As it turns out, events of yesterday (June 3, 2004) had a profound effect on the rest of this initial voyage. We left Watergate Marina, in Clear Lake Shores, Texas, … our home port for almost 12 years … in just the manner we had always envisioned. We were flush from Saturday night’s good wishes and the kindnesses of friends who attended a wonderful going away party given for us by Pam and Steve, and we motored out of the marina waving good-bye to dear friends and well-wishers, to the strains of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird”, ... Jim with a token rum drink in his hand, and tears in both our eyes. We loved going, yet finally felt the real wrench of parting … a bit overwhelming, but wonderful to be on our way.
We motored down the Houston ship channel, got into the Harbour House Marina area around 17:00, and made ready to enter our slip. Unfortunately, we miscalculated the swift current at the opening to the small marina, and got ourselves bounced off a concrete wall. About 6-8 feet of starboard mid-ship cap-rail were badly damaged, and it is likely that the impact opened a few more leaks beyond those we had already identified and with which we had decided to live, saving the repairs as ‘Bahamas projects ’. [There were so many projects to be done, even after more than a year and a half of preparation, that we assigned some projects to be done in the slow, balmy climate of the Bahamas when we winter there this year.]
We weren’t aware of the new leaks at the time, so we had a lovely evening … an excellent meal at Willy G’s, our dinner kindly hosted by Stefan, and attended by Pam and Steve … Steve being a crew person for the voyage. Alan, our other crew person, had taken liberty for his own adventures … arriving back at the boat only to find the companionway locked, and having to shimmy in through the hatch in his cabin … very resourceful, that Alan … :- )
BEGINNING OF THE VOYAGE TO VERACRUZ
We arose at a leisurely hour this morning, had a scrumptious beef brisket burrito breakfast … provided by Captain Mike and his excelling barbecue skills … and made final preparations such as filling water tanks, etc. Those items that I had not yet squared away were stacked on the salon settee as it was difficult to move around with the crew members and their gear on board, and I felt I had plenty of time to do it underway while the other crew members where topside. I could rationalize all I wanted to, but the situation of the unstowed items presented itself with calamity as time went on. Still, on a sunny morning, around 11:30, we started motor-sailing out to the start line, and, along with about 55 other boats, prepared for our big race to Veracruz, Mexico. When we shook out the sails, we found we had hundreds of unwelcome stowaways … bugs! There were tiny little bugs that looked like miniature silver-fish, and ants … everywhere! Fortunately, with a good wash down, aggressive crew persons slapping away, and a stiff breeze, the bugs were dispatched within a reasonable amount of time, and did not shift much of our focus from the start of the race.
Our starting gun was at 15:05 and we had a good start. The breezes were on our nose, as was the current, but that had all been predicted, so we hunkered down for beating most of the way. No problem … DreamAway is a Hardin 45’ ketch so she is big, and heavy, and is completely loaded with equipment and stores for a long haul … after, we are starting our new cruising lifestyle today! There are three other boats in our class: Anchor Management, Argo, and Escapades. We look good to take a winning position, though we doubt we can beat Escapades for first place as she appears to be a Beneateau decked out for racing. No matter, our real goals are to see the kids and take them to the parties, and we will turn on the motor when necessary to do so. For us, this is a fun trip rather than a hard core competition … well, maybe Alan didn’t feel that way … but he was kind enough to go with the flow. Having only the four of us on board means two teams with four hours / four hours off watch. Jim and I are one team, and Steve and Alan the other. We are all up and excited for the beginning of the race, of course, and so we will all likely be staying in the cockpit well into the night.
The weather has started deteriorating as a norther is blowing in. This is totally unexpected as last evening’s weather forecast was clear. We are seeing lightening behind us, to the north, and it looks like a squall heading towards us.
The winds have picked up, and the seas have become more and more confused. We aren’t making much headway. We have decided to turn on the engine a bit to see if we can steer out of these difficult seas, and away from the storm that is coming up on our stern. We have noted our engine hours at 806.68 so that we can report the mechanical time to the race committee. This means that we have immediately changed to the motor/sail class, which is a disappointment, but we felt it the best decision as the winds are getting into the low 30 knots, and are dead against us. No worries, but not very comfortable. It is getting late, so Alan and Steve are headed down for some sleep in preparation for their watch, which starts at midnight.
