A Little Cruising

Sue waving us good bye on our way out of home port.

Jude and I signed on as crew with our friend Andy as he headed from Grand Isle to the Florida Keys and beyond to the Bahamas. Our portion of the cruise was to be from Grand Isle, across the Mississippi River, up to Gulfport, MS. We were then to follow the coast to Pensacola where we would head out into the Gulf to Tarpon Springs, FL, a 7-8 day trip, which would include a 50 hour passage of open water in the Gulf of Mexico. Jude and I were looking forward to our longest offshore passage. The longest we had ever made was a 24 hour run up Lake Huron from Bay City to Tobemorey.

The entire trip was to begin the first of November, even before Jude and I arrived in Grand Isle. One thing led to another and the trip was delayed. Finally we were set to leave the Tuesday before Thanksgiving until Andy’s daughter could not bear having her parents off somewhere for Turkey Day. So a big dinner was planned and guess who did not show up. Okay, this brings us to Friday after Thanksgiving. Now I am not a superstitious sailor, but one should never step a mast with out having a coin, heads up, under the base of the mast; have a drink at sea without offering one to Neptune; never rename a boat without a proper ceremony; and NEVER begin a sailing journey on a Friday.

Captain Andy

So the Saturday after Thanksgiving we set sail. November 28, 2009, the sailing yacht Happy Ours, a 40 foot Irwin center cockpit ketch, left Grand Isle headed for the Bimini with a crew of Captain Andy, Jude and myself. Oh yes, one other glitch in the trip was that Andy’s wife Sue was called to jury duty up in New Orleans and was to meet up with us further along the route. Of course the logistics of getting her along the coast to where the boat was at was just a typical cruising sailor’s headache.

Tough Sailing.

The first day was wonderful. We were out of the marina by 0700 and had the main sail raised by 0715. Not a lot of wind but we had a nice motor sail from home port, across the Mississippi River, down the Baptiste Colette channel and anchored behind Breton Island. Now let me explain that Breton Island no longer exists in the manner that most of us would think of an island. It was washed away by which storm, I am not sure. But the only thing left is a shallow area that has about one to two feet of water over it. We had a peaceful night at anchor to include the visits by the ever present dolphins.

Sunset at Breton Island

Sunday morning was another wonderful day. At 0715 we had the anchor up and we headed north to the Gulfport Yacht Club. After another rather benign day on the water we arrived at the dock by 1630. (4:30 PM). Little were we to know that these two days of 65F were to be the last of the good weather. I was definitely glad that I packed lots of warm cloths.

Jude on Watch

Monday was a bit cold and rainy and we were a day a

head of schedule so we decided to at GYC and watch the New Orleans Saints play on Monday night football. No disappointments there, the Saints beat the New England Patriots without any problems. So we had two nights at Gulfport and the cold weather had set in. This was to be an unfortunate condition that would follow us for the rest of the trip.

Living with the cold.

Tuesday morning we left at 0640 headed east toward Ocean Springs, MS. The day was less than favorable. Captain’s log shows winds that day at 24-30 knots with the wind right on the nose. We were very thankful that Happy Ours has a complete cockpit enclosure. We met up with Andy’s friends from town and had an excellent seafood meal to include oysters on the half shell for $5 per dozen.

Schuck and Suck

That night was the full moon and a storm out of the south. The marina flooded at high tide and we had water over the dock. At 0100 Andy is up checking the boat, given all of the thunder and lightning. Upon checking the weather radar on his computer he discovers a couple of water spouts moving at over 60 mph within a mile of us. Glad we were securely tied to the dock.

The next day, while waiting out crappy weather, we borrowed a car and did a little visit of Ocean Springs and a little reprovisioning (an electric heater for the captain’s quarters the vee berth and salon already had heat). Unfortunately the weather still had not warmed. We were still having temp in the 40s but that was to soon change, it got colder. This was beginning to remind me of sailing Lake Superior.

