Sadly, my beloved wife Laura passed away on 12-16-19, four days after suffering a massive stroke.  She was my sailing and adventure partner for 16 years.  Until we meet again, I will love you always.

J

Waiting to Return to Sailing

Jefferson sailing out to Galveston Bay

BM Boat Works is to paint our Exodus.  We have been waiting since early March and not started yet.  No home for a couple of months.

Texas 2017 Cruise before the flood and winds

In mid May of 2017 Whitley, JT, and I took some time off and headed out in to the Gulf.  I had hoped to make it to Alabama, but the weather forecast and wind conditions did not look very cooperative.  We headed back west as we did before. Spending a few nights at Moody Gardens, we tried our luck at some hot tub visits.  We had enough food and wine on the boat for a month of good eats.  Whitley and I explored the outer ridges of Moody Gardens, Rain Forest and Aquarium pyramid which I never realized had so much to explore outside of the pyramids.

We headed out to Surfside Marina to jump off to the Colorado River bypass, Matagorda Ship Channel, or Port Aransas.  Meeting up along the way with a huge gathering of dolphins in Chocolate Bay, they jumped out of the water, played, blew water on us, and tilted the heads and looked at Whitley as they came out of the water.  There is a merry band of sailors that can get Miss Whitley super excited about the dolphins.  She barks in her high pitched, hello bark, for them to come see her, and I am not better.

Whitley, 14 years old, crossing in the Gulf of Mexico to Matagorda

Weatherman or Sailor

The more that I sail, the more that I learn about the clouds to forecast what to prepare.  Most every day or event planned this year, the weather forecasted was wrong or late.  We canceled or changed some of our gatherings because of the forecasted storms.  We can take the wind but the lightning I am more cautious.

A month ago we were out sailing in the bay.  The winds were perfect blowing about 15 knots from the east.  As we edged passed the line of cloud front, the winds stopped dead.  We had to turn on the engine and pull in the sails, but the chop on the water was still high for no wind.  We head back, and the winds picked back up under the clouds.

Sailors hear

• "Mare tails and fish scales sailors furl your sails"
• "Rainbow to windward, foul fall the day; rainbow to leeward, rain runs away"
• For the barometer watchers, "quick rise after low, often portends a stronger blow"
• "Red sky at night a sailor's delight, red sky at dawn sailor take warning"

Lessons Learned Cooking for Sailors

Poaching Lobster

 

Head first add the 1.5 pound active lobster into the boiling water and cook for about 12-15 minutes in the boiling water.  Confirm by measuring until internal tail temperature at 165-170 F

Lobsters have harmful bacteria naturally in their flesh. The bacteria can rapidly multiply and release toxins that may not be destroyed by cooking. Minimise the chance of food poisoning by cooking the lobster alive.

If you ordered live lobsters, they will have been out of water for almost 24 hours when you receive them. Occasionally, one may appear weak or lifeless. This is a normal occurrence. In most cases, as long as the packaging material is in good condition, and the refrigerant is still cold, your lobsters will be fine. The best way to check is to boil the lobster. As long as the lobster’s tail curls when cooked, and the meat in the tail is firm, and in one piece, then the lobster was alive when it was cooked. 

Because lobsters require careful packing and prompt shipping, you should only purchase lobsters from a company which offers a 100% guarantee if any lobsters arrive in poor condition. 

Lobsters grow by molting, or by shedding their shells each year.  Just after they molt, they are soft and fragile until their new shell has hardened, and they are known as new shell or soft shell lobsters, sometimes called “shedders.”  After their new shell hardens, they are known as hard shell lobsters. 

Soft shell are tender, sweet, and delicious, and represent about 90% of the catch during the summer months.  They are prized by maine natives, and are less expensive than hardshell lobsters as well, but they contain less meat than a hard shell lobster of the same size, because their body has not yet grown into its new shell, and so the lobster’s shell is larger than its body. 

Soft shell (or new shell) shell lobsters do not travel well, and should not be purchased for live delivery; most reputable companies will not even  try to ship live soft shell lobsters because they are unlikely to survive the journey.  Some companies do, however, offer precooked whole soft shell lobsters. 

The “green stuff” that can be found in cooked lobster is tomalley, which serves as the pancreas and liver.  Some consider it a delicacy. 

Female lobster can have up to 10,000 eggs. Once cooked turn red and considered a delicacy.

USODA Optimist National Championship Comes to HYC

First weekend 220 little sailboats set up and out into the Wuzzie Bay to race all afternoon from Wednesday until Sunday.  The concept of team racing in single-person sailboats was new to us.  We enjoyed watching the coordination, communication especially the many different languages, dedication, and intense competition by these children.  

USODA stands for the United State Optimist Dinghy Association for those under 16 years old.  