Jim and I have chatted about closing the hatches and reefing the main, and, while we debate, we are remembering the catch-phrase (Jeremy Hood’s, I think) that, “when you think you need to reef, it’s probably too late”, but we actually did it in time ... just. We have started closing hatches, and Jim has the main reefed … although he had some difficulty as the first reefing line came lose. He put in a second reef as the winds started picking up quickly. Then he started on the genoa. Alan heard the footsteps on deck and came topside to help reef the genoa. Just as they completed these tasks, the storm slammed into us with winds hitting 40-42 knots, and the seas rolling us about. Thunder, lightening, rain … all the discontents of a stormy night. The boat is slicing through the water, and has sustained some pretty awe inspiring crashes down from the waves, but all is well. Alan and Steve have come topside, disturbed from their sleep, to help as the strong winds and heavy rolling seas have made it difficult for two people to manage … the weak link being my inability to steer a course against such strength from the sea. Steve has taken the helm during the reefing. The main boom has given us a scare as it came close to hitting Jim. It has been difficult to keep the boat on course. Alan has been on deck helping Jim, and is now in the cockpit giving Steve some relief from the helm. Alan will be going back to sleep shortly. The hatch over Steve’s bed, and his starboard side port, leaked on his bed. No comfort there, so he is keeping us company on deck, and is dozing a bit now and then.
The storm has subsided, and the wind has lowered to 17 knots out of the southeast. 09:00 and the wind has subsided to the point that the boat speed is only 2.5 knots. We are roaming the area looking for a few helpful gusts of wind, and we’ve caught a few breezes, but have had to turn on the engine to make any way whatsoever.
We have all had dinner, and Jim and I have had some rest while Steve and Alan have manned the helm. It isn’t comfortable below as it is wet and it’s hot due to the closed hatches. We have the fans on, but they just seem to be circulating hot air. Steve watching for the bountiful sea creatures he feels sure we will see. Frankly, I’d feel a lot better if we didn’t see any whales, but he has his heart set on them, and is thinking very positively. Alan is below, learning to play the Irish flute. He doesn’t seem far enough along to be providing us with a concert at this point, at least he’s not offering one. Steve is very entertaining, he has lots of good stories and jokes. Alan has the most delightful sense of humor, and some really sharp shots now and then. Nothing much gets by him.
June 6, 2004
It’s still rough and rolling. Below is a mess as the items I had stacked on the settee took flight across the main salon during the rough weather. And, since the weather has mostly been worse than better, I have been unable to stay below long enough to stow them. We have tossed things where they are most likely to stay, and tied off boxes, and other things unforeseen as potential sliding menaces, as best we could. The leaks are of no danger, but are making things very uncomfortable, and the heat building up below is anything but fun. We continue on, but are wondering what happened to the sunny sail southward we had all anticipated.
Our cat, ‘Puss’ (Puss ‘n Boots) seems to be rallying. I was afraid for awhile that he might be giving up on us as he was completely limp. He lay in the cockpit at the helmsman’s feet as it was often Jim, whom he adores and trusts completely. We were afraid he was foundering when he didn’t leave the cockpit when either of the crew took the helm. He is quite a timid cat and usually rushes away from strangers. He wouldn’t take water or nourishment, and hadn’t been to his litter box in several days. We finally used a medicine syringe to force water down him, and tempted him with his favorite treat … also a liquid. He started reviving … enough to wet on the lines in the cock pit (phew) … and came below to sleep with us when Jim and I were off watch. I had to feed him in place, and set him into his box as he was quite intimated and wasn't able to walk around. But all went well. He is now picking up speed and at least I don’t fear for his life anymore. However, it is quite obvious he is not very happy with this undertaking.
