Sailing with our canine companion to explore the wonders of the world, but Texas first
Tuesday, February 5
Stop Suspicionless Searches of Pleasure Vessels
The US Coast Guard and Border Patrol can and do board any vessel in the slip or out sailing without any probable cause. There are been numerous reports in Houma, LA of the Border Patrol and US Coast Guard boarding recreational vessels (sailboats and power) in the ICW. As a former student of Constitutional Law these meritless boardings give me great pause, and I recall the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution.
Sail Magazine did a great article about the very topic in October 2012 which I will reprint here. Definitely worth the read. In fact lets take it a step further and contact your Congressman and Senator about changing The law of 1790 Revenue Cutter to now exempt recreational vessels from suspicionless searches.
Personal Handwritten Letters seems to have a heavier weight to the Congressmen (when I worked for a special interest group)
The Honorable (Contact Your US Representative)
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable (Contact Your US Senator)
US Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Coast Guard Boardings and Your Fourth Amendment, Part 1
Coast Guard Boardings and Your Fourth Amendment, Part 2
Coast Guard Boardings and Your Fourth Amendment, Part 3
Friday, February 1
Quick Go Sailing
Fussy and frustrated with present Sailing Guides, I created my own: a fast, to the point, and up-to-date guide, for TX, LA, MS, and AL.
A Quickie Guide for Sailing Destinations on the Gulf Coast
Go for a Quickie.-
Friday, December 14
Friday, November 9
Tuesday, October 9
There Will Be Wine
On Autumnal Equinox, there was a fierce battle of the wines from California and Texas. No one knew what they were tasting. Glasses are knocked about, clothes were stained, and mouths were filled with tasty gourmet delights. Dump buckets were filled at each station with water and wine. The water pitchers were there for cleaning the cups or palates. Water crackers were snatched up at each table which kept me busy filling them up. People wandered from wine rooms and stations.
Clearly some people just preferred whites over reds or reds over whites. Those white wine loves stayed at the white wine tables for a hour before moving on.
Rosle Vegetable Chopper (Google Affiliate Ad)
Labels:
Boat drinks,
California,
PARTY,
Texas,
wine
Monday, July 16
Boobs, Tubes, & Brisket
Lone Star Restaurant, sell beer in cases to go, ice cream, breakfast at 8:30am but the last rental tubes is at 5:30pm. |
Vacation from the boat life to New Braunfels, this was our first time tubing the Guadapule so we tried the shorter 1.5 hour route with deep areas to swim and hang on the tubes while Whitley swims between us and pulls me to shore (she didn't need a tube). Lone Star picks us all up at Roys, the second crossing.
- The BEST Brisket, ribs, and sausage from City Market in Luling (potato salad from Schulenburg)
- Homemade Hickory smoked brisket and bbq chicken from Bob and Dave (neighbors and B-days)
- Lil Kahuna , cabin across from the Lone Star Float House, (1 bedroom and bath, with 2 futon beds/sofas, dog friendly)
Thursday, July 12
Tied up in Knots
Boating Knots by AnimatedKnots.com
Raining day so after stopping leaks, I am practicing my Knots for sailing!
Raining day so after stopping leaks, I am practicing my Knots for sailing!
Tuesday, June 26
Salut to former Latitudes and Attitudes
We will miss L&A and the sea serpent. We read and watched Latitudes and Attitudes magazine and TV show since 2009. We have grown to greatly admire Robert "Bob Bitchin" and Jody Lipkin and the whole L&A crew.
We met them first at TMCA Spring Fling 2011, second at Texas Boat Show in Kemah, and last at Southwest Boat Show in League City 2012. Bob looks and acts in person just how he appears on TV.
Saturday, June 2
Friday, May 25
Monday, May 21
Wednesday, May 9
Time to Let Go
Setting out to Sea
|
For over nine years, I have kept and protected the ashes of my beloved golden retriever, Natasha, who died tragically at two years of age in MS. With us setting to leave our home in east Texas and move close to the water, I felt that it was time to let her go. JT was the one that found her body and returned her to me where I kept her ashes all these many years ('because you never leave a man behind'). She never enjoyed being cooped up in a crate, being left alone, and loved being on the water. Her final resting spot needed to be in the water.