So now were are up to Thursday and time to move on. We left Ocean Springs and headed east across Mississippi Sound and Mobile Bay. The plan was to move on to Lulu’s just east of Mobile Bay (the bar owned by Jimmy Buffett’s sister.) We arrived there at 1700, tie up and head into the bar/restaurant only to find out it is closed for two days as they are refinishing the floor. Time to move further east. Another half hour on the water and we find another marina to stay at. It was dark and I was steering. The “windshield” on the boat is plastic and difficult to see through (that is my excuse) and we ran aground. Okay, I ran us aground. We backed up and headed across the canal to the marina. Hey, it was dark and the river had a curve in it that I did not know was there! Oysters on the half shell for $8.50 per dozen, we had 3 dozen and quality beer for $10 per pitcher!! Hey, in Alaska we pay $5 per glass. We had another great dinner at the Wharf, a bar in Orange Beach.

We are now back on schedule to make it to the Flora-Bama for the weekend and the Florida vs. Alabama football game. Again, wind in the wrong direction, we motor on. We arrive on Friday mid-day, cold, but dry and no rain. The Flora-Bama is a bar, right on the beach and right on the state line between Florida and Alabama. It is a dump (my kind of place) that is located between all of the beach front condos. It is a collection of different buildings and outside bars. Out front is a trailer that sells t-shirts and more. Across the street is another bar, the Silver Moon, and the docks. The entire place is owned by Joe and run by quite an eclectic group of folks, from retired cops to drifters who have finally found a place to land.

Bras on Display, Yes sir, yes sir three lines full.

Friday night at the Flora-Bama was everything that Andy had promised. The band was a couple whose music was country and bawdy. Jude and I left by 9 PM and by then we had met a couple at the next table who told me she had not had sex for 4 months (her Navy husband was deployed and she was out with her brother in law); met another couple from Florida who were up to celebrate her birthday and she eventually ended up on stage with the singer mooning her and she beating him on the ass with a (never mind); and last but not least watched as another young woman who was very proud of her bare chest (rightfully so) and proceeded to show it (them?) off to all of us. Andy had called it quits earlier so he missed the show. Plus that Sue, Andy’s wife, was to arrive.

The blond on my left is the one with her husband deployed. I can see why she goes out with her brother-in-law. Keeps the Land Sharks off.

On Saturday the four of us actually watched the football game at the Silver Moon. Free Gumbo, warmer than across the street, and cheaper beer. Plus that they have free WiFi. Jude and I were there from 10 AM, when they opened. I even won a door prize, a thermal coffee mug that says I took second place in the 13^th Annual Mullet Man Triathlon! I now have proof of my athletic powers! This stop turned into another one of those small world stories. The guy sitting at the table next to us was from Hope, Alaska. He works the oil business on the North Slope and has two weeks on and two weeks off. He also winters here.

It was now Sunday morning and time to set off for Tarpon Springs. The temperature was now down to a cold 30 F, with a 25 knot cross wind and current as we attempted to leave the dock. With a small crash and minor damage to the mizzen boom, we were off to Pensacola and the open Gulf of Mexico.

We motored east in the Intercoastal Waterway for about an hour before it was Jude’s turn to run us aground. Again, we backed off with no damage, only her pride. Another hour or so and we were at Pensacola and ready to head out to sea. Up with the sails and south we go. Finally we were able to shut the engine off!! The seas were running about 6 feet and we were hard on the wind, but we were finally under sail. The weather was sunny, 4-6 foot seas and a 20-25 knot breeze from the south east. Once we got to the end of the channel, about 3 miles out, we turned the boat on a course of 117 degrees magnetic. That was the end of the sailing. The wind and waves were right on the nose again with a weather forecast of this for the entire trip down to Tarpon Springs. We bounced and rock and rolled for about another 45 minutes and the Captain said enough, lets head back. For those of you who have been out there know how much his words mean: “It is better to be at the dock wishing you were it sea, rather than be at sea wishing you were at the dock.” We turned around and headed back to Lulu’s. We got there about 1600. No tails between our legs just disappointed.

The next morning we headed back to Ocean Springs where we tied up the boat and we all headed back to Grand Isle by car. We were gone for 10 days with only 2 days of temperatures above 65 F and only a couple of hours of sailing. We ate out almost every dinner with great food. I gained 5 lbs. It was another case of typical costal cruising sailing; 90% boredom, 10% terror, but 100% enjoyable. We had a great time.

Rob