June 7, 2004
The weather is building and the seas are rough. We have had some
minor damage on deck with the spreader lights being pounded by the
spinnaker halyard until both became dislodged and one has fallen to
the deck spreading shattered glass everywhere. I am loathed to have
Jim go on deck in this storm, but he is out there cleaning up the
glass. He is hanked on to the jack lines, and he is, fortunately, a
very wise and cautious man, but a rogue wave could send him
overboard, and we’ve had a few of those waves. I am, again, very
grateful for the 36” high stainless steel tubing life rails he
installed. Those, and the hard top bimini keep this experience from
being too frightful.
We are all doing our best, and spirits
are good. The boat is actually doing quite well, it’s the creature
comforts that are dwindling. We are definitely not having fun
anymore.
Even with the foregoing statement, I hurry to modify: the waves, though high and confused, are absolutely beautiful with little crystalline crests of clearest blue, and lacy foam on top. Even the confusion is fascinating. And, for anyone who is a fan of roller coasters (as am I :- ), the action is exciting. It’s a bit disconcerting when a big roller catches us and pounds us down into the surf … one can’t help wondering if the boat isn’t being beaten up too badly … but we slice on into the next one, and aside from the bit of concern, it has been the ride of my life. The skies have been interesting, but a bit more like a long scowl than the beautiful moonlit nights we were anticipating. Still, when there are breaks in the cloud cover, the stars are magnificent. I really wondered if I would be able to deal, mentally, with the storms, but I seem to be doing just fine with them. These certainly haven’t been the awful storms one sees in movies and documentaries, but the high winds (35-45 knots), and especially the lightening, have been disturbing as regards the safety of the boat. Even having the fine Winslow life raft on board is less comfort than I had imagined. I can’t help thinking that if we are uncomfortable up here in this big boat, how much more so we would be in a bouncy little raft. Still glad it’s there.
We have had radio contact with ‘Bodacious’, another boat in the race. And she has had contact with ‘Rose of Sharon’. Both seem to be behind us, which would be a bit of a lift to the spirits except that both seem to still be under sail, and we have been using the engine for awhile. We have also had brief contact with ‘Gypsy North’, the boat from Texas A&M (whoop!), and ‘Anchor Management’. It sounds as though they are turning in towards land, which is an interesting prospect and one we may well consider.
June 8, 2004
We are having some problems with the engine. It just stopped running. Jim has been below working on the problem. It appears to be a the injector pump. We have not been able to use the GlobalStar phone as the Mexican service is not available. We were hoping to call Gunnar Frank, an expert in diesel engines, injector pumps, etc., to get his advice, but cannot get the call to go through. Jim is bleeding the system, and the injectors, so we have hopes that these will be effective.
The engine is still down, so I think we are going to take this as our indicator that we should turn into land. Veracruz is surrounded with reefs … not an environment to enter knowing you have no engine. Also, I think we have all, including the boat, taken enough of a beating that we are looking forward to putting a halt to it. We have decided to turn towards Brownsville/Port Isabel and make our way to the sea buoy there. The navigation books and charts indicate that the jetties into Port Isabel are too narrow for us to sail through them ...it appears unwise to go into them without an engine. We are trying to reach Tow Boat/US in order to get towed in. Not as dignified as we’d like, but eminently safer.
June 9, 2004
We are now in South Point marina in Port Isabel. We have been greeted by crews from at least 10 boats … all former contenders in the race … who also turned in to land. Quite a surprise. And more surprising is that they, who came into land earlier, were subjected to a huge storm with winds up to 50 knots, whereas we, who remained in flux on our decision to turn in, were spared that event and arrived on a sunny morning. A big Tow Boat/US vessel (like a medium-sized Coast Guard boat) met us at the Brazos Santos sea buoy right on schedule. They were masterful in throwing a line to us, though there was an anxious moment when they passed almost under the bowsprit in a still bouncy sea. They snugged us onto the bulkhead on the ICW side of the marina, and we tied up with a feeling of relief.
