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.  

Tuesday, 27 March 2018: Alvin

We spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday with Uncle Harold and Charlsy in Alvin.  We took the twenty or so minute drive to San Leon to visit with Hal, Chami and William.
We also drove to League City to have lunch with Bill and Diana first stopping by their house to see the progress they've made in their own story of hurricane recovery.

Uncle Harold grilled steaks which were scrumptious!

Looks as if  both Chami and Hal were telling Justin the way things are in Texas

Saturday, 24 March 2018: Austin

We spent the next few days in Austin with Dellene.  We saw Don and we even got to see Branson.  Dellene is just gaga about him.  Luke and Harper were in Idaho with their dad.  Dellene gets all of our mail when we are on the road so I spent several hours sorting through paperwork and bills.  It is the fact that Dellene serves as our mail mistress that allows us to go on the road like we do.  I needed to submit the extension for our taxes too.  

Back in America, we were eager to eat some different types of food.  We enjoyed Thai food, Indian food and Japanese food and of course some more BBQ.

Jordan kept Justin posted on Randy's progress as he is in the hospital.  Randy is Jordan's father in law.  The pain in his knee was misdiagnosed on three separate visits to the doctor.  On the fourth visit, with blood pressure plummeting, we learned that the sepsis had spread throughout his body.  Now, he was intubated and the talk was of amputation.  How did this happen?  Jordan and Chris are beating themselves up needlessly and Marsha, Randy's wife, is wringing her hands.  We stand ready to go home if necessary.  

Thursday, 22 March 2018: Rockport

We spent Wednesday and Thursday in Rockport
-- a town still devastated from Hurricane Harvey.  Businesses and homes are still boarded up.  Steel is mixed with mattresses in the medians.  Trees are just beaten to crap and back,  The dry stack that we saw on the news was quite depressing.  They are rebuilding but is it slow goin'. 


Justin was excited to look at boats, but we were here for the Mainecat.  We met Dalton and took him to the local dive for BBQ then the next morning we went to "Our Family Kitchen", a local diner for breakfast.  I was excited to have grits but they only served them until 11am.  We will need to go back.

There was a tiny patch of bluebonnets near the marina.  I was so excited so see them.  A sign of spring and a sign of HOME!

Tuesday, 20 March 2018: Apodaca

We were at breakfast at 6am this morning.  I filled my coffee travel mug and made a road cup of green tea for Justin and we set the GPS for Puente Columbia.  

We crossed the border a bit after 11am with just over 7600 miles on the car.  First stop:  Mike Shaw Kia in Corpus Christi to get the oil changed.  Dang it if we didn’t get popped by a rock and get a crack in our windshield just after we crossed the border.  We didn’t even ask the Kia dealership to do anything about the windshield and unfortunately they weren’t able to do anything about the window gaskets or the door handle either.

Next, we were on the Rockport to take a look at the Mainecat 31. Justin talked to Steven Marcoe for a good while last night and they seem to have half a plan.  It sounds as if we will head to Houston and leave the car at Uncle Harold’s...or go to Broussard and leave the car at Cousin Terry’s... rent a car and drive back to Rockport and join Steven for the first few legs of the trip that will eventually find the boat in Charleston.  Can we call this a repositioning cruise?   At 31 ' long and over 22 ' wide, this is a big ol' boat!