Saturday, April 28
Wednesday, March 28
Dead Calm or Boat Show
Beautiful, warm weekend in Galveston Bay, we unfurled the head sail and turned off the motor. Sailing north for about 10 minutes, the winds stopped. The wind meter was spinning around like a stopwatch. Was it broken? No, just no wind to direct the windex. So we found an isolated spot in Galveston Bay to have lunch.
Tuesday, March 20
Spring has sprung!
Labels:
beads,
beer,
Boat drinks,
Hal & Mal,
Jackson,
Mississippi,
PARTY,
St Paddy's Day
Sunday, March 11
Saturday, March 10
WineO on this boat...
Gimballed Wine Bottle Holder and glasses from TheBoatGalley.com |
With the big wine party in September where you dress like your favorite Californian, I have gathered some great info on wines. Good quality wines on our boat is a necessity, and of course, good for our health. Quality is most important, not trumped up prices. If a good Argentina or box wine is 7 bucks, then it is mine. Great wines are produced all over: US, Europe, South Africa, South America, Australia, Middle East, China. Do not waste my time or taste buds on bad wines.
Labels:
Boat drinks,
California,
PARTY,
wine
Friday, February 17
Boat and Smoke Alarm with fried Salmon Croquette
The dogs and I are having a quiet evening on the boat with them praying that I drop something. Fried Salmon in the air, pasta in boiling water, heated up enhanced Amy's Tomato soup, all while keeping mosquitoes at bay. Right when everything is done, the smoke alarm started going off.
All my focus is to get through the dogs to stop the smoke alarm, and to open hatches as I go. Apparently I just reached the smoke point for olive oil. I now remembered the last time that I fried croquettes, the smoke alarm went off too. Next time remove the battery before I fry croquettes, because leaving the stove is far more dangerous.
Labels:
Boats,
cooking,
cooking skills,
dogs,
food,
galley,
polyphenols,
Recipes
Sunday, February 5
Two Dogs Are Enough.
Weekly I travel this long stretch of 2 lane highway in rural east Texas with 2 dogs to go to the boat. Yesterday was different. I added a third dog from the Polk-Liberty Countyline.
Flash floods and horrible thunderstorms had torn through this area only five hours earlier. There running by herself with nothing but pine trees for miles was an older looking golden retriever (white around her eyes like my Golden). She was carrying a purple fuzzy slipper along this busy highway, smiling and running across the road. My heart sank.
Tuesday, January 17
Cool Temperatures means Shrimp Boil
The fire is too big for this boil. |
During Game Day in Clemson, SC we shared the tailgate version of seafood stew known as Frogmore Stew (shrimp, potatoes, corn, sausage, lemon, spices). The Stew's history dates back to the fisherman and labors cooking big pots along the (Frogmore community) South Carolina shores for their fellow workers and family.
Now it is a BIG southern tradition.
Labels:
Boats,
frogmore stew,
Recipes
Monday, January 16
Sunday, January 8
Exodus goes Topless for Christmas
One of the projects that has been on our list for a while now is pulling the mast. This project was completed over the last two weeks in December. We had a laundry list of associated projects. We replaced the standing rigging, wire in the mast and masthead sheaves. Also this gave us a chance to add a PA/ foghorn, a masthead windex and an LED anchor light. The backstay was also insulated to facilitate an antenna for our SSB. While the mast was down this also gave us a chance to rebed all of the chain plates and add new ball bearing deck organizers.
All projects tend to expand while in process and this one being no exception. Upon inspection of the wiring for the nav lights on the inside of the boat I found all of these wires to be severely corroded as well. We rewired the nav wiring from the base of the mast all the way back to the panel. All wiring connections were wrapped in rescue tape to prevent future corrosion.
With all of these improvements hopefully the mast will not need to be pulled again for 24 more years.
