Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and water users on the Erne System that emergency overhead line repair works are planned between Castle Island and the west shoreline on Saturday 25 March.

To enable the repair works to be completed, the navigation channel between Castle Island and the west shoreline of the River Erne will be temporarily closed on Saturday from 10am to 3pm.

Safety boats will be in place for the duration of the repair works. The navigation channel between Castle Island and the east shoreline will remain open.

The cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways also warns that the Erne System is currently experiencing high water levels.

Masters of vessels and water users should proceed with additional caution and bear the following in mind when on the water during high-water conditions:

• Air draft is reduced under all bridges and power lines.
• Water velocity is significantly increased.
• Access to jetties can be difficult as gangways and pontoons are elevated.
• Navigation markers, pontoons and jetties may be submerged.
• Mooring lines should checked regularly if it safe to do so.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterways users on the Erne System that water-based activities will take place at the Fermanagh Lakeland Forum area of Broadmeadow, Enniskillen on St Patrick’s Day this Friday 17 March.

Boat trips, canoeing, water bikes and other activities will be taking place on the day, and masters of vessels should keep their wash to a minimum when passing the area of the activities, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Waterways Ireland advises masters and owners of vessels on the Erne System that the Erne Head of the River rowing race will take place this Saturday 4 March.

The event will start upstream of the Killyhevlin Hotel and will race through to Enniskillen Royal Boat Club.

Rowing boats and craft will be on the water from 9am to 4pm. There will be around 100 rowing crews participating in two events: the Women’s Eight at 11am and the Men’s Eight at 1.30pm.

Masters of vessels should adhere to all instructions given by race marshals on the day and keep the race course clear, especially during racing.

Masters of vessels are also asked to keep wash to minimum when passing rowing crews and race marshals, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways says.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users on the Erne System of the following in relation to the operation of Portora sluice gates near Enniskillen in Northern Ireland over the Christmas period:

If the sluice gates are in operation on Sunday 25 December, there will be no navigation as the control house for the lock gates will not be manned that day.

If the sluice gates are in operation on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 December, there will be a reduced operating window. This will be from 8am to 6pm on both days.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users on the Erne System that the Fours Head of The River Rowing Race, organised by Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, will take place on Saturday 19 November.

The race will start at Inishkeen (downstream of Bellanaleck) at 9am and finish at Enniskillen Royal Boat Club in Northern Ireland at 4pm.

All masters of vessels are asked to ensure that the course is kept clear during racing and adhere to all marshals’ and organisers’ requests throughout the race day.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users on the Erne System that the newer Muckross slipway and adjacent jetty will be closed for two weeks from Thursday 3 November for refurbishment works. During this time, the older slipway and jetty at Muckross will remain open.

Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and water users that the Shannon Navigation, Erne System, Barrow Navigation and Northern Ireland’s River Bann are currently experiencing high water levels which are expected to continue to rise.

All users of these inland waterways should proceed with additional caution and bear the following in mind:

• Air draft is reduced under all bridges and power lines.
• Water velocity is significantly increased.
• Access to jetties can be difficult as gangways and pontoons are elevated.
• Navigation markers, pontoons, jetties may be submerged.
• Mooring lines should checked regularly if it safe to do so.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterway users on the Erne System in Northern Ireland that the power bollards at the Round ‘O’ jetty and at Carrybridge will be isolated on Friday 4 November for the winter period.

Power will be reconnected at the start of the 2023 boating season, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Waterways Ireland wishes to inform masters of vessels and waterway users on the Erne System that works will commence on Monday 24 October to refurbish the walkway connecting the car park to the floating jetty at Geaglum on Upper Lough Erne.

The floating jetty will remain available for mooring. However, the walkway will be closed for the duration of the works and subsequently access to the car park for boaters will not be available.

The works are expected to last approximately three weeks, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.

Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and users of the Erne System that site investigation works are continuing at the East Jetty on Devenish Island in Co Fermanagh from Monday 17 to this Friday 21 October.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, part of the public jetty is closed to mooring and a works exclusion zone is in place as of last week. The remainder of the jetty is still in use, the cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways adds.