Houseship #9

This morning dawned bright and cool. All the wind yesterday really changed the weather. The sun is bright today but the air is cool. We have had to run the heat on The Ship routinely for the first time. As it turns out we made an excellent decision to hole up from the high wind. The folks got back from visiting Rainbow Bridge and the marina guy told them he spent yesterday dragging folks off the lake to shelter. (and later when we checked in at our marina, they said they had boats wrecked on the rocks and adrift everywhere in the lake) The hiking crew took off in the small boat to go and see Rainbow Bridge, similar to yesterday’s plan. I settled down with Tom Clancy to await their return. The trip went off without a hitch this morning, and after a 19-mile boat ride (one way) and a mile and 1/4 hike, they saw the sight. They said it was definitely worth the trip. It was about a 4-5 mile ride up a narrow canyon from the main lake to the boat parking area. They were early enough th at they were the only ones there until a tour boat arrived as they were leaving. Today I started a list of the things we had and needed for the Ship Trip. We intend to document things carefully so we can do this better if we try it again. When they got back, we had some lunch and de-anchored (I invented this word). Jimmie and Jerry offered to let me pilot this leg of the voyage, and I jumped on it. I told them I’m the kind of guy that will jump on anything with a throttle and steering mechanism and drive it. I smartly de-beached us and drove down river heading for Padre Bay. The wind was fierce the whole way, but I figured out how to use the huge side area of The Houseship as a sail to improve our speed. We arrived in Padre Bay and our scouts found us an anchorage in Right Fork Cane Wash. I got to make my first attempt at a beaching. After my beaching in a horrible side wind, I now hold the record for moving the refrigerator the furthest across the kitchen. I think in the process I managed to have the engines wide open in every configuration but neutral. Like the book says 5 tons and no brakes. We ended up on the beach with me frantically fighting a crosswind with the engines while Jerry and Jimmie tried to get the anchors buried. We ended up safely anchored to the beach and I was very relieved. Now we are starting dinner and the girls are playing cards. We are having the classic hot dogs, hamburgers, and beans for our meal. Tomorrow we have to move down stream about 27 miles and get near by the dock where we have to return the boat Tuesday morning.

More Later,

Wes