Steve had to get home and get some dry clothes, etc., before flying on down to Veracruz where he is expected as an honored guest making an award of a GlobalStar phone set to some lucky winner. Since Steve was getting a cab to the airport, and Alan had no idea what we would be doing next, nor when, Alan hopped the cab with him, and off they went. Jim has started hauling cushions and life vests off the boat and hosing them down with fresh water. There’s not a lot of room to air them dry as all the other boats have been doing the same. I am headed to the laundry with the first of many loads to wash. It is working out quite well as the early arrivals have already done theirs laundry, and the washer and dryer here cost nothing. We are tidied up and hitting the sack. …… One long nap, a quick dinner, then a long night’s sleep, and we are pretty much back to normal.
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Days have passed now, and we are still in Port Isabel. After all, we are cruising now, and we have no real schedule. We like it here and have paid for a month. Joanie, who runs the office, is very nice, and the marinas is really quiet and laid back. Most of the other boaters have left, ‘Rose of Sharon’ being the only other racer still in this port.
It has occured to me that I have been sharing my news with my friend Nicola, but neglecting to share it with my journal. In order to catch up the journal, and do it with more accuracy and speed than that with which I could do it from memory at this moment, I have decided to edit my emails to Nicola, and enter them below for the journal.
6/15/2004 Hi.. we’re back :- )
Dearest N&N,
For awhile there I thought things were getting to be a bit much.
First, we had the miserable trip out, and didn't get all the way to
Veracruz. As I told you, the weather was pretty rough ... but there
were two other problems that were the real clinchers. The most
un-ignorable one was that the engine stopped while we were underway.
We had it on to combat the 25-35 knot head winds, and oncoming seas
(big rollers, highly confused waves ... lots of sliding down waves
side-ways [broaching?] ... etc., so the engine was a necessary help.
We were quite concerned when we lost it as Veracruz is surrounded by
tricky reefs, and we didn't want to go in there without the
mechanical help, especially if the weather was still so bad when we
got there. Also, we were concerned about being able to get parts once
we were there. The other problem was having a miserably wet boat.
When we left Watergate, we had a couple of leaks that we had analyzed
and determined could wait until we get to the Bahamas for repairs.
But we had that mishap the night we stayed in Galveston ... before
the race ... and it may have flexed the hull and caused more leaks.
We'll know more when we get back to Watergate as Jim will be removing
the entire cap rail, and the bowsprit, and re-bedding them.
We turned back north and pulled into Port Isabel, only to find that 10 other boats had left the race before us. Evidently, out of a field of 55, only about 24 boats actually made it to Veracruz. It's such a shame as it is a really big deal for the town, and they go to a lot of trouble to make it special for the visitors. Jim and I spent two days making some semblance of livability to the boat, then we crashed for about two days as we hadn't really slept much in about six days and were worn out. Then we allowed ourselves to veg a bit more :- ) ... reading, drinking a few cool drinks, etc. and a few naps thrown in for good measure. For the last two days we have been running errands, getting some fresh foods, etc., and we went to Matamores, Mexico, to get some cheaper prescription drugs for Judy.
Now that we seem to have the cell phone email account squared so I can both send and receive, I am trying to catch up a bit. And I hope you'll do the same as I know I am way behind on your news :- )
We are planning to stay here in Port Isabel and continue the clean up and do some re-stowing for the next few days, then take our leisure for our birthdays and Father's Day, then head north to Port Mansfield next Tuesday (6/22). We'll take our time going north ... probably spend some time in Port Aransas ... and then go to a transient slip in Watergate ... hopefully next door to Tantalus ... where Jim will proceed with repairs to our boat. Vowing never again to be tied to a schedule, we plan to drive to Tampa to see family, and to visit Dale and Karen in St. Augustine. We will stop in and see Stacy and Tina on the way back to Houston. After the repairs have been made and we re-provision, we will head for Florida, probably jumping in and out of the ICW, and get back on to our original game plan of Thanksgiving in Miami with Mike and Marilyn, and winter in the Bahamas. Funny how things turn out. Sure isn't the initial cruising plan we anticipated, but it was a whale of a shake down, and it is all turning out well, so I'm happy with it.
loves
and hugs,
kitty
6/16/2004, Re: Got your email okay
Dear Nicola,
…
.
