The Breakout

Bentley on strike due to heat

 Three years ago, we sailed Ostinato to the Chesapeake with grand plans to continue further north to New England the following year.  Of course, Covid hit and changed everyone's plans.  I'm happy to report that we have not had Covid but Ostinato did not fair so well.  Boats are not happy being left in boat yards.  I won't go into the extensive list of chores we took on this summer.  Let's just say it was a lot.  Some planned maintenance, some upgrades, some to be filed under ugly things that happen to boats left in boat yards.  It took us two trips to Deltaville, Virginia over the summer to finish making her right again.  Two trips because August brought over 100 degree temps and even the dog, Bentley, refused to leave the air conditioned RV.  Finally, we all agreed it was just too damn hot! 
 

Cross Rip Campground

In mid September, we returned in the RV to the Cross Rip Camp Ground, conveniently located a mile from the boat yard, with MK (aka Shadow), the cat and Bentley, the dog.   The worst of the heat wave was over and we attacked the "to do" list with gusto, including your typical scrubbing, sanding, painting, prepping engines, putting up netting to keep pets aboard, and a last minute kicker, installing a new fuel tank. 

 

Doggy Jail

Bentley supervising fuel tank work

Even Sue was put to work
on the fuel tank

Not a favorite job!

New Boot Stripe!

Splash!

November 1 - Today Ostinato was finally splashed.  This, of course, was not without drama.  As she was lifted a small chunk dropped off the keel.  They gave us an hour to decide if we could do a quick fix or we would need to remain in the yard.  Boats piled up at the dock waiting to be lifted out.  Happy endings today.  The spot was patched and the procession to the waterfront started once again.  King, Bentley and I climbed aboard and motored the short distance to the Regatta Point Marina just next door to the yard.  The RV, car and MK the cat were quickly returned home and a week later we were once again back in Deltaville living on Ostinato. Winter had arrived in our absence.  Temperatures were now hovering in the low 40s with no relief in sight.  So, we waited. 

 

View from berth at Regatta Point Marina

Baby it's cold outside

Nov 21 - Early morning temps have dropped into the 30s so 40s is starting to sound pretty good.  Plus if you don't look too closely, each stop going south forecasts a degree or 2 of warmer weather.  We leave tomorrow!  We have used our delay time well.  One of the biggest achievement is Bentley finally used the artifical grass we attached to the trampolines!   Such a smart boy!  Additionally, the Deltaville Market got a new shipment of turkeys in yesterday so I was finally able to find a turkey breast that I can shoe horn into our tiny oven.  Thanksgiving will go on as scheduled!  Many thanks to Regatta Point Marina for allowing us more than our fair share use of their loaner car!

Bentley's frisbee yard was just off Ostinato

Nov 22-26  Up early today to catch every bit of daylight possible.  Destination Norfolk.  It's cold!  The dock ramps are icy and as I return from Bentley's walk I did a most ungraceful butt plant.  Somehow, thanks again to my guardian angel, I remained in one piece.  King cranked up the engines and we followed the oyster boats out the channel, turning south just as the sun cracked the horizon.  Once clear, all of the canvas was lowered around the back deck creating a sun-room to keep us from freezing.  No sails today.  Winds were light all the way into Norfolk but that was ok.  It just felt so good to be back on the water!  The currents were kind to us.  Ostinato averaged 6.5 kts but saw an occasional 7 throughout the day.  We arrived at our destination, Waterside Marina, with plenty of time for a game of frisbee with Bentley.   

Bridges are always an issue at rush hour.  It finally dawned on us why our dock neighbor on SV Shadow (don't you love that!) left on the weekend.  We were now faced with no openings between 6:30 to 9:30.  With short days, this would hamper our ability to move along the winding ICW to Coinjock, our next destination.  Not to be deterred, we set our alarms for 4 am and were off the docks by 5.  Its pitch dark

Sunrise can't come soon enough!

at 5 a.m. and, of course, freezing.  The lights on shore destroy night vision and the chartplotter has decided to act up.  We cannot see the channel markers!  Are the RR bridges down or up?  Gezzzz.  We both agree this was not one of our better ideas for so many reasons but half frozen we floated up to the bridge with only one soft grounding along the way.  As soon as we passed under the bridge the sky began to lighten and Ostinato headed toward the Great Bridge lock where we entered without incident or fan fair.   King then stopped at the free dock just on the other side to let Bentley run and allow our pulses to settle back to normal.  

