La Trucha Caribbean Cruise 2004

Ship's Log

(Nov 21-Dec 2, 2004 Houston Texas)

Well much has happened since the last update.  Last few days before Thanksgiving we were busy working on the boat, pretty much getting her ready to go.  Since the boat was in the Bridge Harbor Yacht Center and Marina, over in Freeport, we had to do quite a bit of riding from Brazoria each day to work on the boat. 

Mostly we spent our time provisioning the boat, and working on last minute items.  The major unresolved item was the water maker.  We tried to put the membranes in, which had arrived a week or so ago from Florida, but they didn't seem to make a good fit.  We put that one on hold until Jim could call the vendor to see what the deal was.

                     Good-bye Texas, La Trucha with her extra fuel capacity, extends our range

We fueled up on or about the 24th of November, and decided to leave Freeport Thanksgiving Day.  We finally had the weather with us, or so we thought, so Joyce, Jim's wife, drove us all up to Freeport Thursday morning to deliver the three of us to the boat, and to see us off.

We threw off lines about 8:45am or so and headed out under power, changing over to sails somewhere before the sea buoy.  Seas were low, and the wind seemed to be out of the North.  So we were off to the Yucatan.  Next day as the winds lightened up and turned against us out of the South, we started motoring again.  And Friday night those same winds kept building and building.  The seas were getting much rougher, and the boat was taking a beating, so much so, that Jim decided to turn it around and head north to the Louisiana coast.  Early Saturday morning the storm blew into a gale and we were standing watches in our foul weather gear.  The seas and winds were following us to the coast, but we had already reefed the main twice, finally bringing her down all together, and rolled up a good part of the jib. We then motored on into the coast, sometimes doing a little surfing in the 15 foot or less seas.  Not much of a storm, but it sure wore us out.

Arrived Tiger Point Louisiana, Saturday evening, parked her on some slip before the lock, and we all crashed.  Woke up the next morning, motored on through the lock, and made our way up to Intracoastal City, which was on the junction, between our canal and the ICW.  Sunday we stayed in a local motel in Vermillion Parish, washed clothes, watched NFL football, and crashed.  Early next morning we refueled and took off for Morgan City.

                      Jimmy before the storm, notice the big smile and no foul weather gear

Stayed 2 nights in Morgan City, and ate three times at Rita Maes Poor Boys Kitchen.  They sure had some good food there.  We stayed in Morgan City the second day as it was supposed to rain - and it did - so we just took advantage of what the city had to offer.  For Jim, it was the marina supply centers, for me it was a day spent in the library, as they had a good internet connection. 

Left for Houma, La next morning still traveling east on the ICW, where we are currently at the Downtown Marina docks.  Strangely enough, the price for tying up the boat, water and power, is $20 a night on this part of the  ICW.  Seems pretty reasonable.

 Got in a good 13 mile run early this morning so I haven't yet given up on my upcoming marathon. 

Plans right now are to move the boat to a marina in New Orleans, where Jim can put her up for an extended stay.  Perhaps as long as March.  Jimmy and I are taking off; he's heading to Central Texas to finish his house.  I'm headed home to the mountains, more wood cutting, rental house work, etc.  Anyway, we're looking forward to jumping off from the Dry Tortugas around Key West, over to the Mexico, sometime in March.  We'll see!

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