7-7-07 7-8-07
TMCA Cruise to the A Frame anchorage, raft-up and dinner.
Saturday, arrived at the boat about 10 am. Loaded up and backed out of the slip by noon. The winds were light so we motor sailed all the way down to marker 2. With the motor running at low RPM and full sail we were getting 6 knots. I was just feeling confident with the motor running since it had been running fine for almost 2 hours but then it just died and would not start. We check the primer bulb again and find it is as flat as a pancake. That indicates that the line is blocked further up stream. So now it appears we have chased the fuel gremlin into the fuel tank. I took off the primer bulb and it slurps back to normal size and then I just banged on the tank at the point the fuel line comes out of the tank. I hooked the primer bulb back up and the motor started right up and ran fine the rest of the weekend.
We motor sailed on down to the A-frame anchorage and arrived about 4:30pm. The other TMCA boats were just gathering in the area. A couple of boats were rafted up and we pulled in and rafted next to them. We had just gotten the lines and fenders adjusted when someone announced on the radio that there were thunderstorms moving into the area. So after being rafted up for only 10 minutes the raft broke up and we all anchored out separately to wait out the storm. I counted 11 boats anchored in the area. The weather just would not cooperate at all. The storm moved in from the south and it rained with a little wind but then it began to back up from the north with a big wind shift to the north. We started dragging anchor badly and had to raise anchor to reposition the boat. Just as I dropped anchor again s/v Remedy motored by and said they were heading home because this storm was out of the north and would produce some big waves and squeeze us against a lee shore. I thought it best to take the advice of the experienced sailors and we quickly raised anchor again and followed Remedy out of the anchorage.
We motored back heading right into the storm. It was quite a ride, the bow was pitching and burying in the waves and it rained so hard I could not see anything. I was sitting right in front of the compass and couldn't see it. It was like someone had a water hose pointed right in my face. I ducked my head behind the cabin top and would peek up just for a glimpse of Remedy and try to adjust course to follow them. We continued on busting through wave after wave until reaching marker 2 when the rain finally let up some and we made the turn into the Clearlake channel.
We motored on into Clearlake and Marion and Ed on Remedy invited us to their condo for refreshments. We motored on into a slip and tied up right in front of the condos and then the fun began. Margie had made some kick-ass Mai-Tai's and 3 layer dip and some huge chocolate chip brownies. The crew from s/v Beauty and the Geek came by land and brought margaritas and the crew from s/v Serena stopped by and Phillip Kropf the TMCA Commodore also came by. We had a great time partying in the slip onboard s/v Remedy. It was great fun and great company.
When the party was over it was too late to sail back to Bayland and Marion and Ed offered us a slip for the night and loaned me a power cord since I left mine at the dock. We hooked up the air conditioner and slept great.
Sunday, we got up about 9 am and had breakfast on the boat and then headed out for home. We sailed most of the way home and when we reached the north end of Galveston bay we practiced some tacks and flew the big colorful drifter sail for the first time. It is a really pretty sail with bright oranges and yellows at the top fading into dark blues at the bottom. We watched a sailboat race near the Houston Yacht Club then we headed back to Bayland where we cleaned up the boat and then headed for home. What a great weekend!!
7-13-07 7-15-07
TMCA Steve's Landing Cruise
Friday, took off work and arrived at the boat about 3pm. We motored over to the fuel dock and filled the tank since we have to leave early tomorrow before the store opens. I installed the air conditioner and got the boat cooled off. I drilled a hole in the hatch board and installed a drain hose for the a/c so the condensation water drips outside and not in the cabin. We loaded the ice box and our provisions for the weekend and we rigged the boat for sailing so we can take off early in the morning. The boat was nice and cool and ready to go so we turn in for the night.
Saturday, we got up about 6am and backed out of the slip by 7am. There was no wind so we were going to have to motor our way down to marker 2 to meet up with the other TMCA boats by 9:30am. We flew the big colorful drifter sail as soon as we entered the open bay but still no wind so we continued to motor on across the bay. We arrived at marker 2 about 9:15 and just in time. s/v Remedy our cruise leader was just steaming out of the Clearlake channel towards marker 2 and several other TMCA boats were near marker 2. So basically we didn't even slow down, we got to marker 2 turned to port and we all headed for the ship channel and the south boater cut.
I think this is the only time Remedy was behind us as she steamed out of Clearlake. She quickly caught up to us and passed. I had to kick up the RPM's on the motor to keep up as we headed for the ship channel. We motored into the ship channel and then down the red markers until we reached marker 50 where we entered south Galveston bay.
Remedy announced that they were shutting down and going to sail. There still wasn't much wind probably only 5 or 6 knots. I idled back the motor but kept it running in case I started getting left behind. The fleet of boats spread out to find the wind and I was keeping up ok with the motor at full idle so I shut it down and sailed. If we would have had more wind the big boats probably would have left me behind.
Wind Swept a beautiful Catalina 310 was our sailing partner for the weekend. The winds were picking up a little and just right out of the southwest and we didn't have to tack for the entire trip across Galveston Bay. We sailed along side Wind Swept all the way to Bolivar Roads and Margie and I sat on the stern rail while Auto drove and we enjoyed the view. It was a really nice cruise.
Freedoms Wing caught up with us as we made the turn into the Intercoastal Waterway ICW. Wind Swept motored on ahead up the ICW and we continued to sail. I flew the sails Wing and wing for a little while up the ICW but I was only getting 2 or 3 knots so I thought I had better catch up to the fleet and we motored on up the ICW finally arriving at Steve's Landing.
