Dog River Marina, Mobile

AnnTicipation and Remedy essentially completed the Great Loop on the same day with our arrival in Mobile. The technically accurate completion of the trip for Remedy would occur four days later when we passed under the bridge to Dauphin Island.

Lou and Nancy Marino, M/V Doin Stuff, caught up with us at Mobile. They are on their way from Ohio to find a home in Florida.  We first met them back in Alton at Fast Eddie's. Vinnie Romano, an entertainer from the Chicago area also met us on the dock.  He is transporting a boat with his friend, Leno, to Florida for the winter.  They plus Don and Ann joined us for a Happy Hour that just kept on going. Both Lou and Vinnie are the life of the party. Vinnie is a comic who plays and sings in taverns, clubs, for private parties, and also does Arithmetic learning programs in elementary schools.  Lou has just finished recording a CD of his own songs.  The general theme of his work is "Cruising in the Nude". The songs are funny, a bit raucous,  but tasteful all things considered. The Lou and Vinnie show kept us all in stitches for the evening. We are looking forward to meeting both when we get to Florida this spring.
 

Frank and Sue Legrand were on their way back to Texas from the Florida panhandle and dropped in to the Dog River Marina to meet us.   We stayed back an extra day so we could go sailing with them on Le Grand Amour.  We had sailed with them last winter when we visited Texas. The only other sailing we had done was on the Sunfish we carry aboard.   Now we would sail Mobile Bay for a great afternoon. The Catalina 42 is a great cruiser... solid in the water... points well... moves on the slightest breeze.  I had a ball trimming sail and scampering around on the fore deck.   Thanks, Frank and Sue.   Marion and I got our annual "Big Boat Sailing Fix".

Point Cadet Marina, Biloxi

The formal completion of the Great Loop occurred on October 20, 2000 as we passed under the Dauphin Island Bridge. We were on our way to Biloxi and celebrated with Champagne as we passed under the bridge.

At Biloxi we visited the Beaux Rivage Casino for their $14 seafood buffet. We both pigged out on the cold boiled Clams, Shrimp, King Crab, and Mussels. The hot dishes were also good. The bottle of Chardonnay was Extra.  Rating $$$****

Orleans Marina, New Orleans

A year ago we passed by New Orleans without stopping; we were rushing to make Largo FL for Thanksgiving. This time we made up for it. We stayed at the Orleans Marina in the West End.  Arriving on a Sunday there was no one to check us in. We got directions from another boater on where to find the Transient Docks and managed to squeeze our 48 footer into a slip meant for a 34 foot sailboat. The next day I asked Jeanette, the harbor mistress to locate us in a larger slip. She fixed us up with a very convenient slip near the office, laundry and bathhouse. She also helped us research public transportation.
 

The #41 Lakeshore Bus comes about every 1/2 hour. The nearest stop is at West End Blvd. and Robert E Lee. On the corner with the Walgreen Drug Store. The fare is $1.25 regular, $0.40 with a Medicare card. We did two days in the French Quarter. On day one we took a Carriage ride through the Quarter to get reoriented.  Each driver has his/her own style and content as they point out the sights and the history of the places.  This driver specialized in prices more than history. Examples: $400 for a one bedroom apt there.... $100 for dinner at that restaurant PLUS wine.... Best Po/Boy in the Quarter there and Under $5.

We strolled Jackson Square, had a quick lunch at La Madelaine, and spent the rest of the day doing the shops and Art Galleries on Royal Street.  Most close promptly at 5:00 PM so we headed for the Carousel bar at the Monteleon.  We managed to catch the wrong #44 Lakeshore Vista  bus so the driver gave us transfers to the correct #41 Lakeshore.

The Jackson Square Parkbench Jazz Band Meets daily in front of the St. Louis Cathedral.  The green bucket catches pennies from heaven. On day two came the highlight of our visit. We attended the New Orleans Cooking School. It was a three hour demonstration and lecture and for the finale you get to eat the demonstration. Our instructor, Mary Hanna, hailed from an ethnic neighborhood in Detroit.  She had learned cooking from her grandma and liked it so well she majored in culinary arts in college. Several years ago her husband's work took their family on a job transfer to New Orleans.

