#Rowers of the Month: The Afloat Rowers of the Month for November are Barney Rix of Portora and Ronan Byrne of Shandon. The two young men set new Irish records in indoor rowing. Byrne set a new junior record of six minutes 16.9 seconds at the Provinces Indoor Championships in Limerick. Rix, who had won the junior section at the Irish Indoor Championships early in the year, competed just two days after the Limerick test in Enniskillen – and lowered the record by .1 of a second to 6:16.8.

 Rower of the Month awards: The judging panel is made up of Liam Gorman, rowing correspondent of The Irish Times and David O'Brien, Editor of Afloat magazine. Monthly awards for achievements during the year will appear on afloat.ie and the overall national award will be presented to the person or crew who, in the judges' opinion, achieved the most notable results in, or made the most significant contribution to rowing during 2015. Keep a monthly eye on progress and watch our 2015 champions list grow.

#RNLI - Enniskillen RNLI is looking for new volunteer crew members to join its search and rescue service on both Upper and Lower Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh.

The lifeboat station currently has 40 volunteers to cover its inshore service on the Lower Lough at Killadeas and the Upper Lough at Carrybridge but is now calling on new volunteers to come forward and find out how they can get involved and help the station to continue to save lives on inland waterways.

And to that end, the station will be hosting an open evening at the new lifeboat station at Carrybridge next Thursday 29 October for all interested candidates to learn more.

Enniskillen RNLI was established in May 2001 and became the charity’s first inland lifeboat station. Today, a great team spirit between Enniskillen’s management, crew and committee members creates an efficient and professional service on the Lough Erne waterway, which works closely with other emergency services to keep water users safe.

Last year, Enniskillen RNLI launched 59 times and brought 57 people to safety.

Now, Jimmy Dundas, Enniskillen RNLI lifeboat operations manager on Lower Lough Erne, is calling on any volunteers who may be interested to come along to the station on Thursday evening and find out more.

"We are looking for anyone aged 17 years and over who is willing to offer some of their free time to join what I believe to be, one of the most exhilarating and rewarding voluntary services that is out there," he says.

"Every volunteer receives first class training from the RNLI and learns new skills which can benefit them in many walks of life. Lifeboat crew members need to have a reasonable level of fitness, have good eyesight and not be colour blind.

"Anyone who would like to volunteer but feels they would not meet the requirements for lifeboat crew should in no way be put off, as shore crew also play an essential role in the launch and recovery of the lifeboat when it goes on service."

Anyone who feels they have the time and commitment to volunteer for the charity, which is on call 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, is asked to email Jimmy at [email protected].

Alternatively, prospective volunteers can come along to the station’s open evening from 7pm on Thursday 29 October at Carrybridge lifeboat station.

#RNLI - Enniskillen RNLI rescued two people on Sunday evening (27 September) after a kayak was reported to have capsized at the mouth of the Colebrook River.

The volunteer lifeboat crew based on Upper Lough Erne at Carrybridge were requested by Belfast Coastguard to launch both their inshore lifeboat and rescue water craft (RWC) at 5.52pm.

The man and woman who came off the kayak had managed to swim ashore, raise the alarm using their mobile phone and let the coastguard know they were on an island.

The inshore lifeboat, helmed by Chris Cathcart, launched immediately along with the RWC. Weather conditions at the time were described as good with light airs and good visibility.

Following a search, the lifeboat crew located the casualties on the northern side of Inishcorkish Island. They were both cold and the woman was shaking and showing signs of hypothermia.

The crew immediately transferred both people to the lifeboat and began to administer casualty care. They were then brought to the shore at Knockninny Marina where they were medically assessed and made comfortable. The RWC then recovered the vessel back to Knockninny Marina.

Speaking following the callout, Enniskillen RNLI helm Chris Cathcart said: "The water was cold yesterday and the casualties had been in the lough for about 15 minutes during their swim to the island.

"They had prepared for their trip by carrying a means of communication and thankfully they were able to raise the alarm using their mobile phone. We wish them both a speedy recovery from their ordeal."

As reported on Afloat.ie earlier today, HM Coastguard is co-ordinating an ongoing search for an overdue sea kayaker off Portmuck in Co Antrim, concentrating on the area around the Gobbins coastal path.

#ROWING: Portora Royal School brought Ireland’s winning total to two on the first day of Henley Royal Regatta. The crew from Enniskillen got off to a good start against King’s College School from Wimbledon in the Princess Elizabeth for schoolboy eights and stretched their lead to one length. But the Wimbledon boys would not give up. They ate into the lead coming up to the line and lost by just two thirds of a length.

Trinity had earlier won in the first round of the Temple Cup for student eights.

