To Ostend at Anchor

Wed 24th May

It's only a short hop back down the coast to Ostend so we had no time problems, no tidal gateways to make or weather windows to make the most of. We could kick back and sail the whole way - so we did, along with our good friends on Maryll.


Our best view of Maryll is when she tacks away from the coast

You see some funny things in the water but this one really had us puzzled:

At first sighting some kind of a drum?


We changed course to avoid it, in fact there's a north cardinal mark (not on our chart) suggesting you do so. As we pass it looks more like a dead whale.

Strange beast? - some kind of pipe we conclude.


We sailed right into the entrance at Ostend - just in case there were any cameras ready, and there were! Our friends Sarah and Clive who are here on their boat Distant Drum were walking on the beach and spotted us approaching. They headed for the breakwater, camera at the ready.
Here's how they looked to us:

At least two of those blobs on the breakwater are taking photos so we'd better get this right. Entrance just beyond.


And this is how we looked to them. Many thanks to Clive and/or Sarah for the lovely photos:


Approaching Ostend harbour with everything up - nice bow wave!


...and we're in, bearing away

Topsail will come down first, then the rest - note the funky "sculpture" on the shore behind

Once all the sails were down it was time for warps and fenders ready for the lock in to the Mercator Dock - luckily all that took us so long that Sarah and Clive were round at the dock in time to photograph us emerging from the lock:

Maryll was alongside us in the lock so we thought we might as well tow her forward for second bridge

Dressed overall and ready for the Festival

Gladdens the heart of the painters - nice paint Teamac!


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