Floodgates raised at Ipswich

[sailaboutvic]

I can’t say that I have ever had a problem at Ipswich, in fact the lock keeper is usually quite cheerful, but maybe you chose the wrong day. As for the Haven, he was possibly trying to be helpful because it would have been much better for you to have rounded the corner to be nearer the office and where visitors are normally berthed.

It would had been helpful if he told us that when we ask in the lock rather then saying he nothing to do with the marinas .
But hey I'm not going to stress over it .

 

[alandalus11]

I'm not sure how trained the guy in the lock in Ipswich is well the one we got on sat any way.
Seen to want to throw orders at people.
As new comers he first went off at us like no tomorrow about not calling up before the Orwell bridge .

Not quite sure that is actually fair on the chap in the lock on that Saturday. You may have caught him after the frustrations he had with another yacht. I think he was getting a bit frustrated with a yacht skipper that apparently did not have a clue what they were doing. The lock keeper called up the yacht on the radio before the short free flow was in force as it was milling around the entrance to the lock and getting in the way of exiting boats. We heard him call a number of times asking what the yachts intentions were only to have his call answered on the fourth attempt. The skipper replied he wanted to come into the marina so I suppose rightly or wrongly the lock keeper asked which one. The skipper didn't know as his reply was that he had a berth for the winter but couldn't say which marina so in that respect the lock keeper was probably suspicious. All the skipper could say after some questioning was that he had spoken to a Jess.

In that situation where the skipper hadn't called up for a lock in after passing under the Orwell Bridge, milling around the lock gates without making their intentions clear, not knowing which marina they had a berth in for the winter, the lock keeper was probably being cautious with you. I din't have any problems at all with the lock keeper and personally I thought he was very professional in his communications.