Monday, December 19
For Our Shortest Cruise We Had a Ball
We disconnected from shore power, pulled away from our slip, and motored over to the adjacent marina, Lakewood Yacht Club for TMCA's Commodore Ball, where we stayed for the night at their transient slips. What a blessing it was to be only a few feet to the party. We (got gussied up) dressed in the bathhouse by the pool with JT in his tuxedo and me in my glamor dress which had not been worn since 2003 (I couldn't believe that it still fits). Kept the dogs at a distance since we did not want dog hair accessories.
Sunday, December 18
Sharpening your Boating Skills and Safety
See below links for new Texas boating laws, CPR, Captain's license, engine, compass, radar, HAM radio, skin care, fire prevent, man overboard, cruising...
10 Question Boating Safety Practice Test
Test your boating knowledge with this 10 question boating safety practice test.
After completing the ASA 101 course and mentoring program years ago, I rented the Annapolis Book of Seamanship, (5 sailing training videos) from Netflix last winter to prepare for our big trip. Wow what a wealth of useful information.
Fun facts too, such as most men found overboard have their flys down. In the man overboard drills, the poor boy who jumped in the water better have been paid extra for those scenes; heck we just practiced with a lifesaver. While there is some outdated info such as how to use the RDF (radio direction finders), the overall information is extremely useful (I even took notes).
Labels:
Boats,
CPR,
diesel engine,
Fire safety,
HAM radio,
Navigation,
radar,
sailing schools,
Texas law
Thursday, December 15
From my Galley to Yours
ziti noodles, homemade tomato sauce, saute zucchini, beef medallions
|
A novice cook tries to transcend her hungry crew to a tasty paradise.
Crossing the rough waters of Matagorda Bay at lunchtime, I tried out my cooking skills in the galley. I should have tied my waist somehow to the galley. Even with an L-shaped galley I struggled to stay balanced.
Saturday, December 10
Christmas Lights and Boats in Clear Lake
December is here and time for sailboats, lights, and drinks...
Tonight, Dec 10, a new display of Clear Lake boat owners creativity. Past years we enjoyed the Snowman with music in sync with its FM music site, and prior the Christmas tree (that involved a couple major oops in navigation). While it would be fun to be in the parade, we will leave that to others. I do not see how you can navigate safely with all the lights; I guess rely on your nav. equipment. The crowds are here and the parties are beginning. Ready with the gloves, hats, lubrication to help ignore the cold. Not too bad with temperature tonight in overcast Seabrook, Texas. Our lights are on and ready for the fun.
Oh the parties were so fun, our favorite boat was the power boat with the Dancing Elvises and Show Girls. People had fire pits, served wine, good gumbo, and appetizers all night. We made the round to all the parties. The parade boats came around about four or more times. Out in Clear Lake we could see all the anchor lights of 15 or so sail boats rafted up to watch the parade.
Labels:
boat ride,
Boats,
Christmas,
Clear Lake,
lights,
PARTY,
Riverwalk,
San Antonio
Wednesday, November 23
Gentlemen, We Have Boat Drinks
Labels:
Boat drinks,
ginger ale,
hawaiian shaved ice,
liquor,
Recipes,
rum,
tequila
Thursday, November 17
Warning: Dog poisonings in BVI
I was going to do my next post on the Texas Yacht Show in Kemah and about Abby Sunderlands lack of appearance, but this takes precedent.
As a warning for anyone in the British Virgin Islands or planning on going with dogs or cats, there have been reported numerous horrific dog poisonings around the islands. Police are investigating. The dogs "ingested a mixture of ground meat and a white powder believed to contain strychnine." Even therapy dogs in people's backyard are being killed and apparently the poison dosage is so high that there is no way to save them. This has been happening since October in Havers, Josiahs Bay, Tortola, and Cane Garden Bay.
If you take them to shore, keep a halti leash around their mouth so that they cannot reach the ground. This is the tropics with more poisonous species of frogs and bugs, than we have here. Place extra caution with your animals when you go to other islands.