Safety officials, US Coast Guard, referees, judges, spectators, and volunteers motored around the different courses.  Our captain volunteered himself and our Boston Whaler to help with races.  One story was of the children from Spain using their native tongue to keep their strategy secret until one of judges spoke to them in their native tongue.  They asked what region of Spain that he was from.  Netherlands...

Second Weekend another group of 280 boats race all afternoon for four days as well.  The series of races were based on the first to cross the finishing line.

Our new (combined wood-plastic) wonderful walkway donated by a fellow sailor was completed and perfect for the children to walk the boats on little carts to Shell Beach for launching. No more tripping on popped up boards and the walkway was raised so no more under water at super high tide.  If you fall now, it is because you drank too much.  Keep your shoes on puppies because it can get a bit hot or run fast to the grass.

Sails, vendors, children, boats, tents, parents, and water containers covered the grounds.  The sun, heat, and humidity were merciless.  There was no wind to begin the day until the afternoon.  So swimming in the pool was the best option to cool down, but by the afternoon the water was too warm from the hot sun.  Up to the bar to cool down before heading to the sailboat with A/C and Whitley.  A whole new wait staff was hired to help serve all visitors.  They must have been stress since it was difficult to wiggle a smile out of the new servers. 

Sadly the Friday night social and happy hour had been cancelled.  The menu was very limited and the kitchen help seemed confused.  Hopefully these problems will be fixed after the Club settles back into its groove.

Good Grief

I have been hoping that JT would do an entry about the loss and memorial for Bud, our yellow labrador.  Bud was his dog before me and his follower.  I asked about doing a memorial service for Bud with our close friends and family, but he is not ready.  The pain is still too much, and he wants to keep Bud just for us.  I respect his emotions since it took me nine years to let go of Natasha Baytop, my first Golden Retriever.

I wrote the memory of Bud's death on Whitley's travel blog from her point of view, so that I do not forget or change the memory.  I had asked JT to read it three months later, but it was still too much and too soon.  It brought all the grief and sadness of that day back.  I was sorry that I encouraged him to read it.  

Cruising to Bolivar and Offatts

Beautiful Spring Day at the Houston Yacht Club marina and ready to sail to the Texas coast.

HYC boat group shout at Laguna Harbor on Bolivar peninsular

Batten and Bruised Cruise

From Naples, Florida to Mobile, Alabama... What happened to Houston?  

On a pleasant day with clear sky, clear emerald green water, dolphins, and bright full moon that lit up the sky we left Naples for Houston.  No celestrial navigation tonight since only Orion could be seen with this bright moonlight.  Four hour two-man shifts I choose the 1 am - 5 am mark because of insomnia, a sailor's delight on the Gulf.  

Hello at the end of the trip on Monday morning, after a good sleep, breakfast, and scrub in the marina shower.

Change occurred quickly with four days of winds up to 48 knots, heavy stinging rain, lightning, numerous storms, and breaking equipment (a surprise nighttime storm, rudder chain broke, temporary emergency tiller split, autohelm broke, GPS chartplotter gave off readings, oil pressure kept dropping after adding more oil so could only use the engine until oil ran out). Passage weather and sail flow got the forecast wrong.  We changed our heading from South Pass to Biloxi and somehow ended up on Mobile Bay by the tow boats.

Lessons Learned...

Galveston Art Walk

 On Saturday March fifth, we left Whitley on the boat with a big cushy dog bed, water, and 'Law and Order' playing on TV.  We headed to Galveston to meet up with over a dozen of our close friends to sip wine, and stroll around downtown Galveston looking at beautiful works of art for sale.

At the elite Rooftop Bar of the Tremont Hotel we watched the sunset over beautiful downtown Galveston.  We lubricated our minds with wine and spirits, and coated our stomachs with fancy local cheeses, crispy table crackers, and halite-rich charcuterie.  Frank Billingsley, KPRC's weatherman, came by our table and gave us assurance of the night's cool weather forecast for the art stroll.

Heading out on our long stroll down 23rd Street, we stopped at a new pub-gallery called the Proletariat (Marxism term for working class, meaning selling their labor to live) and enjoyed some Goose Island beer from the GI representative while examining melted vinyl albums with hand and face imprints.  Onward to Post Office Street we meandered around five packed galleries with painting, sculptures, and photographs as they graciously gave out wine to sip (remember to tip if you sip):  

1. Affaire d'Art
2. Peck Art Gallery
3. Vacation on Canvas
4. Wiley Gallery, 2128 Postoffice St, (met James 'Jim' Phillips wood sculptor (Hurricane Ike killing 30,000 trees, national attention of Ike-wood sculptures, and his amazing talent with wood carving changed a hobby to a profession))
5. Galveston Art League

Yachty Gras at HYC

End of the Year of Travels, 2015

Whitley and I swinging for a photo. She loved all the new smells, horses, and walks.

