Houston Yacht Club Anchorage July 22, 2007

Cruise Leader: Marion Herndon

The Plan
Departure will be at Noon on Sunday July 22 from Clear Creek Channel Marker #2.. All participating boats are requested to Monitor VHF 16 and 68.   Tune your FM Radio  to KUHF 88.7 and Listen to Prairie Home Companion.

Remedy will turn off her engine and Sail to the HYC anchorage. The sail should take about 2 Hours.  With Anchor down at 2PM  Remedy plans to Launch her dinghy for a local excursion.  Crew in Bathing attire with a hat and solar cover up is recommended.  We may find the beach. .... We may, if sea conditions permit, venture to the Port of Houston's  Bayport Cruise Terminal construction site. Or round the Bluff to Pine Gully.

Somewhere around 5 PM there will be a Happy Hour.  The following Link shows how we will get there and what to expect.

What Happened:

Weather was Threatening to the North.

Track
Chartplotter showing Remedy Track


Remedy Got a Late start and arrived 12:30 ... No one there ahead of us anyway... Wind-Swept  checked in and was right behind us. Then Laurial  checked in and promptly headed of to Redfish where the weather was Clear and the Seas Calm.  The two sailboats just kept on towards HYC.

1.GoTo HYC
Along the way Ed placed a Way Point marking  a Hazardous Pipe sticking a foot out of the Water. A little while later The Storm cell Moved over Red Bluff so at the invitation of Laurial 

Flee To Redfish
The Sailboats headed for Redfish on a Freshening Breeze(aka 20 Kts.).  Around this time Promise sent her regrets once again.  Inclement Weather was cited in the Brief.

After about a half hour on the Freshening Breeze, Remedy received a report from Laurial  " The winds and seas are picking up Down here at Redfish. Please advise . We suggest a change in plan. "

Head to Home
Surrounded on three sides Cruise Captain made the Call, " Lets move the Raft up to our Marina at Seagate.. We can Party there.. I've got all this food."  So we all started for Home

Into Storm
Sails were promptly dropped anticipating very strong winds.  . Remedy kept  a 350 heading to keep our nose into the evermore strengthening Gale (30 kts.)
After about 20 minutes of storm Wind-Swept called , "Looks pretty clear over by HYC, Lets go back to the original Plan."

2. Go to HYC
All agreed and soon thereafter Laurial came speeding by Headed for HYC.   All this while Alma De Vento had been Listening in, but never Joining in on the Radio. When we decided to head Home they started back to their
Home port Bayland Marina. When we decided to go on to HYC, they headed back  too.
Raftup
Wind-Swept, Remedy and Laurial
Courtesy Margie VanBurkleo
@HYC
We arrived at the HYC anchorage under power. There were calm waters and almost no breeze. Alma De Vento was anchored out a bit to the North. Remedy set anchor and the other two boats rafted to us. The Sailors all got into the water for a cooling swim.
EM
Robert

The Happy Hour was well attended. David and Lorna came with Lorna's SisterHeather and her friend Beryl Al and Laurie Cusick had Hank and Sue Knippa aboard.  Margie and Robert VanBurkleo were visited at their boat as well.

After dinner Former TMCA members Gary and Juli Graham came by on their 14 foot fishing boat, They tied off on Laurial's  swim platform  and stayed with us until sunset. Tides were falling so Ed pulled up the anchor and Towed  the raft to deeper water.

GO Home
A new Big Black Cell was blocking the sunset.... It later turned into a Giant Lightning Storm... We fled Home and made it in with about 20 minutes to spare.  We Had Winds from all directions and All strengths during our 10 hour "Day Sail", but it never rained Until we were safely Home.

As you can see,,,,,the draw of the happy hour and good food as well as the tenacity of TMCA boaters made this an  unusual,
most unusual cruise.   Can't wait to do it again....in a more direct course.......

See you on the water
Marion and Ed Herndon
S/V Remedy

For More visit the Alma de Vento Log