. . Steve wanted to see the sea creatures in the Gulf, but there was
little opportunity ... I guess the storms kept 'everyone' at home. We
did have one incident of dolphin sighting when a pod of about 40
dolphins froliced in the distance, right in the brightest beam of
sunlight. They played awhile, then were gone. The only other
sightings were of a few flying fish. We were all disappointed, but
especially Steve as I think his secret reason for making the trip was
to enjoy the wildlife.
Alan was wonderful, of course. Always there, always upbeat, strong and intuitive. He took a few shots now and then, and I've got to admit he was really funny. He and Steve, as watch mates, seemed to develop a nice friendship. They left together for the airport almost as soon as we arrived at the dock, but that was okay as I think Jim and I were ready for a little down time ...
Must close for now and get some breakfast, then get to work on the boat. We are still cleaning and re-stowing, still making some repairs and recoveries. Jim has to go up the main mast so he can repair the remaining spreader light.
Jim is also in the process of putting a new fuel tank vent hose in the port gate stanchion, which turns out to have been the problem with the engine dying. There was an air lock caused by the current hose being in such a fouled state that no air could go through. All was well and good until Jim worked on the tank access port in the main salon, and closed it tightly. Evidently, before then, there had been just enough air drifting through the lose connection to keep the fuel tank happy. When he closed off that air, the lock occurred. Thank goodness it was a simple, and inexpensive fix, but still it was a lot of work for him.
love to you both,
kitty
6/17/2004 Re: several emails all at once
Dearest
Nicola and Noel,
How nice to be back in touch with you, and
keeping up on things on a more or less daily basis. You may, perhaps,
be our best touch stone for the real world of today :- ). We
did read a newspaper the other day while waiting for a bus, but we
haven't kept up on world news, and have little relationship to the
local news. Our flat panel monitor succumbed to a leak, so we
don't even have movies ... artificial communication at best, but I do
enjoy the entertainment value. We are hoping to repair or replace the
monitor, which should still be under warranty, when we return to
Houston, but may end up investing in a new computer (with better
technology for playing DVDs) and/ or a small TV set, if our hopes for
the monitor don't work out.
Can't wait to get your journal on CD. It should be here on Monday, and will make a splendid birthday present! And we will be looking forward to your call, too ... thanks for the thought. We will be enjoying the birthdays with our children via telephone. This will be the first year since I don't know when that Judy has not been here for the celebration, especially since Father's Day falls on Jim's birthday this year. But she will call, as will Stacy and Tina, and we will open birthday cards with them in virtual attendance :- )
Things are shaking out on the boat. One of the big problems was precipitated when, during the week before leaving, I was sent off on a multitude of errands ... all quite necessary, but all taking time from my sorting and stowing projects. Unfortunately, I had a number of open boxes remaining in the main salon, that I was planning stow while underway. Well, the seas got rough quickly and I was a bit too seasick to sort things out, and the crew were ensconced, so stowing was difficult, too. Then the seas got so very rough that everything started tumbling out of the bins and flying around the cabins. To add to the havoc, the bins themselves started sliding about. We tried tying them off, but it really was maddening, and with the leaks in the mix, the whole below decks scene was one I hope never to repeat. Now we have things in pretty good shape. A few more passes at the front cabin, and everything will be sorted and stowed properly ... just in time for company, I imagine. Several people have asked to do a leg of the trip home with us, and we also have plans to rendezvous with Jimmy and Barbara, and possibly Danny, on their boats at Smith's Point for the July 4th holiday. I guess we will sail into Watergate shortly after that.
Jim is working on the electrical panel which sustained some damage from a leak. What he can't complete here he will do in Port Aransas where there is access to a West Marine. We have the good fortune to have fridge and freezer available, and also the air con (thank goodness ... it sure is HOT here!), but, alas, no ice maker as yet. It's on the list! Thanks for the moral support. We too seem to be settling in, and ‘DreamAway’ seems shaken down admirably. Hope I'm not tempting fate here.
Pats on the bonnets to both Salome and Hannibal, and hugs and kisses for both of you. I look forward to your emails, and will stay in touch myself.
love,
kitty
June 21, 2004 Re: general chat …
Dearest
Nicola and Noel,
... Speaking of franchises ... they have a nifty
little service going here in Port Isabel. There are a number around
town. They are 'windmills' about 20 feet high, cute and realistic,
that, at about 25 cents a gallon, dispense RO water from two outlets.