Henley Royal Regatta, Day One (Irish interest)

Temple Cup (Eights, Student): Trinity bt Pembroke and Caius Colleges, Cambridge 3¼ l, 6min 49 seconds

Princess Elizabeth (Eights, Schoolboy): Portora Royal School bt King’s College School, Wimbledon 2/3 l, 7:04

Wyfolds (Fours, Club): Nottingham RC ‘A’ bt Lady Elizabeth BC 2½ l, 7:39

#MaritimeFestivals - The inaugural Festival Lough Erne is taking place in the island town of Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh this weekend – a celebration of food and the waterways with fun for all ages.

In the tented village there will be opportunities to meet local food producers and sample the very best of the area's produce, see guest chefs at work and pick up some informative cookery tips and recipes, all whilst tickling the taste buds.

Find out more about the festival's happenings today (Saturday 20 June) and tomorrow at the Fermanagh Lakelands website HERE.

#RNLI - The volunteer crew from Enniskillen RNLI lifeboat station launched their inshore lifeboat from Carrybridge at 9pm last night (Wednesday 6 May) to go to the assistance of a 32-foot sports cruiser.

The powerboat, with four adults on board, had run aground in Trial Bay about a mile from the Crom Estate public jetty.

The boat could not be refloated and the four people on board were transferred to the lifeboat with their personal belongings and brought back to Crom Estate.

#RNLI - The RNLI’s first permanent inland lifeboat station is now complete and fully operational on Upper Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh.

After been housed in temporary accommodation for 13 years, Enniskilllen RNLI volunteers were handed the keys to their new building in Carrybridge this week. 



The modern purpose-built lifeboat station is located close to the lough to allow for an efficient launch of its inshore lifeboat and rescue water craft.

The station, which also houses the associated launching tractor and equipment, full crew changing facilities, a workshop, office and training room, will be officially opened later this year.



First announced nearly two years ago, the build took little over a year to complete was carried out by the Omagh based Woodvale Construction Company and handed over to the RNLI last Wednesday 25 March.



The building is designed with a heating system which allows the heat to be drawn from the ground and produced inside, keeping the temperature at an ambient 15 degrees Celsius. The excess is used to heat the water for showering, washing-up and cleaning the vessels. Solar panels on the roof will also generate electricity for the station's needs.



In order to facilitate the project, the local community helped the charity raise £60,000 towards the cost, which will now help the RNLI’s 40 volunteers based at Enniskillen to continue to save lives on Lough Erne.



In 2001, Enniskillen became home to the RNLI’s first inland lifeboat station based on Lower Lough Erne. 

Due to the overall size and complexity of the lough and its high leisure usage, the decision was taken by the RNLI in 2002 to base a second lifeboat on the Upper Lough at Carrybridge that would work in conjunction with the original lifeboat station on the Lower Lough at Killadeas.



With two bases, two inshore lifeboats and two rescue water craft, the station has since proved to be one of the busiest in Ireland.



Last year alone, Enniskillen RNLI launched 59 times, bringing 57 people to safety. Some 32 of those services were carried out in the dark while the crew spent 262 service hours on the water.



Speaking following the handover of the new building, RNLI divisional technical manager Derek Potter said he was delighted that the station was now complete.

"From the outset, we wanted to build a modern station with full crew facilities with areas for the crew to change and train and space to keep their lifeboat and rescue water craft and lifesaving kit safe," he said.

"We now have those facilities and are very happy to be in a position to take over the new lifeboat station and are delighted with both the design and quality of the building."



Enniskillen lifeboat operations manager Davey Robinson added that the new station was what the crew deserved.

"The new station is a testament to the RNLI’s commitment and dedication to the community here locally and a credit to our crews efforts in continuing to bring people to safety on Lough Erne," he said.

"Our volunteers had an opportunity to be shown around their new station this week and they are overwhelmed with the structure and facilities that they now have when they come together for callouts and training.

"We would like to thank everyone who has helped us to get to this stage including all those who donated, organised or participated in any fundraising activity."

#ROWING: Trinity’s men’s senior eight were the fastest crew at the Erne Head of the River in Enniskillen. They completed the 6,000 metre course in 18 minutes 22 seconds, eight seconds ahead of the senior eight from NUIG. The men’s heavyweight and lightweight senior eights entered by Rowing Ireland were divided by just one second, in fourth and fifth. The fastest women’s crew home were Trinity’s senior eight, with 34 seconds to spare over the Portora junior women’s eight.

Erne Head of the River, Enniskillen, Saturday

Overall: 1 Trinity senior eight 18 minutes 30 seconds, 2 NUIG sen eight 18:30, 3 Trinity intermediate eight 18:50, 4 Carlow, UCC, St Michael’s, Castleconnell, Killorglin sen eight 18:52, 5 Rowing Ireland lightweight eight 18:53, 6 Portora junior eight 18:58.

