.
Dave was a very interesting guy and told us many tales about his life and the river, he had come over to Northern Ireland back in the seventies at the height of the troubles, Dave was in the army, he met a girl and stayed.
He also told us about the harbour which is closer to the town centre and reached via the lifting rail bridge, we saw this in action later when the only commercial traffic came up the river. It is a ship that comes up the river once a week to pick up a cargo of scrap metal.
For the size of the ship the wake is virtually non existent.
You can see the lifting bridge in the distance.
Along with the normal traffic we have seen kingfishers, a seal , lots of Heron, and even had an elver in our toilet!
We saw these guys netting a section of the river opposite Dark Tarn, I assume they are scientists as otherwise wade netting is illegal!
As a final photo I must include the yacht "Silence" just because she is so beautiful, and also for sale!
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