Thursday, 5 April 2018: on board the “Flipped Out” in Intracoastal City, LA

We pushed away from the dock right at 7:00am. Morgan City is 80-85 miles away and there didn’t seem to be much in between.  Justin went to the grocery/cafe one last time to grab breakfast sandwiches and coffee to get us on our way.  It was bitterly cold this morning.  All the guys had on multiple layers, gloves and hats.  Gemma and Lucy donned their life jackets for a layer of warmth.  Me?  I stayed in my toasty berth until almost noon.  When I did surface I made sandwiches and quesadillas for lunch as the “delivery” journey continues.  Stephen pointed out often that this was not a cruise, but a delivery trip.  I called it a repositioning cruise and he looked at me like I had three heads.

We’ve gone through areas of coastal grasses as well as areas of lots of cedar trees but the industrial areas are predominant in this landscape.  We did see a few cuts with huge “Private - No Trespassing”.  We wondered if this is where they film Swamp People?

  

Stephen was concerned about getting the boat ready for Barbie.  Considerable progress is apparent each day but is it enough?.

The crew pushed.  I made a pot of spaghetti and meat sauce for dinner.  Thankfully I had only prepared half the noodles so we did not have to go without when I accidentally dropped the first batch of noodles into a sink of dirty water.  The warm dinner was just what we needed as the night got cool.  We pulled into Houma’s Downtown Marina a bit after 10pm.  Since we had gotten such an early start, we clicked off over 100miles of our journey in this one day.  A bit of a stretch was in store before we all fell into bed for slumber.

Wednesday, 4 April 2018: on board the “Flipped Out” in Intracoastal City, LA

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We went to the local grocery/cafe for breakfast and after considerable cussing and discussing, Stephen decided that since it was so late in the day that we’d hang out here and leave early tomorrow.  We stocked up on some groceries and as we were walking out they were taking a huge pan of brownies loaded with pecans out of the oven. We asked to buy some but were told th

at those were only for dessert on the plate lunch.  Drat!  

Stephen and Dalton worked on the boat; Justin groomed Gemma and trimmed her nails; I read my book.  About two o’clock we thought about lunch.  I walked over to the grocery/cafe to learn that lunch was over at 1:00 and they were closed.  Drat!  But do you have any of those brownies left I asked.  She GAVE we an styrofoam container filled with brownies.  I offered to pay but she said no.  (At breakfast this morning Justin scored five or six bananas.  They were on the edge and they gave them to him.).  Now they are giving me brownies!  Major score!!!  Stephen and Dalton walked in right after me and asked about the lunch and the brownies so when they lady said she’d given them all away, they left empty handed.  So, when I showed up with treasures in hand, I was assured that I’d done my contribution for the day.

Dalton worked with the smallest kite during afternoon.  Can we really use this to propel the boat?  

Dalton grilled pork chops for dinner.  (Gemma and Lucy were able to enjoy gnawing or gumming on the bones for a while.)  I cooked potatoes and green beans for our sides.  Along with a simple salad and brownies for dessert, we ended our day quite satisfied.  

Tuesday, 3 April 2018: on board the “Flipped Out” on Lake Arthur, LA

The nice lady at Myers RV Park prepared sausage and boudin for our breakfast.

The guys had beer the evening previously; I wanted wine.  When I looked around the shelves I didn't see any wine so I asked.  The clerk responded with pride that they had Boone's Farm as she pointed to the cooler.  Did she really say "Boone's Farm"?  Now, I haven’t had that since high school and even then I knew it was crap.  I settled for a blackberry merlot.  I was sure it was a good vintage since I paid $8.50. Oh lord what was I thinking.  I was grape juice delux.  I managed to suffer through a glass but that was it.  (I did doctor up a sangria-like concoction a few days later that was a bit more to my liking.) 

  

We talked to a lady from New Iberia. She was quick to warn us to be careful with the dogs.  She put her dog in a crate when she went fishing.  She said that the alligators were plentiful in this area that was near a preserve; she regularly saw dozens and they’d hop right up on the boat to help themselves to a tasty little canine morsel.

We docked at Morgan Shell Landing asking about the next marina.  The guys said we could dock there ($25, electricity and showers included) so we settled in for the evening.  We are getting our routine down so as not to have as much trouble with mosquitoes but we have to be careful.  (I was glad I ordered Avon's Skin so Soft when I was in Alvin.  Stephen said it was good not only to deter mosquitoes but also for the wood on the boat.  At least it made things smell better.)  Justin and I were even able to enjoy a few episodes of a show on Netflix before turning in this evening.  

Monday, 2 April 2018: on board the “Flipped Out” outside LakeCharles, LA

No mosquitoes last night!  Uninterrupted sleep was welcomed.

Yesterday when we were at the casino, I told Justin how much I needed a shower, he asked me if I needed it $135 worth since that was the going rate for hotel rooms.  I said “no, but maybe by tomorrow”. As it turned out our first stop was to return to the Calcasieu Landing Point where we had stopped for a stretch yesterday.  This time not only did Lucy and Gemma get to have a comfort stop but also, we all had a chance to get a bit cleaned up.  Yes, I washed my hair in the sink in the restroom.  Maybe we can live with each other a few more days.  

