Warm clear clean water flowing by and over me as I swam quietly away from 'Finney' bridge on 'Lough Mask' right on the boundary between County Mayo and Galway. I felt a difference in water temperature as I swam away from the bridge and encountered the mix of waters between the smaller lough and the much larger Lough Mask. The colder water refreshed even more and I revelled in this early morning bathe amid the stunning scenery, low grey misty cloud, silence and overall calm. The tourists had not started to arrive yet with their, camera out and;
"Willya jurrst look at this you guys," brief picture gathering and cigarette butt leaving stops.
Fishermen were not to be seen at this early hour either. They were absent late last night too as I stood with mug of tea in hand watching numerous largish fish taking the late evening fly. Earlier, in the same spot, I had watched fishing lines whooshing out from long sleek rods only to be reeled back in empty toward frustrated faces. The Heron I espied and watched at binocular distance was having no problem though. Mr, or Mrs Heron, as I watched, downed a three course meal of Cordon Bleau fresh lake fish oblivious of being beautifully encapsulated within focused convex lenses.
Oh! but how it can all change. Peace, calm, slowness & no hurry. The way every day should start and remain throughout. We were doing so well too. Meandering slowly along in an Easterly direction with the Larne to Cairnryan (Stranrear) ferry slotted into the plan sometime in the next few days.
Meandering slowly is not a choice here in Ireland. If you drive a 'Sadie' it is a basic fact rendered as necessary due to the condition, bendy'ness, and at this time of year, exaggerated narrowness due to heavy vegetation, of the Irish roads. Mind you I do sympathize with Irish road builders. An awful lot of this beautiful green island is bog. Soft wet spongy bog. Very much akin to that yellow soggy sponge sluggishly floating in your bath. Try building a road on that.
So: slow n easy it was with hot sun shining from a rain free blue blue sky. Pleasing to the eye rural Irish heartland slipped effortlessly by Sadie's panoramic windscreen.
Then,
in an instant,
life's chaotic choice factor takes over.
Hurtling into view round a sharpish bend appears a gi-normous green tractor towing a wider, heavily loaded, equally gi-normous, trailer. He was on his side of the narrow road but not tightly so and as I dived to my non existent left to squeeze through the impossible gap I observed two things. The monster was not slowing down and the young looking driver only had one hand with which to control the beast. His other hand was holding a feckin mobile phone to his ear!
There was a sickening, loud, obviously painful to Sadie, screeching of tough hedgerow seeking to rip off all fibreglass skirting down her left side. Miraculously we made it through the gap and into a layby a few hundred yards on. Monster tractor and trailer continued on and out of sight.
Examination revealed damage. No doubt about that. Closer examination established Sadie was still in one piece but with her recently cleaned and polished left lower skirting scratched and holed in places but importantly, still attached and serviceable.
I briefly considered following the monster for insurance etc. Only briefly though. This is Ireland. The route to less hassle was shrug, be thankful it was not worse and once again remind myself: Big van, narrow roads, my choice and therefore to be expected every now and then.
That was number one 'Happening'. Number two was in 'Athlone'. A pleasant town on the 'Shannon' waterway. The sun continued to grace us with its presence as we lunched outside while watching the comings and goings of boats through the big Irish waterways lock. We continued walking through a park and back through the town. Least I thought it was back through the town. Somehow I had become dis-orientated and gotten us completely lost. I, in general, have a reasonably good sense of direction but for some reason 'Athlone' decided to render me totally lost for a full three quarters of an hour. Maybe it is a game for which 'Athlone' is known. I say that as I asked directions of one local who sent me:
"Straight now, straight to the traffic lights, you'll see then, you'll see straight enough then".
Well I didn't see 'straight enough then'. When I got to the traffic lights I was even more confused and lost so I asked someone else. This elderly lady proceeded to send me right back the way I had come but:
"be sure to bear left now, just past the top of the hill now".
I eventually, with tired dog trotting alongside reached Sadie. I gave my head a good shaking to wake up just in case it had all been a dream. "That's two "Happenings", I muttered. "What on earth is going to be number three?"
Yup. Sure enough there was 'Happening' number three.
I'd headed for a small road that Mrs Sat nav said went down to the waters edge of 'Lake Ennell' just by 'Mullingar'. Well it did. Even better was that it led to a local authority adventure centre cum Pitch n Putt golf course. An ideal spot for the night with freshwater swimming on the menu. Just one problem. Prominent 'No Camping' notices.
"This is too good to miss out on Tanya. C'mon lets go ask the staff."
I had espied another notice saying: 'Dogs must be on a lead at all times' so Tanya was firmly attached to my belt as we walked across to where lots of children were milling around, the majority of whom were very wet.
I'd just approached a young lady staff member when behind me all hell broke loose. I whipped round to find Tanya on her back fighting off a Collie who was giving her a right pasting. A savage swipe from my right hand removed the Collie and Tanya was quickly scooped up in my arms.
The young lady stepped between Collie and me and shouted whereupon Collie slunk away. Turned out Mrs grumpy Collie had three pups close by, was not on a lead and was owned by the young lady, who turned out to be joint centre manager with her husband.
Number three 'Happening' had two positive outcomes. Firstly Tanya. She was shaken but thankfully not seriously hurt in any way. The second positive? Well after that little incident young lady was most apologetic and saw no problem at all with us staying overnight.
Boy oh Boy! Was that not a lovely cooling swim to finally bring to an end our day of 'Happenings'.
