Saturday November 8th, 2014
We passed through Mobile harbor yesterday morning. Lots of boats but the traffic wasn’t too bad. It is difficult to be the small stranger to the party. All the big guys know the dance and where each other is likely to go. They won’t talk to you on the radio unless they are yelling at you. We only held up one tow who wanted to make a left turn across our path…he waited. When we entered Mobile Bay the wind that up til then was only producing cold now gave us a downwind slop to add to the stress. We had to wrestle Fracas in the slop without any sails. Even one sail would have steadied her up and added some comfort. In conditions like yesterday she was a fart in a mitt. The dredged channel into Dog River meant we had to pass Dog River and then turn back up into the wind so that now we got to enjoy the trough for the mile or two back up to the entry to the marina.
Turner Marina has been great so far with services and staff. It is not a marina that is best suited to 20 tons of fun. It is a little narrow between the piers and they use pilings and short docks to moor to. Have I mentioned that reverse on Fracas is a sensation only. Putting the old girl in R is like letting your dog off the leash. She will go where she wants and when. Our entry to the marina was easier than expected for some reason. The boat wasn’t wandering around in the wind. I could use forward and reverse to pivot…I had to use extra power to get it to go ahead. I took a few seconds off to look over the stern and the normally muddy water was much muddier. My 17.5 years of education kicked in and I realized we were aground. I had turned off the water depth alarm because it was silly in the river. 4.8 was showing as depth. We need 5.0 or a touch more when she is heavy and she is heavy with water and fuel. I managed to get her in the slip and shut down the engine. The two dock attendants said they need another foot ahead. They were pulling with all their strength… I fired up Fracas again and gave her a shot ahead. Not since Hoppies has Fracas piled into a dock. Not bad here just a touch.
Isaac one of the dock hands said the tide was very low today…of course the tide. Now there are five things I have to keep in mind sailing on the ocean. You will have to guess some of them but near the top is to duck appropriately when entering the tunnel by the engine room to go aft to our cabin. I don’t think I have received a concussion yet but I have driven the little button from my hats into the soft spot in my skull. The soft spot that originated when my son Michael hit me with a wooden clock that played that Grandfather clock music. That was over 30 years ago and if I hear that music even at a great distance I pee my pants and forget my name for a half an hour.
Where was I?
Oh ya, we missed this year’s Oyster Hoyster. To make up for that we are off to the Oyster cook off at Orange Beach. We were invited to travel with Last Mango and As the Crow flies. I was intrigued by the fact that they will have over 50 kraft beers for sampling. They have quite a slate of chefs preparing oysters in their favourite way also for sampling. Looks like fun. The chefs for today are ( Click Here ) A couple of pics from the Googlizer. I will report later