The water is of excellent quality, and people line up for the product
day and night. They units are usually in the far corners of strip
shopping center parking lots, and are situated in such a way that
patrons can drive right up to them and be only a few feet from their
cars for reloading the filled bottles. If I had some money to invest,
I would definitely investigate opening several franchises in Houston.
About
sending pictures ... which I would love to have ... it would probably
be best to put be them on a disc and snail mail them to us care of
the Watergate office for a short while (probably until mid or late
August) or send to our forwarding address.
I'm so pleased for you
that you will get to see Jody so soon, and again starting in July.
Will he be home for the rest of the summer? I am missing my children,
especially since we didn't get to see Stacy and Tina in Verzcruz,
as planned. I had been looking forward to that visit so very much.
When we drive back from Tampa we hope to visit them for a couple of
days. I am also anticipating a visit with Judy ... so will be off to
Austin for a few days while Jim does repairs on the cap rails. Can't
be gone too long though ... must see to the care and nourishment of
my captain!
Sorry to hear that the weather isn't treating you so nicely, though it may well be in league with the gods in preparing the garden for your wedding party. No rain here, though we made need some ... the dunes are dry and blowing dust today. It has gotten so easy to be lazy ... it's so hot here (though always a wonderful wind), and the pace is so slow, that it is easy to let one day lapse into another without feeling too guilty about the things one hasn't completed ... or begun. Yesterday, being Jim's birthday, and today being mine, we have (as long planned) made these two days of ultimate leisure. We were planning to leave tomorrow and start northward, but the weather report suggested high winds and rains, so we may stay put another day, just in case.
Again, thanks for the calls, and emails, and the lovely disk. I'll let you go for now and look forward to hearing from you again soon.
loves
and hugs,
kitty
June 24, 2004 Re: hope this reaches you on passage up the ditch
Dearest
Nicola,
Must confess that we have not yet moved northward.
Our decision to stay put a few more days was based on the weather
forecast for this area being unappealing, especially for anchoring
out along the ditch for a night or two in a row. As it turns out, the
weather here has been lovely, with only a few rainy afternoons or
evenings that are welcome as they keep the sand dunes from blowing
dust around, and they cool things down a bit. Otherwise, it's been
sunny and pleasant. However, the reports from the Corpus Christi and
Port Aransas areas are of heavy rains, and Houston seems to have
gotten well into the flooding stage. Looks as if our inertia has
stood us in good stead.
I have barely started the journal. At
first I thought it would be a daily entry sort of thing ... but have
determined that life here is just too slow to make that useful.
I did get the Ship's Log caught up from June 3 until we arrived here,
but will use the Captain's Wife's Journal' better more for
summarizations and reflections. Jim and I are about ready for our
afternoon break. Drinks and nuts only. We are roasting a chicken for
dinner ... I think Jim did one on your boat, didn't he? Not quite
duck l'orange, but will be savory and enjoyed (I'm still hoping for
Noel's duck l'orange one day :- ).
My friend Marilyn, whose
son recently married in South Miami Beach (the same friend with whom
I hope you will be celebrating Thanksgiving dinner, with us) sent me
a link to an excellent Internet photo viewer service from which one
can view, order prints, etc. They sent our Bahamas pictures on the
same service and it was easy to use and very accessible. The
link is http://www.ofoto.com.
Perhaps it would be useful to you for general and wedding
pictures.
I love the idea of a Safari ('Voyage' ?) party at
the marina. If only I were going to be there in the fall when you and
Marilyn and all will be there. We've made some awfully nice friends
in Meryl and Marty aboard a power boat near Oscar and Elizabeth ...
and I'm sure Ken & Shirley, Al and Rene, and Pam and Steve would
enjoy it too. Even Stefan and Elizabeth could come. I can
see it already ... how in the world are we going to pull this off?
I just have to be there! Perhaps you could save a berth on Tantalus
for us and we could pop in from wherever we have stopped.
