La Trucha Caribbean Cruise 2004

Ship's Log

(Nov 14-17, 2004 Houston Texas)

Though we have finished much of the work to get us out of here - which consists of a  few miles down the San Bernard River, up the Intercostal to  Freeport Texas and out into the Gulf - we now have a new problem.  La Trucha is settling into the mud at her slip as the water level recedes due to the lousy weather conditions.  For one thing, the winds always seem to be blowing from the north.  These northerly fronts seem to be pushing the seas away and down the river.  Water level is as low as I've seen it since I arrived 26 October.  Perhaps a good spring tide will fix it, or a flooding rain.  But as it stands right now we're sucking mud.

     Motley Crew member, Ben, posing for the camera in front of San Antonio's famous River Walk

As can  be seen above, we finally took some time off working on the boat and took off on a wild Texas road trip.  Jimmy and I decided the boat and skipper could  get along fine with out us for a few days, so we packed up and made for central Texas, in Jimmy's beat up old Texas truck.  Took us some 4 or so hours to get to San Antonio, where we made a beeline for a couple of cold Guinness on draft at some Irish Republican Bar on the River Walk.  We never could figure out the piano player.  Irish for sure, Republican maybe, but not a pro Bush guy.  Anyway, thereafter we met Charles, Jimmy's youngest brother, wife Rhonda and young Kayla for a Mexican dinner.  Stayed that same night at Jimmy's unfinished house near Canyon Lake - which is 'bout 1/2 way between Austin and San Antonio.  No plumbing or electric, but the roof worked fine.  And did we ever need a roof, as it was flooding time.  It started raining that evening and wouldn't quit for a couple of days.

Stayed the next night with Joe and Linda, Jimmy's eldest sister, in their home in Austin.  Watched some musical videos, had a home cooked spaghetti dinner, and called it a night after watching a couple of DVD's - musical and a movie.

Wednesday, we drove back to Houston in the rain.  Unbelievable downpours, with Austin under a flood warning.  Broke free somewhere in Brazoria County, but intermittent showers followed us all the way back to 2J's Cafe and Grill.

Helped Jim Sr. install the LPG tanks and cleaned the water tanks, before eating and calling it another day.  Important thing now is that the winds and the flooding have raised the San Bernard, and we have good water under the keel.

Jimmy and his brother Charles with daughter Kayla in San Antonio, during our road trip occasioned by the wait for our weather window