Curragower
Words:
Ross Redmond.
Images: Morgan O'Sullivan
In Limerick there
is a special spot for Freestyle, perfectly placed in a
unique urban setting. The city is undergoing huge redevelopment
and the river has become the focal point of attention.
On any given day, especially between October and March,
the people who turn to face the river will likely see
kayakers making good use of one of Irelands greatest playgrounds...
Curragower Falls.
The waves that form here are among the best in the country.
They offer huge variety in terms of performing and learning
new tricks, they are easily accessed and they are consistent.
In the past five years or so the waves here have become
more popular as boat designs have developed and people
seek out better and bigger rides.
Curragower has become an important place for the Irish
Freestyle community, producing memorable days on the water
and classic competitions such as the 2002 Varsities, RiverFest
and the “wave leg” of the National Championships.
Exact water levels are hard to judge and can change on
the day, however I will talk about the waves in general
Low, Medium and High Water terms. The main season runs
from October through to March and during this time you
are almost guaranteed a surf everyday.
Low Water Conditions
Low water conditions are likely to be encountered after
long dry spells, typically in the spring, summer and early
autumn. In low water, paddling onto the wave from the
eddy is generally not possible so dropping on from upstream
is the only way to attain the wave. At this level the
wave is steep and fast, unforgiving yet exhilarating to
surf. This is the level when it is possible to achieve
the quickest, slickest moves but sticking them may be
an issue. Walking around is easy and it’s usually
sunny in spring and summer... right?
Medium Water Conditions
Medium water is generally the best level and is also the
most common from October to March. The Shannon has a huge
catchment, so rain upstream (which happens quite a lot)
will lead to days of consistent play on the waves. At
this level there is lots to do.
As the tide drops small waves close to the river right
bank start to come in. These are known as the Warm Up
Waves and are awesome to surf in their own right. Don’t
spent too long here though, the Main Wave beckons!
The Main Wave at medium levels is a joy to surf. On surfers
right it boasts a smooth, fast, green section which stands
proudly overhead and on surfers left it has a fluffy retentive
foampile. Any move is possible here and the wave has mellowed
out considerably making it more forgiving. This allows
you to land more of your biggest moves. This season has
seen the biggest leap in standard and I’ve seen
Clean Air Blunts, Helix’s, Pan Ams, Loops and Airscrews
at this level.
The other improvement with the extra water is eddy service.
Paddling on is achievable though tricky. It’s a
challenge to figure it out! Certainly a fast boat will
help, but technique is more important. Just think of it
as a must-make ferry above a certain portage! The eddy
service and a more forgiving surf make medium water levels
just about everybody’s favourite. Surfing a big
green wave, on a sunny day in the middle on the Shannon,
under the walls of a medieval castle is the stuff of every
American tourist's dreams…
High Water Conditions
High water on the Shannon means lots and lots of water.
The floods usually happen in January and their arrival
means that the main wave will be washed out. Don’t
worry, the falls have another trick up their sleeve.
In high water conditions, Lil’Gower comes in. It
is situated close to the river right bank, perfectly placed
for photos opportunities or smiles to that special someone
on the bank. It's got perfect eddy service which is just
as well because surfing on a wave as interesting as Lil’Gower
can leave you tired as hell. Of course the tiredness is
soon forgotten once you’re back on the wave and
the excitement kicks in again!
Lil’Gower is perfect for beginners and experts alike;
it is fast and steep with a 3ft face and a foam pile right
at the top. It’s also got two very well defined
shoulders for banging of blunts left and right. I’ve
also seen Flip turns, Helixes and Loops here. At even
higher water Lil’ Gower can wash out. This leaves
one feature left. A big hole about halfway between Lil’
Gower and the main wave. In really high water this becomes
deep enough to be useful and can provide the very brave
paddler with huge loops and all the other hole moves.
Extra Credit
Depending on the water levels it is possible to surf different
variations of the waves. At lower Medium water one of
the warm up waves turns into Turbo Wave which is super
fast and steep. A blast to surf but a little shallow.
There is also a wave directly behind Main Wave (Donkey
Flip), which is super fast, retentive and bouncy. It’s
always worth taking some time out to go for a wander and
see which waves are working.
Location – R. Shannon, Limerick
City Center.
Directions – The easiest way to get to the wave
is the drive into the city following signs (or directions
from locals) to King Johns Castle. The waves are situated
half way between Thomand and Sarsfield Bridge. Access
is from Clancy Strand. From here park and change discreetly
at the Curragower Pub. The wave is right there. Buy a
toastie and a pint of Guinness when you’re done.
http://www.limerick-city.com/limerick_city_map.html
How it works – The waves start
to work about 2.5hrs after high tide at Limerick docks.
The Warm Up Waves come in first, then the Main Wave. They
work for up to 5hrs, depending on the size of the tide.
The waves will work if it has been raining for a few days
upstream of Limerick i.e. if there is water in the Shannon.
So watch the weather forecast!
http://www.pol.ac.uk/ntslf/tides/?port=0718
Access – This is the easy part.
The Limerick Main Drainage Project (which has cleaned
up the water quality by about 100%) has left an island
jutting out into the river. Use this for access, watching,
shooting pics, socialising to your hearts content. However
the usual courtesy rules apply…!
Final Thoughts
The waves at Curragower provide an awesome playground
for beginner, intermediate and expert boaters alike. The
combination of clean, deep water and a safe pool for rescue/recovery
downstream combine to make this site one of the most important
kayaking spots in Ireland.