…
As for wedding gifts, we'd like to send something to the house. But I
also recommend 'registering' at West Marine. It sounds really kicky,
doesn't it? but in truth, if they don't already have a program in
place, perhaps they should establish one. Think of all the people
with new boats, or who are going cruising, ... or getting married :-
) ... and how nice it would be if they could register for the
items they really want instead of having their friends floundering
around trying to pick out something with no clues at all. So, with
that thought in mind, please let's suggest the registry to West
Marine, and, in the meantime, please look through their catalog and
give us a few items from which we can choose a gift. It will be fun
for both of us, and we'd love to do it.
Hope you've gotten to
enjoy "Robin Hood". We have looked at the local
cultural offerings but have not actually taken advantage of them.
It's a shame as there are a nice museum and a lighthouse that await
exploring. There are also classes in birding, and dolphin-watch boat
excursions. We'd ordinarily love them all. But I think we are still
pretty much catching our breath. Jim has worked so very hard for such
a long time that I cannot justify snatching him up to go bustling
around now that he is finally getting the hang of relaxing again.
We'll start explorations one day ... but not this
week.
love,
kitty
PS we will probably head northward
to Port Mansfield on Monday ... good Lord willin' and the creek don't
rise :- )
From now, I will be writing directly to the journal.
June 26, 2004
Another
leisurely day. Jim has been wrestling with the computer and
peripherals. After a number of frustrating hours yesterday, he
emailed our friends, Pam and Steve, and each of them sent excellent
advice. He is now more relaxed, and able to get a data connection
through the GlobalStar sat phone, and to surf the Internet …
basically we can now use the GlobalStar as a modem, as we do the Sony
‘BlueTooth’ cell phone. We are not yet
up on the GlobalStar email vehicle, X-Gate, but that may happen
tomorrow.
We took a cab ($3.00 to anywhere in town) into the
‘'ville’ (Slang term for Marines
stationed at Camp LeJeune going on liberty to Jacksonville) to get
water from our favorite ‘water mill’, and to pick up a few
groceries. I dragged Jim to the TV department in WalMart, and to the
pawn shop nearby, to see if we could find a cheap TV on which we
could watch my lovely collection of DVDs. No good candidates …
either too expensive, or too big … or, in the case of the one at
the pawn shop … only black & white. Obviously, I’ve gotten
quite spoiled :- )
We have enjoyed our stay here in Port Isabel … for quiet and relaxation, this is definitely a good place. It’s so peaceful, and entertaining (shrimp boats, sea gulls, fishermen in small bay boats) that Puss has deigned to join us on deck at cocktail hour. The only other people actually staying aboard boats in the marina are Fred, who is boat sitting ‘Rose of Sharon’ while Joe is in Houston attending his wife’s surgery, and Daphne and Mike who have a wonderfully appealing big catamaran. They have invited us over for drinks tomorrow evening, so we will get to see the inside then.
As an update to people who may be headed this way, we should let you know that the marina has changed hands during our stay. Joanie, who welcomed us in and got us launched with taxis and such, was dismissed, as was everyone else who worked here, it seems, and the new management stalked in and started making changes. It was a shock and quite a disappointment that they immediately removed the washer and dryer, and were rather unpleasant in the explanation thereof. But the most unappealing change was that they no longer clean nor supply the bathrooms. The water quality and pressure here are outstanding, and there seems to be no limit on hot water, so showers are great from those perspectives, however, the down-sliding facilities, and the rather rude attitudes of the new management have encouraged us to avoid them as much as possible. On those grounds, we would not be able to recommend the marina to new comers, although it may be the only option as it was the only game in town for a boat our draft (~6’). An alternative might be Sea Ranch Marina on South Padre Island, but these same folks own and run that marina, so I wouldn’t know what to expect.
