Today will be a long day, but not too bad. I’ll make about 100 miles today on my way from the 105 mile marker to the Mermentau River (the 202). Here’s the plan… we’ll see how “the plan” holds up the rest of this trip:
Tonight I’ll motor 1 or 2 hours into darkenss to get to the Mermentau. I would have made it earlier but the locks at Intercoastal City were closed so I either had to wait two hours then be behind 24 tug boats to pass… or take a longer alternate route to avoid the locks alltogether. I took the alternate.. it took me into the fresh water canal then to Schooner Bayou, then through the North fork of Schooner back to the ICW. I lost about an hour going around, but if I’d waited for the locks I’d still be in Intercoastal City.
Anyway the itenerary looks like this: Mermentau tonight (WEDNESDAY night) Leave the Mermentau at daylight THURSDAY and drive 78 miles down the ditch (12 or 13 hours) to the Neches River where I’ll pick up some crew. FRIDAY we will leave the Neches River at Port Arthur for the 75 mile run to Bolivar near Galveston. I suspect we can get settled for the night friday before dark the sail the last 5 hours to Bayland Marina in Baytown at the top of Galveston Bay SATURDAY. That gives me all day Sunday to rest.
Despite not having my A#1 cook on board, I’m surviving quite well on frozen prepared meals and KFC Chicken I bought in Houma. A microwave is a certainly a wonderful tool. This morning I heated up a big ol’ Jimmy Dean sausage egg muffin, for lunch I had KFC chicken and for dinner I had pre cooked broccoli and cheese casserole. My meals haven’t been the fresh wonderful fare Linda throws out there but I’m doing OK. I talked to my crew thats coming Friday… I think they are bringing pizza! Pizza is good any time of day hot or cold.
Since all the tugs were held up at the locks.. I’ve had the Westbound side of the ICW all to myself this evening. I have probably met 3 or 4 tugs eastbound.. but traffic has been light since Shell Morgan at Intercoastal City. Shell Morgan is a great stop… good helpful folks and cheap gas. I always stop there when I’m in the ditch. The people there always help me tie up and will do anything to make my stop as good as it can be. Andy’s the one that told me about the way to aviod the locks today.
It’s 7:10, I have a bit over two hours to go. The mainsail would give me a little help right now… but with only 2 hours to go I think I’ll be a motorboat the rest of the day… take it easy. Today’s weather turned out nice after the early morning storm. Most of the day was partly cloudy with a perfect temperature.. not too hot and not too cool.
I’m glad traffic is light tonight, I have a little after dark work to do but not much. I’m excited to make Mermentau tonight, that sets the rest of the trip up so I can be off Sunday. I guess I’ll get the boat set up for night operation… plug in the Q-beam, set the instruments on low so they won’t blind me at night…. Today was a good day.
Sea Yawl Later !! Rusty