She is a very entertaining instructor and keeps you riveted as she chops, and stirs, and bounces wisecracks and questions to the audience. "Does anyone know how to make a Roux?" she asked. "I do," I said raising my hand. "OK, mister diamond earring," she shot back, "How do YOU make one?" She had previously questioned the earring in the general introductions. Now I was "Mister Earring." "I use a stick of bacon grease and a stick of flour. I stir forever in a pot on medium high and stop when it smokes." I explained. "But it doesn't get the right color... that's why I'm here."

She frowned and said, "Bacon grease?" and the whole class tittered.  She had them on her side, and I knew it. "No Bacon grease... Use Lard... It's pure," she explained. "And if its not dark enough, you stopped too soon." We then were shown how to make a proper roux. Use a higher heat... let it smoke a bit... move the pot on and off the heat to control the cooking.... Keep going till its the color of a copper penny. We learned a gumbo, a jambalaya, bread pudding, and pralines.  Then with an amber Abita beer, we ate it all up. Since I was such a good sport Mary awarded me her apron. It was great fun and a memory for a lifetime.

After cooking school we did the art galleries we had missed on the previous day. Then we took the St. Charles street car to the end of the line and back.  It's a great trip and an inexpensive tour of the city.

On our final day we did a long bike ride along Lakeshore and through the Lake Vista subdivision. Its a 40's development with grand homes in a park like setting.
 

Louisiana Bayou Country Our next four nights were essentially repeats of the places we had covered last year: Fleming Canal store in Lafitte, The free docks under the bridge at Morgan City, The Shell Morgan docks at IntraCoastal City. The ICW  in Louisiana has some spooky looking swamps along its banks. >>>>

Mile 175

It was almost a year ago, I was still a neophyte driver... We were headed toward Intracoastal city from the west. Barge traffic was very heavy. I did some passes of tows that were ill advised to put it mildly. That was the time Marion said, "I want to go back."

"What?" I answered, "to Seabrook?"

"Yes, Seabrook. I can't stand this... I am frightened... and every time you pass we are all over the place."

I explained that I was having problems steering in the prop wash of the tows. I was afraid of going wider and hitting the shallows by the bank.  I promised to do better.

That was a year ago. This time as we approached Mile 175 I decided to do something different.

"Marion, I need to shower and shave," I explained, "Its a long straight away coming... how about you taking over?"

The towboat Walter Cenac, like us, was westbound, and about a mile ahead. "Marion can handle it," I said to myself as I went below.

Fifteen minutes later in the shower I heard the engines slow... less than a minute later they sped up. Looking out the window I could see she was passing the Walter Cenac. "Great" I thought, heading in to shave.

Five minutes pass. I'm shaved and dressing. The engines go to idle... then a pulse of reverse. I look out the salon windows and see two tows. One the Mary Elizabeth with two barges wide and  three barges long is standing still on the mile 175 bend. It is stuck against the bank and trying to turn. The tow Rita Raye is between Marion and the Mary Elizabeth.  It is stopped and waiting. That's why Marion stopped.

I'm thinking, "This is where I had the tough traffic last year... It will be a great experience for her... Don't go up and take over."

I watched and listened out of sight, as she called each of the tows and negotiated a safe passage around both of the westbound tows. Then for the icing on the cake she hailed the eastbound Bairoid 111 and negotiated a two whistle pass as he came out of the mile 178 bend.

It was time for me to return.

"Hi, Honey," I said in my best drawl, "whatcha been doin up heah?"

"Where have YOU been? I stomped on the floor, rang the bell and you didn't come."

I said honestly, "Gee, I never heard anything. But I did see the great job you did passing those tows.
I'm proud of you... That was terrific."

I could see she was proud of her performance as well. But still she fumed, "You watched and didn't help."

"No need to, I would have just made you nervous. You did great."

She smiled a big one. "Yes, I did it Right."

Then I told here that this was the bend where I had messed up a year ago. And she had declared she wanted to go back to Texas. I still don't know if she approved of my prank.
 
 

We met Dick and Sammie Caswell, S/V Island Time, at Intracoastal. We had run into them twice on the east coast of Florida, at No Name Harbor and St. Augustine.  They did the Bahamas on their sailboat while we were off doing the Loop. They were headed home to Texas just like we were. We traded stories over wine and cheese and made a plan to anchor and raft up the following night at Bayou Lacassine.  They had lots of great info to share on the Bahamas, our next spring/summer trip, so we were most attentive. After Bayou Lacassine we decided to take a side trip to Lake Charles. The marina at the Players Casino was fine. The restaurant was being remodeled so there was only a minimal buffet. Harrah's it taking it over. The best part was seeing the waterway, believe it or not.