At the dock at Steve's Landing. My boat is rafted next to Remedy, You can only see my mast on the left. All the boats along the dock are over 45 feet. Wind Swept is 31 foot and mine is 27 foot so we got rafted along side the big boats. The first boat is Ocean Star at 50 foot then Remedy then A Good Ketch then Freedoms Wing. Three motor vessels were along the ICW Dock After all the boats were tied up and secure we hit the bar for refreshments after our long hard voyage. Ha-Ha!
Marion, Jerry & Nel
Giallanza, Hanna McGerald, Ed, Alice & Steve O'Brien, Lorna & David
Glascock, Margie & Robert
We then moved to the outside tables to listen to the Reggae Band, but little by little we all ended up back out on the boats. The music sounds better on the boats and sailors would just rather be on the boat.
Margie on board Remedy with new friends.
Steve's Landing has a really good restaurant and we all gathered for dinner in the dinning room overlooking the ICW. I had a great grilled seafood platter and Margie had the shrimp. It was really good food. The company and conversations were great and a lot of fun!
After dinner we made our way back to Remedy and had Mudslides. MMMM Yummy, what a great dessert. One great advantage being rafted up to Remedy since we have to cross over Remedy to get aboard our boat, so we didn't miss out on the the mudslides Ha-Ha!
The end to a fantastic day, we made our way onto our boat and turned on the air conditioner and had a great nights sleep.
Sunday, rafted next to Remedy at Steve's Landing on the ICW near Crystal Beach
Got up about 8 am and it was raining off and on all morning so I didn't open the boat up till nearly 9 am. At about 9:30 Wind Swept and I cast off and headed back down the ICW on our return back home. As I am leaving Steve's Landing I am playing with the motor and rigging ropes and not paying close attention and I run aground in some soft mud but I rev up the the atomic 4 motor in reverse and pull out of the mud and back into the channel.
I am following Wind Swept and we get maybe 2 miles down the ICW when the clouds open up and dump on us. There is just a wall of water coming down in front of us and Wind Swept decides to retreat. I am just looking at this water coming down in front of us, trying to decide if I want to retreat or ride it out. Wind Swept and I are going head to head and I decide I better drive the boat first, but I made a mistake and turned to port and Wind Swept turned to Starboard and for a second we were on a collision course again but Wind Swept corrected for my mistake and turned to port and cleared with plenty of room. I also decide to retreat and spin the boat around and follow Wind Swept but then Wind Swept runs aground. I steer around Wind Swept and continue on thinking it would be better if I wait till after the downpour to go back and help them. Wind Swept was stuck harder than I was before and he had to work at it a while to get it out but eventually he worked it out of the mud and we continued on our retreat. We retreated for about a mile and it finally let up behind us enough so we could see down the ICW. We turned around and continued on our way home.
It rained off and on as we made our way down the ICW but stopped raining as we entered Bolivar Roads and made the turn north. The weather looked like it could do just about anything, rain, thunderstorms, wind, no wind, who knows. So I rig the boat for the worst case and reef the main and fly the storm jib. Luckily all we had was some shifty light winds and rain sprinkles and it was a pretty nice sail but without the big jenny up it was slow going only 3 or 4 knots. When we reached about mid bay and marker 50 at the ship channel, I entered the ship channel and motored-sailed the rest of the way back to Bayland. Just a little further up at the south boater cut we waved goodbye to Wind Swept as they headed off to Clearlake.
It was just a fantastic cruise, got a little wet on the way home but well worth it for such a fantastic weekend.
Drifter Sail
Alma
Del Viento
Margie
My
name is Ed .. see it says so right here!
Smooth Reggae Band
TMCA Day Cruise to Anchorage Near The Houston Yacht Club
Saturday, just worked on the boat. I installed a check valve in the bilge pump hose to stop water from backing into the boat. Margie cleaned out all the cockpit lockers and got a bad sunburn washing ropes on the dock. Spent the night in the slip.
Sunday, Well I don't think I will write much about this day cruise since these pictures speak for themselves. Needless to say I had a blast! The winds were light so I let Auto drive and I just lounged around on the bow of the boat just enjoying the day! We went to the anchorage near the Houston Yacht Club which is only a few miles from Bayland.
Oh I guess every cruise has to have some adventure in it. The day had been great and the swim was fun but when I tried to get back on the boat I couldn't do it. I had too many Rum and Cokes and I am just too damn big and I completely mangled the old boarding ladder we had on board. So we tried some man overboard techniques that I had read about. We tried the elevator method, where you tie one end of the rope to a cleat, put the loop in the water and winch up on the other end, but that requires some balance and at this time I have none. Ha-Ha! So we try the boom crane, I put on a harness and use the main sheet traveler blocks to hoist me on board but even though it has a 4 to 1 purchase Margie cant pull hard enough and my upper body strength is gone by now and I cant pull enough either. I finally had to be rescued by Gary and Juli Graham in the skiff pictured above. I pulled up enough on the blocks to get my feet on the skiff and then rolled onboard then I could stand up on the bow of the skiff and board my boat. Whew I was tired, and felt pretty stupid. I guess I will be ordering a new ladder rated for 4 or 5 hundred pounds.
Thank you Gary and Juli!!
Alma
Del Viento
Alma
Del Viento
Cruise Planning
8-11-07 - 8-12-07 TMCA Cruise to Bayland Marina with Dinghy Regatta in harbor
8-18-07 - 8-19-07 TMCA Gilligan’s Island Party at Marker 17 in Oak Island (Double Bayou)
8-31-07 - 9-3-07 TMCA Labor Day Cruise to Moody Gardens
10-25-07 - 10-28-07 21st annual
Harvest Moon Regatta (offshore to Port Aransas)