Chaosbutterfly

Fortunately, has come and gone way down south of us. However, not far enough to not cause a little storm surge in the marina and enough to panic the marina staff into shutting down the power yesterday afternoon around 5pm or so. I fortunately had checked my batteries the day before because I had my AC on fan all day and there it was sucking power off the inverter for an hour. For whatever reason, the harbor master relented at around 10:30pm last night and turned the island power back on. However, there is no telling if he may at a whim, shut it off so I’ve pulled it out and let the fresh breeze from off the gulf blow in all night. I left everything shut off today. The surge is still around and the flood warnings won’t expire until tomorrow morning.

I think the site may be a bit slashdotted right now as I write this.  However, Senator Bill Nelson has posted a live webcam on the oil spill as it leaks into the Gulf.

Bill Nelson, U.S. Senator from Florida: Home.

Today wasn’t rained out.  However, there was a lot of stuff that I simply don’t have the cash for right now.  :(

Ok, so, I went off with a friend of mine this past weekend and her kids to participate in a river clean up in Bandara, TX. Had a great time, however, there were a few misadventures on the river.

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Thunderstruck Motors – Description of page goes here. Short sentence that is keyword rich..

He’s been chatting back and forth with me.  The prices are really good, I need to ask him about his kits.  We will see how this works out.

Electric Yacht – 260ib Electric Yacht system.

I’ve been going on about the engine thing for quite some time.  I’ve seen some pretty depressing info about replacing that old evil diesel and the whole issue has really had me down.  This system seems a lot more affordable and easy to install.  And better yet, it’s all electric!  That means no messing with fuel, no hybrid diesel electric systems, no pollution.  I get to plug up a lot of through-hulls with this plan.  Perfect.  Just getting the money will be the issue.  I know I always complain about that sort of thing, but I have discovered that for whatever reason, I always find a way.

All was calm since I got home until a few minutes ago.  Then the wind changed with a good howl and the clanging of halyards.  A good sailor knows not to leave his/her halyards hanked to the sails but hanks them on a cleat somewhere on a shroud or other place far from the mast.  That’s the noise you hear like tin bells when the wind blows in a marina.  Lazy sailors.  Most of us who actually live here know you would never get any sleep during a storm if you left your halyard hanked to the sail.  All that banging is nerve racking, it’s bad enough on other boats, much worse when you in a boat with one.

Never the less, this last gasp of the remains of winter is a welcome cooling down before I must fire up the air conditioner, probably next week sometime.  I am not looking forward to that day.

It’s really a terrible pity that no one in the States is broadcasting the America’s cup. The American boat BMW Oracle is toasting the Swedes. America may have it’s cup back for the first time in 15 years.

It had to be done. I am sure my friends, we can think of a few more lyrics than this… add if you want:

Hurricane’s a’ comin’ we are all going to die
Hurricane’s a comin’ we are all going to die
Storm surge is a risin’ yet there’s not a cloud in the sky
Hurricane’s a comin’ we are all going to die

I’ve tied off the boats ma’am and filled up the tanks
The water’s already lappin’ up top of the pier
The rain has yet to come but the floods already here
Hurricane’s a comin’ and we are all going to die

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I am considering taking the dingy down off the boat and rowing it up and down the bayou for a little exercise this weekend. (continue reading…)