Upper Shannon Estuary

Even with so much magnificence to tempt you back out onto the Atlantic coast, it would be a shame to miss the shelter of the Shannon itself for a short cruise. It is entirely possible to sail all the way to Limerick with as many anchorages in between as you choose, but by making full use of the 'conveyor-belt' tides and the flexibility conferred by the lock, simply day-sailing from Kilrush can provide diversion in plenty.
Upstream, rocky shores give way to soft mudbanks. These open up the possibility of drying out alongside the various cut-stone quays to all but the most extreme fin-keelers. Most of the little towns have these, and there are others in deserted spots where you will only be disturbed by shell-duck, oyster catchers and the ever present skylarks. In order to encourage cruising, Shannon Development propose to install a number of visitor moorings along the lines of those pioneered by the Scottish Highlands and Islands Development Board. These will be laid and administered by local community groups.
It is well established that when a yacht calls in a locality she generally spends far more than her mooring fees up in the town, so once again, there are no losers in this far-sighted arrangement. The government supplies the investment, yachtsmen benefit from properly controlled facilities, while the local community reaps the overall pay-off. The area is more self-sufficient, which ultimately eases the government's revenue commitment, bringing the wheel full-circle.
At Foynes, you can anchor in front of the fine old house that was home to Conor O'Brien, that controversial sailor who circumnavigated in the 1920's aboard his small brigantine ketch yacht Saoirse, writing a swashbuckling account of his adventurhis book 'Across Three Oceans'. A couple of cables away you could well find a 50,000 tonner discharging at the new jetties, but the town remains well worth a visit, not least to the famous Flying Boat Museum which commemorates those hectic days when Foynes played a key role in pioneering the air routes across the Atlantic.
Here is the old and the new rubbing shoulders with surprising ease. You need to shove your mind firmly into freewheel to cope with the juxtaposition of industry and rural decay, but it works and its definitely real. This is no tourist trap. It is the raw Atlantic seaboard of Ireland, ever a jumping off point. It helps to remember that sixty years ago, these same waters echoed to the thunder of aero-engines as the flying boats took off with the sun, bound for the New World.Four miles upstream of Foynes, for those who enjoy a spot of ditch-crawling, lies the lovely Askeaton Creek. Unmarked in items past, this diminutive waterway is now roughly buoyed by Kim Roberts who operates a boatyard. Her yard stands immediately above a tiny quay decorated with ancient boats sleeping away their retirement as flower gardens, but there is nothing whimsical about the work done in this classic little yard.   Next Page