We are coming up on our 10:00 bedtime hour. We read in bed, and sleep rather peacefully, except for the air conditioner going on and off. Jim is still up at dawn, working on his computer or some quiet project. He is wonderfully considerate of my sleeping habits, knowing that I rarely get to sleep before 3-4 in the morning. Aside from the increased sleeping, we are also eating awfully well. It has been fun to search through the stores (both those on board, and those in the 'ville) and find interesting items that we sometimes combine in ways in which they were not necessarily originally intended. For instance, we made chicken salad with canned breast of chicken mixed with a mango and lime salsa. Served on a bed of lettuce supporting a tomato half, along with a glass of white wine, it was as nice a presentation, and as delicious as it might have been in an upscale restaurant. We have tended to one large meal a day, and have gotten somewhat into the habit of having crackers and cheese, cold cuts, etc. for dinner. Although, last night we had Jim’s roasted chicken, a marvelous Australian Shiraz, green bean casserole (a la Thanksgiving style) and rice. We ate, and Puss and I danced to the delightful music our son, Stacy, provided us on the iPOD (every boater should have one!). Jim was so sweet he actually did the dishes … it was a lovely, romantic evening … I want it to last forever.
June 27, 2004
We are up and about … at least I am. Jim has been up for quite some time. Having reread the above, we have remembered to get out pork chops which we will accessorize with a garlic and artichoke dip from HEB that didn’t quite cut it as a dip but may be wonderful as a hot sauce on the chops. Jim has also discovered the ingredients for “Rum Wookies” (thanks again to Kathy for sending us the recipe) which is the boat dress-up drink … the daily boat drink being rum and pink lemonade. Perhaps it will be an afternoon of sipping and reading in the cockpit. There are a few chores to do as we really do plan to leave early tomorrow morning, but basically things are pretty tranquil.
We had a nice visit with Daphne and Mike aboard their beautiful catamaran ... 63' x 30' and outfitted to the max. They were interesting company and we look forward to seeing them tomorrow as they are driving to Port Mansfield, and we plan to be /motor sailing there. They have come here from the Rio Dulce where they have a small marina, hotel, and restaurant called 'Tortugal'. I'd love to see it. We have a very nice brochure that is quite a calling card. It will be fun to share. I'd really like to visit there.
June
28, 2004
Jim was up early but let me sleep in until 07:30, then we started readying the boat for departure to Port Mansfield. He's had continuing trouble with the computer (or at least with the 'bloatware' operating system) and was much provoked that it could not deal with the GPS and the fan unit logically. Even though that issue has been resolved, I am encouraging him to consider buying a new computer and setting it up purely for boat applications. It might save him so frustration. The Long Island Swing Bridge, which bars our departure from Port Isabel, normally opens on the hour, but has opened about 10 minutes early, probably so that a local honcho could pass through without delay. We exited behind him, and are on our way. The trip is estimated at 5-6 hours.
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We have returned from our travels crossing the Laguna Madre. They day was gorgeous and the seas calm, but we have lost our instruments. From the flicker before the departure of information, it appears that there is a short in the circuitry somewhere. Rather than proceeding up the ditch with no depth sounder, we have elected to return to Port Isabel where we are paid up for a month and have easier access to parts and services. Given that today is already the 28th, we will probably stay in Port Isabel until the July 4th holiday passes. The ports and stops up the line will be crowded with participants in holiday fishing tournaments, so we will avoid the traffic and robust partying by staying here and doing the repairs, and taking our leisure. We met Jim and Nancy from 'Topaz' last night and they were absolutely delightful. They have a beautiful Endeavour, and we enjoyed getting to know them over drinks in their cockpit. Fred, from 'Rose of Sharon', also joined us, so it was a nice evening of camaraderie. They all came over to our boat, and I bragged shamelessly about all the projects Jim had completed on the boat. In reality, there probably isn't a square inch of 'DreamAway' that he hasn't attended to in some fashion. The joke of the evening was that Bill Hardin may be credited with the design, but this is a Jim Kenworthy 45' ketch :- )
Jim is working on the instrument panel, and I am catching up the journal. As yet he has not been able to track down the short, or whatever is the problem. We are preparing to lunch, and I will nap, then will attend to email, cooking, and reading ... of course. Jim will probably continue with the search for the errant connection, and then complete the update for the web site. So, tomorrow being June 30th, and believing that it will be rather the same as today (with the instrument panel fixed, of course :- ), I will close this journal for June, and we will be sending it, along with other updates, to be uploaded to the web site. See you in July.