Art of Night Time Sailing

After the end of summer on the bays in Texas, I can let the secret out, and reflect on all the cool, relaxing, and solitary evening sails. With normal afternoon temperatures ranging from 98 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, high humidity, and low wind, we have learned to bide our time in the air conditioning until the perfect hour, nightfall. We love an evening sail.

The Amazing Mr. B, canine crew

Bud at the dog park 2014

As active outdoor people, our dogs represent our lifestyle and personality. For the past year we have had to slow down since Bud could not keep up due to his cancer and age. Last year the canine oncologist gave him a few months of life without their treatment, and well over a year later he is still our traveling companion.  We are loyal to Bud as he is loyal to us.

Life with Bud has been filled with funny, frustrating, loving, joyous, heroic, and sad memories. Bud's whole life with us (12 years with me) has been a Bucket List. From hiking in the snowy mountains of Colorado and New Mexico and the deserts of Arizona and west Texas to the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico Bud has seen more and done more than most.  The funny and loving memories with Bud are the ones that I cling to keep me happy.

Somethin' 'bout My Dog

Jimmy Buffett sings it well in 'Somethin about a Boat'...

"Just a-waggin' that tail

Grinnin' that grin

Somethin' 'bout my dog

Makes her my best friend...

That gives a man Hope"

Bud's spot as JT plays his guitar, 9-3-2015

Enjoying the marina by the water

Eyes of a Sailor

Once this sailor, Yachty, hit 40, her vision was supposed to change overnight.  Well it did.  Six inches in front of my face things got blurry, but it got better.  Or as much wiser people have told me that I just got used to it.  I tried out a few reading glasses at Target.  The lowest level of 1.0 diopter worked, but I did not like any of the styles.  

When do I need to see details 6 inches in front of my face?  Playing the violin, I have discovered.  I cannot see the bow on the string without closing my left eye.  Glasses, I will need when I decide to play the violin again.  Too much humidity to keep my violin on the boat.

Bottlenose Dolphins of Texas

Enjoy watching Delphinidae Tursiops truncatus (bottlenose dolphin) pods in Galveston Bay, Texas every year.  

Last summer every evening a female and her baby would swim up Clear Creek Channel by the Seabrook Marina pool to feed and play.  We would sit by the pool and watch the dolphins jump and play with each other or the kayaks and SUP, stand up paddle boarders.  Unfortunately we have not seen them this year maybe because of the high level of fresh water and hyacinth this year kept them away.

My first dolphin sighting was right when I visited the Texas coast in the summer of 1999 crossing on the Galveston ferry to Port Bolivar.  Majority of the passengers walked to the front of the ferry to watch the dolphins jump the waves.  It was fun and free for my first time dolphin watch.  But what got even more exhilarating was when the dolphins seeked us out on the sailboat.

Gnarly Dreams from Sailors

First Canoe Trip, fast asleep, life on the water

Hiding eyes to sleep together

If I ever decide to crew on an another boat, knowing the crews' training, idiosyncrasies, and sleep irregularities are essential for a safe and fun journey versus dangerous and scary.  Since everyone sleeps or naps in shifts, watching another sleep can be a real education about problem sleepers.  Whether it is sleep apnea, dream enactment (RBD), sleep talking, sleep paralysis, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, lucid dreams, or insomnia affects the lives of the other crew.

I Feel Happy!

Occasionally in the boating community I meet a curmudgeon, 'an angry, surly, mean' individual who wants to make other people unhappy.  People I call a^* holes.  I have met my fair share of them in my life.  I learned to hang up, walk away, and avoid them as much as possible because they seem to thrive on spreading their negative vibe.  I have tried engaging with them to see the positive but they rarely cheer up and make me upset.  So if I ignore them and walk away, I feel better.

I am a naturally happy and positive person.   Seeing the glass as half full helps me cancel out any negative people around me.   Being a rational optimist, I do not understand why some are so negative.

Love in a Squall

Since the recent squall that hit Mobile Bay, Alabama, JT and I are reminiscing about our first squall (only squall since). We were dating for a few months and just returned from a cross country drive to meet my parents and explore the Texas Hill country with Whitley.  We were blissfully happy.  

Whitley, the puppy, enjoyed looking out the window and could not believe what she saw.  As I was napping in the back, Whitley, puppy, was sitting up for the first time in the front passenger seat (riding shot gun) staring across the wide open country of west Texas.  West Texas had no green that summer, and she only pees on green.  Once we left Tyler, TX, she refused every rest area until JT found a potted plant in front of the CVS with a green spike grass in it.  She finally made water.  On the return drive we left the interstate to confirm why we both love Texas and the citizens so much.  Driving behind a vehicle where they have the courtesy to pull over into the driveable shoulder to let you pass while using their turn signals, this is where I want to always live.