SV Ostinato: King Takes A Mud Bath

We only planned on spending a few days in Ipswich but here we are, still snuggled up at the end of the harbour.

May 2 - We found another option to be lifted surfaced thanks to contacts made through the CA. This is another commercial yard but prices are anticipated to be more reasonable. In the meantime, we have located yards in Scotland that can handle our width so no worries except for the zincs which haven't been attended to since Gosport. We can't find the commercial yard on the Internet so its time for a road trip. I will spare you from the fun we continue to have driving on the "other" side. Just let me say when King suggested extending the rental for another day, my interest was less than enthusiastic....something akin to "no...hell no". But I digress.

Spring has arrived at Sutton Ho

The good news is the lift can pick us up. The bad news is there are no shower facilities on site, or hotels in close proximity. While we can survive this if we don't do the work, I know King and even if there are 10 people painting the bottom, he will be right in the middle of it all. We will have to think about this. On the way home we stop by the Sutton Hoo site to see the replicas of the hoard (originals are in the British Museum) found aboard the burial ship a half mile uphill from the River Deben. (Must have been some funeral.) Spring has finally arrived!

May 3 - A third option is to simply let the boat dry with the tides. A new thought for us but there is always a first time at everything, right? We use the last hour of the rental to drive to a recommended site but left unenthused. Heading back to Hertz we decide that a marina that dries may be a good option to see what kind of shape she is in and change the zincs. Directly in front of Hertz is the Orwell Yacht Club. Is this fate? These wonderful people not only agreed to take us under their wing for our first dry out but Brenda, the Commodore, gives us a ride back to the Haven marina where Ostinato is moored.

May 5 - We are scheduled to leave in the morning for the Orwell Yacht Club but have just been notified the locks are broken. Only boats less than 6 meters beam can get through. That leaves us locked in! The dry out is rescheduled.

OYC in Ipswich at high tide

May 8 - Arrived at Orwell YC just before high tide. Lots of help has arrived and after a nice cup of tea its determined that we will not fit on the drying out posts. Change of plans, we are drying out at the dock. Neither of us understand the significance of this until the water leaves and Ostinato keels disappear in the mud. Peter, the OYC Mooring Master, walks over to the boat making it look easy. King jumps off the boat and immediately sinks in to his knees. The stuff is like quick sand. It's nip and tuck if King's boots are goners. We have sunk so much they have to dig out a hole in the mud to find the zincs. The good news, they look great! The even better news, the bottom looks great also! YEA!

Help I'm sinking!

Peter makes it look so easy

OYC stop by to help us celebrate Ostinato's first dry out

May 9 - Our departure this morning from OYC promises to be exciting. The wind is 20 knots plus out of the West and has us pinned to the dock. Maneuvering room is tight to say the least. There is a chain directly behind us and no space at the bow. The helpful OYC crew is back in full force to help drag us off the dock. All, I'm sure, hoping that we will avoid wiping out any of their boats. Peter, and his crew, man the launch boat. Two more come aboard Ostinato to manage fenders. Black smoke roars from the launch as it strains to pull Ostinato away from the dock. We miss wiping out the twenty five footer tied up directly ahead of us by a hair. I'm so glad the owners are not aboard. Finally, Ostinato swings out and after a quick untie from the launch boat, King heads her into the channel to depart. The channel is narrow and is shared with Foxes, a busy marina sitting next to OYC. As we come around the first bend, I hear King begin yelling expletives....not to be repeated here. I look up to see not 2 but 3 sailboats rafted across the narrow channel. No way the big girl will fit through there. The wind is blowing like stink and there is simply no where to go. Visions of crashing yachts flash across my mind. From the decks of Ostinato, I can see the eyes of the crew on the rafted yachts pop out as Ostinato swings into their view. Feet begin to fly but there is not enough time. King swings her to port and heads out of the marked channel into an area that dries out at low tide. The OYC members from the launch boat and those still aboard give us hopeful encouragement as we move out on the wrong side of the channel markers somehow finding enough water to keep afloat until we eventually find deep water again. Absolutely nothing like a little excitement in the morning to get the old heart pumping. Ostinato is back at Ipswich Haven Marina. A few of the OYC members stopped by to help us celebrate our successful dry out.