Men

Eight – Senior: Trinity 18:22. Inter: Trinity 18:50. Club One: Queen’s 19:06. Novice: Queen’s 20:57. Junior: Portora 18:58. Masters (Vet D): Neptune 21:57. Jun 16: St Joseph’s 20:44.

Four – Club One: Trinity (coxed). Jun 18: CAI (coxed) 22:07.

Sculling

Quadruple – Senior: Commercial 19:16. Inter: Sligo 22:10. Jun 18: Carlow A 21:12. Jun 16, coxed: Neptune 22:42.

Women

Eight – Senior: Trinity A 20:19. Club One: NUIG 21:12. Novice: Queen’s A 23:29. Jun 18: Portora 20:53. Masters: Belfast RC (Vet C) 23:56. Jun 16: Portora 22:54.

Four – Club One, coxed: Methody 23:26. Jun 18, coxed: Portora 24:32.

Sculling

Quadruple – Senior: Methody 23:30. Inter, coxed: Portora 25:06. Junior: Bann 21:50.

#ROWING: Enniskillen club Portora bridged a gap back to 1980 when they won the junior men’s eights title at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre in Cork today. St Joseph’s of Galway, seeking their third successive junior eights crown, fought it out with Portora down the course, but the boys in black and gold kept their heads impressively to pull away at the end.

The Gráinne Mhaol four of Fionnán Tolan, Alan Martin, Cormac Folan and James Wall beat Old Collegians to win the senior fours. The first half of the race was a nip-and-tuck battle, but the Galway crew moved away at 1250 metres to win well.

UCD and NUIG fought it out right to the finish in the women’s intermediate eights, with the Dublin college just shading it. UCD also won the inaugural men’s club eight – by almost eight seconds.

Justin Ryan gave UCC a title when he won the lightweight single sculls from Tim Harnedy of Skibbereen. The west Cork club added to their title roll by winning the junior women’s four.

Clonmel won the women’s novice coxed quadruple sculls from NUIG.

Irish Rowing Championships, National Rowing Centre, Cork (Selected Results, Finals)

Men

Eight – Club: 1 UCD 6:03.79, 2 Skibbereen 6:11.41, 3 Trinity B 6:13.04. Junior: 1 Portora 6:06.24, 2 St Joseph’s 6:10.21, 3 Bann 6:17.78.

Four – Senior: 1 Gráinne Mhaol 6:10.15, 2 Old Collegians 6:14.81.

Four, coxed – Intermediate: 1 NUIG 6:26.37, 2 Carlow 6:29.33, 3 Neptune 6:36.71.

Sculling, Quadruple – Novice, coxed: 1 Queen’s 6:49.52, 2 Clonmel 7:01.83, 3 Kenmare 7:17.56.

Double – Senior: 1 Skibbereen 6:30.22, 2 Three Castles 6:34.96, 3 UCC 6:45.32.

Single – Lightweight: 1 UCC (J Ryan) 7:26.61, 2 Skibbereen (T Harnedy) 7:31.73, 3 UCD (S Toland) 7:39.60.

Junior: 1 St Michael’s (D O’Malley) 7:17.53, 2 Shannon (C Carmody) 7:22.81, 3 Waterford (A Goff) 7:25.24.

Women

Eight – Intermediate: UCD 6:44.30, 2 NUIG 6:44.92, 3 Queen’s 6:55.60.

Four – Senior: 1 NUIG/Cork 6:57.92, 2 Trinity 7:09.18, 3 Skibbereen 7:16.93. Junior Four: 1 Skibbereen 7:18.45, 2 Muckross 7:29.03, 3 Shannon 7:31.07.

Four, coxed – Club: 1 NUIG A 7:25.50, 2 UCC 7:33.87, 3 Skibbereen 7:38.30.

Pair – Intermediate: 1 St Michael’s 7:49.72, 2 Trinity 7:53.27, 3 Shannon 7:53.29.

Sculling,

Quadruple – Novice, coxed: 1 Clonmel 7:47.42, 2 NUIG 8:03.81, 3 Athlunkard 8:48.81.

Double – Junior: 1 Cork 7:26.87, 2 Belfast 7:32.25, 3 Commercial 7:36.33.

#RNLI - Some 46 people completed the 750m course on Lough Erne in the revived Castle Island Charity Swim recently - including three Enniskillen RNLI lifeboat crew in full kit!

As reported last month on Afloat.ie, the swim traditionally took place annually with the support of the Blake family, and Enniskillen RNLI hailed as a "great honour" the chance to bring back the annual event.


Apart from the action on the water on Sunday 11 August, the day featured was a family fun morning on shore with a bouncy castle, face painting and an ice cream stand.  



Lifeboat volunteer crewman Adrian Kelly said of the day: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who got involved on all levels. I really hope everyone enjoyed the event and that we can give it a go next year."