Spare RIBs

A few weeks ago we had the Olympic torch through Ipswich and it came through the marina at work. It boarded a boat there, sailed to the Orwell Bridge for a photoshoot, then sailed up to Ipswich where it was taken ashore and was carried around town. We went to see it as it was trotted into Christchurch park and managed to get pretty close to it as it went by. It was shiny. Very shiny.

This info will become relavant soon. Keep it in mind…

So anyway, it’s contest time. Who’s having the most fun in this picture?



I (personally) can’t tell, but what I can say is “WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE”



Several people at work own RIBs and one of the guys took us out for a spin in his over the weekend. It was two hours of heading down the Orwell, round Felixstowe/Harwich, up the Stour towards Manningtree and then back. And yes, we both had a go piloting it. Fortunately, we had a cracking day for it as its been a bit wet and ‘orrible lately. The sun was there but not too bright and the rain managed to hold off the whole time.

Leaving Ipswich behind us.



We saw Jabba the Hutt’s sailbarge outside the docks at Felixstowe.



The lightboat in the mouth of the river, there are some nasty sandbanks there apparently.



Loverly old boat for putting about in. I do like the old wooden things, they have some great character.


Of course where boats are involved a certain puffin had to come along. Hes been aboard a Royal Navy Destroyer and he’s stowed away on board a luxury yacht on a trip from London to Ipswich and now hes carried an Olympic torch further along the River Orwell than the real torch ever did.


The cheeky young scamp even took time out from his duty to sit on the side and enjoy the view while posing for a photoshoot.



(I told you to keep that info about the torch in mind)

Shortly after Harwich is a huge building which has spare blades for the sea based windfarm off the coast of Essex.


Some really nice boats are on the river.


The Royal Hospital School which has nothing to do with hospitals marked our turning around point.


Avante!


It was very windy when we went at anything like a fast speed, but highly exhilarating as we bumped and jumped our way over the waves and wakes of other boats.


We had a fantastic time and it was more tiring than you would think, clinging onto the boat with wind blasting around you and sucking up lungfuls of fresh air when my natural habitat is a dark cellar with the smell of chemicals and paints and only the glow of an imac to see by. When we got home we both burst in on the missus (who had elected to stay behind in the warm and do some vacuuming) and still had huge grins plastered over our faces, but then spent most of the evening looking like a right old knackered pair. I don’t know about her but I slept like a log that night.

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