We had a little bit of excitement the next day as we went to stay at Port Arthur Yacht Club. It's out of the way about ten miles if you enter Sabine Lake at the north end and exit the south end after PAYC. I contacted Time (pronounced Tim) Ledet , PAYC Commodore, and he gave me instructions on how to find the deep water at the north end of the Lake.  He also said he would be down at the Marina about the time we arrived and would meet us.

The old channel is marked on the charts but all of the buoys, privately maintained, have washed away. Time described a range composed of a set of pilings in the lake near where Red 12 is marked  (Lat 29* 57.08' N , Long 093* 49.51' W) and some Utility Poles North of the ICW (Lat 29* 59.31' N , Long 093* 50.93' W). These provide about 5.5 feet of water.  The intersection at the ICW is at (Lat 29* 58.42' N , Long 093* 50.34' W).

I decided to try the range and turned too soon after ICW marker #70. I went aground in soft mud and had to back up into the ICW. I moved about 150 yards west of #70 and found about 6 feet. It was no less than 5.3 feet the rest of the way to the pilings.

As promised, Time met us. He and Jim Norwood, another PAYC board member, helped us get tied up. We visited and they came aboard to tour Remedy and hear about our trip.  Jim asked about Tom and Ann Caywood, friends of theirs also on our great loop adventure.

Thanks, PAYC for the warm welcome back to Texas.
 

Galveston On the right a contrasting scene of the ICW in Texas. Cypress trees yield to cattle ranches. We are headed from Port Arthur to Galveston.  >>>> We were on our way to a full weekend of partying in celebration of Sam Pakenham-Walsh's Seventieth Birthday.  On the agenda for the guests:  A cocktail party at the Tremont House, Sit down Dinner at The Yacht Club, Overnight accommodations at The Yacht Club, Brunch the next morning, followed by a boat ride in Galveston Harbor.

We had come a long way to get there, but nothing like Sam's son, Neil and his wife, Valou, who flew in from London for the occasion. The party was a rip-roaring success. Everything went fine until the rain came during brunch. It was threatening the boat ride.

"Don't worry," I proclaimed, "the mean rainfall duration for storms over 1/2 inch per hour is 34 minutes in the Galveston Houston Area.  I predict that this will pass by 12:07 PM."

Some of the skeptics scoffed at my prediction and left the party to head on home.

I had a lot of razzing as 12:07 came and went... it was still raining.

I went out and surveyed the scene. "Don't give up," I reported, "There is blue sky moving our way."

"You are a real Blue Sky kind of person," Charlotte commented.

At 12:23 it was still raining, but the hotel desk clerk, who had overheard all of this, called out to me, "I was just on the phone to my husband... he says it has stopped raining at Seawall and 51st Street."

After almost 50 minutes the rain stopped. Everyone came down to Remedy and we went cruising in the harbor.

It was absolutely spectacular. There were porpoises everywhere. Cascading through the water in pods of six or more.  Several even leaped fully out of the water. We must have seen more than 100 in the hour we were out. They were obviously there in the Bolivar Roads for some serious feeding and frolicking.

Thanks, Sam and Charlotte for a wonderful homecoming.

Seabrook

That Sunday afternoon we headed on home to Seabrook. It was just getting dark as we passed into the Clear Creek channel at Landry's.  There were several flashes of light from the boardwalk.

"Someone is taking our picture, Marion," I said.

Next there was shouted greetings from the shore. Marion recognized the voices of her grandchildren but could not see them.

"That's Mark and Pam shouting to us... they came to welcome us home," she said as she ran out to the fore deck to wave and call back.

They came around to Blue Dolphin just as we were getting ready to tie up. It was sweet homecoming. After one year and one day our Great Loop trip was over.

In Port Postscript

Word spread quickly of our return. Ed and Dorothy Hearon were first to greet us the next morning. Then Hank and Sue Knippa, Ray and Trudy Cryder, Bill and Trish Bagley all came by. At that point I lose track.  Immediately we found ourselves up to our ears in TMCA activities: Web Page,  Xmas Boat Parade, Redfish Island Meeting, Fajita Margarita Party.

It's Exhausting being back, but we love it.