GREENING OF EAST TEXAS - SV AIRSPEED VIDEOS - 2 CHAIRS

I had just gotten "BOB" back from the shop, repaired and serviced for the season. The bride wanted to go visit neighbors and I found the time to explore their far fields and take a few pics. The early morning sun was perfect for  capturing some of the natural beauty of these lands as the Texas rain and sun play March going into April. I often refer to these days as the greening of east Texas. 

I also had the opportunity to visit some of the damage on neighbor's hillside from the baby tornado of a few weeks back. The hillsides and morning sun were perfect for photography. The baby tornado has left its mark across big swaths of our large neighborhood giving reminder of how the best of times and the worst of times can, at times, be seen together.

Large piles of debris are burning as the wet weather and winds permit. This coming week is filled with rain showers and some thunderstorm activity and will also be helpful for me getting flats of green and red bell pepper plants in the ground.  There is magic associated for how quickly things grow here.

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FROM "CAPTAIN AIRSPEED" two weeks ago.

 

"Two days ago we left Ensenada Sun Bay on the southern cost of the island of Vieques. There's not a lot to do there. We picked up anchor and made the 50ish nautical mile transit to Culebra. The minute we hit the southeastern tip of the island and turned north, we raised the main and the Yankee and were immediately catapulted to nearly 10 knots. This boat loves 60 degrees of apparent wind like you cannot imagine. We anchored in relatively close quarters to too many other boats and the holding was suspect. We spent a calm night there and went ashore for dinner that way too mediocre to justify the price. We spent $160 for the four of us to essentially have comfort food and four bottles of water. 

We came back to the boat and the next morning decided we would leave for  Charlotte Amaile at St. Thomas USVI. I never could have imagined the conditions that were about to present themselves. We knew that some wind was coming but not this much and not this soon. We clocked 32 knots at 000 degrees AWA right on the nose. The seas were extremely confused and steep building to 8'.

This boat is like a piece of fine art. Every time you stare at it you see something new, revealing and amazing. Every time we put it to the test, it devours the test and shows us how absolutely capable it is. 

As we got closer to St. Thomas, the sea state settled and the wind laid down quite a bit. We were always within a mile or two of our buddy boat who has been a great friend and cruising buddy for the 5th season in a row now. We have become fast friends and have had a good time together. 

We slowed down some to wait for him to catch up as we were going to be navigating through a tricky and narrow cut. Once he caught up, we made our way through and anchored in a beautiful anchorage called Charlotte Amalie, which is the cruise ship terminal as well as the downtown of St. Thomas. 

The crossing across the virgin passage was formidable but safe and not uncomfortable aboard Airspeed, but other boats looked to be having quite a ride.

It is really beautiful out here and this boat is absolutely incredible. The new boat is 100 times the boat that the last one was, and I loved the last one."

 Quite a ride indeed.

I have been sharing the adventures of the family sailing on SV AIRSPEED for the past few seasons. In my heart, I would love to take up their offer to come join them for awhile, but it is too late for me. A fact of life. 

"Facts are Stubborn things" (John Adams)

and I have been fortunate enough to take times when I was younger to have adventures such as this. But knock off 15 years from this old mind and body, and some of these stories would be from the decks of SV Airspeed and the photos taken outward. Regardless, I do love this stuff to the "Nth" degree.

Sailing SV Airspeed is proof that we should all live dreams and adventures when we are young. I am a firm believer in the now. 

When you become my age, you can sit back, write stories, share photographs and share advice to younger folk having earned and learned some of the meanings of life along the way.

And to my good friends on SV Airspeed, write stories now, everyday. 

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2 CHAIRS

Finally power washed and ready for the bride and me to rock away time surveying our kingdom and soaking up the warmth of the days ahead. Neighbors driving by will stop, pull in the driveway, pull up a couple lawn chairs and we will talk an hour away about nothing!

 Thanks for the visit this week.