For cats, do not let them off the boat. (For us that is good in all cases)
Saturday, November 12
Sailing Santa is Coming to H-Town Nov. 17
Sailing Santa, Saint Arnold's newest beer, a blend of the Elissa (India Pale Ale) and the Christmas ale, set sail (for sale) on November 17. Hooray for Saint Arnolds... only 3600 cases of 12, 22 oz. bottles (bombers).
Update: The brew master informed me that as they do for all Elissa IPA beer,
Update: The brew master informed me that as they do for all Elissa IPA beer,
Saint Arnold is donating a portion of the proceeds of this beer to the Galveston Historical District for the ship.
Labels:
beer,
Boat drinks,
Elissa,
Sailing santa,
saint Arnolds
Wednesday, November 9
Does Adversity Make You Stronger...
The heroic and record-setting journey of Charl de Villiers came to an end on Sunday (Dec. 19, 2004) with nearly 300 people lining the shoreline as he sailed back into Palacios following his 9-month solo around the world odyssey.
The triumphant 44-year old de Villiers, sailed his 37-foot Tartan 1977 sailboat Island Time into a slip at the Serendipity Resort RV Park & Marina around 1:30 p.m. to become the first deaf person to have sailed around the globe completely alone.
Labels:
Boats,
Charl de Villiers,
circumnavigating,
courage,
deaf,
Palacios,
sailboat,
sailor,
strength,
Texas
Saturday, November 5
Navigation: Charts, Computers, Stars, AIS
NOAA Chart- for Galveston Causeway Bridge and Offatts Bayou |
Tried Memory-Map (which I used on another laptop), but got an error saying, "could not load on system 32." Loaded up Map-tech Chart Navigator 5.08--worked great-- prefer some of the features better than Memory-Map. Loaded all the RNC for TX (some dated 11-10, dated on bottom left of map), but I plan to update the newest charts before we go cruising again. It took me a while to remember where everything was located (since last April). Hopefully this will be a go to site to find the links.
Labels:
Boats,
Celestial Navigation,
maps,
Navigation,
NOAA charts,
offline,
software
Friday, November 4
Sailing to Double Bayou for Halloween
Double Bayou pasture 2010 |
Boat Camping in style, generator for TV and coffee pot |
Heading out late Saturday morning, we sailed along with a fellow sailor across Galveston Bay to Double Bayou for Halloween party in a pasture. The day was beautiful, and winds were very cool (so we bundled up). The ship channel was incredibly heavy, and had to move fast to get across to the Trinity Bay side. We had heard on the radio of a collision in the Houston Ship Channel, which may have caused some of the backup. Collision in Houston Ship Channel.
Labels:
dogs,
Double Bayou,
Halloween,
Marker 17,
Oak Island,
over 2100,
PARTY,
Texas,
TMCA,
Trinity Bay
Tuesday, November 1
Books, Boats, and Films
Joshua Slocum on Spray (first man to single-hand Sailing Alone Around The World) |
With the cool Holiday season coming around the bend and nights getting longer, we might be spending more time in the cabin. So here are some true boating movies that have real boats on the water and not all filmed on a studio. In fact my criteria insists that the boat be a main character in the movies. If you can, use a home projector on a sheet for your boat buds and you to enjoy. Popcorn is in the galley.
The books that I have paired with the movies must be written by someone who clearly knows boating and the correct terminology, whether fiction or nonfiction. Most of these books are in the public domain and can be downloaded for free in ibooks, plus in itunes university the free audio version for some is available for download by chapter.
Tuesday, October 4
Spring 2011 Texas trip
While I do prefer to remain in the shadows on the Internet, I now feel thrust into this other realm. Our one month sail down the ICW (aka GIWW) last spring with our clan of four was far more than I imagined, and staying connected to TMCA made it bigger than us.
Labels:
Army Hole,
Boats,
dogs,
Matagorda,
Palacios,
sailing,
Serendipity Resort,
snapping shrimp,
Texas,
TMCA
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