Just a few pictures from the "third
coast" to share with
everyone. Enjoy. 
Updates
from League City, May 31 '08 - MJ went under the knife for renovation
after a lightning strike and panel fire last winter. You know that
list of things you said you were going to get around to doing? Well,
imagine doing them all in just five months! Re-wired, added raw water
strainer, rebuilt icebox, stripped all interior wood, new GPS &
instruments, rebuilt air conditioning closet, new nav panel....whew! A
lot of work, but it ended May 31st with MJ's inaugural sail and shakedown
cruise across the Houston Ship Channel to Trinity Bay and back.
Everything is WAD (working as designed) and she performed just
flawlessly. Life is good down here on the Bay. Click
here for boat pics. I suggest "view as slideshow" to see
pictures and comments.
There's still some things that need done (it's a boat!) and the new cushions won't be in for awhile, but I couldn't be happier. We motored out from th
e harbor, got in the Clear Lake Channel, and hoisted the sails. In an entire day of sailing, I don't think we ran the engine for an hour. The SSE breezes mean a close reach down the channel to Galveston Bay and a downwind or broad reach all the way back. It's nice to load up your boat behind your house and set sail.
We toasted with an old bottle of champagne that had survived the accident (made drinkable with orange juice) I'd been saving just for that occasion. Filming courtesy of Captain Frenchy's Sailing Adventures. Toast in QuickTime format. You can download QuickTime from Apple here.
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Nice day's sail to Double Bayou. The shot on the left is on our return, approaching the Houston Ship Channel. There's a barge transiting north just to the right of the setting sun. And of course, there was a stop at Marker 17. Here's Captain Frenchy, taking a mid-day break from a long sail. |  |
This is one of my favorite pictures. I had sailed up from Offat's Bayou to Clear Lake w/ John B on his Catalina 25, "Miss Achsa". We saw four different schools of dolphin and one that was just five feet off the stern of the boat. This picture of pelicans on an old dock piling was the winner from a great day!
Sunrise from my balcony, on May 14th '08. I had gotten up early to hit the Boater's Flea Market and this was my welcome. Beautiful way to start the day!
Typical working shrimp boat with a great name as it overtakes us going north on the Houston Ship Channel. Notice the seagulls lined up on the outrigger. The shrimping industry down here is under siege from farm-raised shrimp and high fuel and insurance costs. This is becoming a less common sight.