Great Bridge Lock

Underway again, I started the pumpkin bread and sausage stuffing for tomorrow's dinner.  The remaining cruise was without incident until we got just outside of Coinjock where a slip awaited us.  Here we found a 45 ft Beneteau hard agound.    Of course, we offered to assist.  King inched Ostinato up to her and I took their halyard to attach to Ostinato's mast.  King backed her down pulling the Beneteau over on her side but she refused to budge.  The Kadey-Krogren troller who had followed us most of the day also stopped to offer assistance but he promptly went aground and quickly changed his mind.  After a few attempts produced no movement, the owner decided a call to Tow Boat US was in their future.  Ostinato moved on to the marina, arriving at 2 pm.  Hmmm, maybe we didn't need to leave before sunrise after all!  

Thanksgiving day Ostinato slipped her lines and was off the docks by 8 am heading toward the Albemarle Sound (West of the Outer Banks) where we planned to spend Thanksgiving and set out rain forecast for the following day.  It was a beautiful.  By noon, temps had risen into the high 60s making the "sunroom" quite warm.   As the day progressed we were shedding coats and hats as if it was summer in Shell Point.  The turkey was in the oven and the jib was flying for the first time in three years!  Life is good!  Arriving at the Alligator River Marina, we found we had the place to ourselves.  The marina was officially closed but allowed us to prepay by phone the night before.  Thanksgiving feast was stress free and our dinners and lunches are now taken care of for the next week......or so.  Yippee!  We were so busy eating that not one photo was taken of the feast so you will just have to trust me on this.

Bentley takes his turn on watch

On Black Friday, the gas station/convenience store/marina is, once again, open for business.  After sitting through a blowey, rainy afternoon, King decided to top off the dinghy fuel tanks.  Bentley followed him out the door as he believes that he is tethered to us at all times.  The hardest decision he has to make is if King and I don't go together who will he chose to be with.  The person going out is the typical winner.  This day, however, King had other ideas and did not invite Bentley on his walk to the gas station/convenience store/marina but left him outside on our deck.  I was inside writing email.  I'm hearing  click, click, click, pause, click, click, click pause from Bentley's nails hitting the fiberglass as he moves about Ostinato searching for a perch to get a view of King.  Suddenly, he runs off the saloon roof and down the starboard deck click, click, click, click to the gate used for carrying him off and on the boat.  He then leaped toward the dock.  OMG, he just disappeared!  As I ran out the door I saw no sign of Bentley on the dock.  I looked toward the gas station/convenience store/marina building and saw King standing with the dock master but no Bentley is in sight.  He was also not in the water directly beneath the gate opening.  I ran to the sugar scoop on the back of the boat and there he was under the docks, in the water, swimming for the rocks that served as a seawall as fast as he could go.  King quickly figured out what happened and ran to the boat with the dockmaster on his heels.  There was no way to reach him from the dock or the boat.  I got King a boat hook, he laid flat on the dock and after several tries he was miraculously able to snag Bentley's harness.  Bentley did not move as he attempted to snag him.  As he pulled Bentley into the water toward the boat Bentley began swimming again.  Gripping the boat pole, King then pulled him up the side of the boat while Bentley tried to assist, using his little legs to climb toward safety.  All hands grabbed him as King was able to pull him onto the dock.   His little heart was thumping wildly but he was safe.  Following a warm water shower and shampoo in the cockpit he was treated to a blow dry.  We now have new rules on keeping the safety netting secured.

I promise not to jump off the boat again!