It began so beautifully, with the Crimson sun setting in the West. Calm seas with enough wind to keep the sails up. It was hot. No doubt it was going to be a boring passage from the begining.
However, the normal time for this particular leg is about thirty six hours. This night was beautiful. The Gulf of Mexico was smooth as glass and the wind had given out on me so I cranked up the Yanmar and was tooling along at about six knots. I had the autopilot on and about O100 I had to have some sleep. The foreward hatch was open, bringing in a nice breeze so I crawled into the V-berth for a snooze. I have radar on my boat and I set it to give a loud warning beep if it detects another vessel within eighteen miles. I also had a hand held GPS at my side and I would occasionaly wake up, check my position and go back to sleep, I felt very safe indeed.
The Gulf of Mexico is a tricky old girl, and many a foolish sailor has taken her lightly. People have come from all over the world to die in the Gulf. I know her well, having sailed her for a few years. The wind and sea conditions can change almost immediatly and go from calm one minute, to raging gale the next.
About three-thirty I was awakened by something hitting me all over. "What the hell was that?", I said to no one. I looked around and everything seemed fine. Then the next one came in through the hatch. Blue water went everywhere and I realized what was going on, bad weather. The wind had gone from calm to forty-five miles an hour, and the sea had gone from smooth to seven feet in a matter of fifteen minutes. The course I was on took me straight into the waves and my bow was going underwater, hence the water down the hatch. I said, "Aw Schit", not because I was afraid, but because I wasn't going to get any more sleep, and actually had to work the rest of the night. I then took a course that quartered the waves so the boat, and me, wouldn't take such a beating, and made it to Clearwater without incedent.
I fueled up in Clearwater the next day and set out again south. After I cleared the harbour back into the Gulf the weather was taking another nasty turn.
Oh my what an adventure and actually one I can relate to when I was a teen. My Aunt and Uncle and myself took a pontoon houseboat upon Lake Shasta and in the midst of the lake (don't know what hit) but we were in quite a storm! Frightening, good thing I am a good swimmer and half fish!
it is a seasoned tar that knows when land offers the security he should embrace -- there are no, unwise, seasoned tars -- this was a great short story to share with us Walt -- it brought me entertainment and enjoyment -- be always at the vigil my sailing friend -- peace and love -- Jon Michael
Maybe the Florida coast was jealous of you putting your nose Yucatan way and called the wind to slap you silly! Clearwater, is Fat Benny still going strong in the old marina?
Farhad Shirazi, a three star general of the ex-Shah's army who has been hiding in Iran for nine years,needs to escape From Ayatollah Khomeini's Iran or face capture and execution by the revolutionary guards...
An alcoholic, miserly attorney reluctantly defends a black man from a false resisting arrest charge. He then discovers damaging information against the cops and two cronies, and embarks on a battle to keep himself and his client alive.
It takes you to a dark place in the company of two of New York's finest detectives as they go the extra mile to bring a sadistic serial killer to justice.
It began so beautifully, with the Crimson sun setting in the West. Calm seas with enough wind to keep the sails up. It was hot. No doubt it was going to be a boring passage from the begining.
