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CHAPTER 1
Houston, Texas
CHAPTER 2
Kemah, Texas
CHAPTER 3
Kemah, Texas
CHAPTER 4
Galveston, Texas
CHAPTER 5
Seabrook, Texas
CHAPTER 6
Seabrook, Texas
CHAPTER 7
At Sea - Gulf of Mexico
CHAPTER 8
At Sea - Gulf of Mexico
CHAPTER 9
At Sea - Gulf of Mexico
CHAPTER 10
At Sea - Gulf of Mexico
CHAPTER 11
Port Fourchon, Louisiana
CHAPTER 12
Cut Off, Louisiana
CHAPTER 13
Cut Off, Louisiana
CHAPTER 14
Cut Off, Louisiana
CHAPTER 15
Houma, Louisiana
CHAPTER 16
Houma, Louisiana
CHAPTER 17
Houma, Louisiana
SPINDRIFT - CHAPTER 17
Houma, Louisiana
August 19, 2003
These last six weeks we've been completing the final repairs and modifications to the boat in preparation for our soon departure for Florida, on the next leg of our journey. It has been anything but easy due to the rains which have at most permitted only a couple of hours work daily. Wood finishing is coming along really slow for the same reason, rain. It is almost never dry enough to do it. This is getting really frustrating. We have started to sand then varnish on various occasions only to have
clouds move in on us all of a sudden by surprise and spoil it for us. We have sat out there in the rain protecting our work with umbrellas. Much to our surprise the varnish has not blushed (turned creamy when it dries) on us! That is a miracle as all of you who have ever varnished on a humid day can testify.
We got our salon table refinished. Rich worked really hard for several days on it, between rains, sacrificing his own free time and working on his boat to help us. He is really special, so generous.
We met Lieutenant Dyson who does security at the grocery store where David and Heaven work. He is with the Sheriff's Department, is originally from Texas, but moved here years ago. The Lieutenant has some stories to tell, and the scars to prove them as he is in charge of warrants, going after the bad guys.
But one of the greatest victories this month has been Tommy, the lieutenant's brother who owns a rigging company. Tommy, without even meeting us offered to give us all new stainless rigging, chain, and rope! We hadn't planned on changing our rigging, but rather continue with the old even though we had installed new chain plates (heavy stainless plates that connect the shrouds, or cables that secure the mast to the deck). But now, we will be leaving Houma with this new rigging, thanks to Tommy, and the Lieutenant.
"A ship is always referred to as "she" because it costs so much to keep her in paint and powder."
Admiral Chester Nimitz