Back onto the ICW, eastbound.  We entered the queue for a lock vying for position with barges of all dimensions.  Some were double wide and the westbound one that we had to wait for to enter the lock was, in effect, it’s own convoy as it was six barges long and three wide pushed by one tug.  We did get the dreaded five short blasts from the lock operator telling us to get out of the way fast.  

These days were long and the scenery wasn’t  much to keep one engaged. It was either industrial/chemical plants or flat and filled with sea grasses.  There was lots of time for stories and jawing.  At one point Stephen said that this boat wasn’t ready for his wife.  I agreed that no it wasn’t.  Later, he asked what Justin had said or done to get me to agree to be here.  Without hesitating a moment, I replied “I want a new floor.”  I don’t think I’ve heard Justin laugh that hard in a while.  

I called ahead to Myers Landing RV Park asking if they were open and had fuel.  With that bird in the hand I pushed on; do you have a slip for a 41’ catamaran for tonight?  The lady, Cindy, asked in reply “That’s a boat right?”

Sunday, 1 April 2018: on board the “Flipped Out” outside Port Arthur, LA

I made deviled eggs when I was an Uncle Harold’s and that was our Easter treat.  Many people have to wait until they hunt for the eggs to then make deviled eggs; that was where we started.  

The stinking mosquitoes were a beast last night!  I don’t think any of us slept worth a dang.  We were miserable.  Justin got up in the middle of the night and, according to his estimate, he killed well over 300 of the nasty little pests. Judging from the carnage I needed to clean up the next morning on the walls of the head and the galley, I’d say his estimate was conservative.  Stephen said a few days ago that we were headed for the “mosquito infested shit hole” that we call New Orleans — but hey, that is New Orleans. This was stinking Port Arthur — hardly the same.

We’ve been on the ICW for miles with no sign of gasoline and precious little opportunity for Gemma and Lucy to stretch their legs.  (They haven’t used their turf at all.)  We turned up the bayous and rivers near Lake Charles and headed to The Golden Nugget, a casino that promised to have slips and gas.  We’d been making very good time; Stephen and Justin figured we could afford the time.  

As it turned out, the slip cost $2 a foot (electricity was another $10) and included no shower and no access to the pool.  Margaritas were $13  and the buffet was $40. This was one of the first times Justin and I have dealt with American prices after being in Mexico all winter.  We had dinner on the boat: I made some nachos and dessert was mandarin oranges.  

We dropped anchor out just a bit; the “Golden Nugget” sign illuminated our berth until the ship turned and settled with the current.  

We still had the fuel issue to contend with before we went much farther but for now we were lulled to sleep with the gentle roll of the waves.

We were sorely disappointed in our order of guacamole at the casino

Pulling into our slip at the Golden Nugget

Saturday, 31 March 2018: Alvin

Charlsy and I left Alvin at 6:00am.  After a quick stop at HEB for groceries for the boat we set the GPS for  Payco Marina on Galveston Bay.  Charlsy visited with Steven, Dalton and Justin before she returned to Alvin and I joined the crew aboard the newly renamed “Flipped Out.” The boat was previously named “Snazzy Kitty” and had cutesy decals all around.  It was probably a charter boat in its first life.

We left the dock about 10:15am and it seemed we had barely cleared the causeway when we were boarded by the Coast Guard.  The check ended in two minor violations (we didn’t have Life Ring and we didn’t have a book of rules we needed both of which we found later BTW).  






Back underway, we were really able to progress in our journey toward New Orleans.

Stephen, Dalton and now Justin made tremendous progress on the boat each day.  Since the boat was flipped during hurricane Harvey, there is a substantial bit of repair necessary.  The triumph for today was getting the toilet working. I had told Justin that I wouldn’t go with them unless there was an operable toilet onboard.  Thankfully, these guys realized the importance of my request.  

After a long day on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) we dropped an anchor for the evening just outside of Port Arthur.

Thursday, 29 March 2018: Rockport

The Mainecat was launched!

We’d been back in Rockport for a few days.  Stephen Marcoe flew in from Reno.  The newly formed crew (Stephen, Dalton, Justin and I) spent the next two days scrambling to get provisions and supplies together to begin the journey eastward: food, water, life jackets for Gemma and Lucy (Stephen brought along a cute little black Cairn Terrier). We bought a bit of sod for the back of the boat so the girls could have a working potty too.  The boat needs lots of love and TLC and much of that can happen underway, however, some chores must be addressed before launch. 

Speaking of working potty, I had said that a working potty was a non negotiable requirement for me to agree to participate in this adventure.  Not sure what I thought would be in place now...somehow, I managed for two nights since the facilities at the marina were just a short walk away.

The guys launched at about 9:20am headed to New Orleans with the plan of me meeting them somewhere near Galveston in a couple of days.  I drove back to Alvin to spend some more time with Uncle Harold and Charlsy and to wait to hear of their progress.