Rain, rain, rain....

Seems' all of Virginia is flooding...  So today we just kicked back and did nothing but watch it rain.
In the mean time, If we're still here, we may take a run to D.C.
This should be interesting... All our Right Wings Friends will probably not see it the same way. Of course, they don't see much as we do.
That's alright... Tolerance is a good thing.


This guy cracks us up —

We've all heard of John Stewart... the guy the kids like so much... the guy that lots of folks actually watch in order to better understand what is going on in the world today...  the guy that some trust more than they do the conventional/unconventional purveyors of world news... isn't that crazy?
Not so much—
More inside...

Back at Gloucester Point

Today, we have old friends from Panama City coming by for a few days. Mike and Tracy have been to the Trawler Fest In Baltimore, so they decided that being so close, they may as well drive on down here.
The weather is not so good, but we're sure we'll find something interesting to do.

Saw this on the net today and thought it was good advice from our Uncle Sam.

Adios,


Istaboa

Surreptitiously...

We quietly—at the last minute—hopped on a plane yesterday and today we're back aboard Istaboa.
Oh happy days!
She's a bit dirty, but it looks like rain is on the way. So, nature's wash is all she'll be getting for a couple of days. Had dinner at the marina's bar last night, both the Rockfish and the company were excellent.

Before we left home, we found this little guy wandering around our back yard. We tried to ignore him for a couple of days, but he wouldn't go away. He seemed to have been orphaned and was just the friendliest little fellow.  He just wanted to play with anyone or anything he saw.
So I googled, "what to do with an orphaned squirrel", and low and behold... There are 5 squirrel rehabilitation facilities in Memphis. I called one and they agreed to come get, "Rocky", (Yes, Mel named him.) they told me to put him in a box and try to feed him. Rocky seemed to enjoy me picking him up as he ran up my arm to my shoulder and he loved the water and pecans we put in his box. Later that afternoon a young lady came by and took him to his new home.
Mel and I will miss Rocky.
Radar... not so much.

Ahhhh... it's so good to be back.

Adios,

Istaboa

Just another day on the Tenn-Tom

Yes, our beloved Tenn-Tom waterway.
One of those love/hate rivers... Love it for us inland boaters, but what a crooked, boring, yet sometimes treacherous waterway to deal with, especially in a flood.
Many of you have seen these pics; this happened in 1979, just below Demopolis, Alabama.
But, for those who haven't, this is what happens when you can't make the bridge properly, you're southbound, and the flood waters are running at about 7 knots. Unstoppable.

Check out the onlooker's hat.... Is that Bear Bryant?

More pics and the story inside

Nothing new to post

Except that we have finally recovered from Talk like a Pirate Day and the ugly loss for the Tennessee Titans... and what was up with the SF 49ers.... How many times can you give a game away and still only lose by one point? The Saints did seem to have the divine intervention thing going on last night.

Things are about the same on the mother front, which means we are still on hold for a return to Istaboa and our previous lifestyle. So.....
A funny instead.

Maybe a little soup will help—

Arrrrr... Sept, 19th

International Talk like a Pirate day

Avast, me hearties!
Upon the next sabbath it shall be uncorked, the bona fide, sanctioned, and International—Talk like a Pirate Day.
And, paying proparrr' respects to our brethren of the sea, Crew Istaboa has mustered a fine store of Pirate tunes and vidoes... for ye pleasure... Like diggin up a treasure chest, click continue reading.

Fish fly... but why?

We cruising folk have many times gazed in amazement as these little critters break from their watery bonds and fly gracefully through the air; sometimes for hundreds of feet. Most times when making a long run in open ocean, they are about all you see, aside from the occasional sea turtle.

Like this one our buddy Will found on the bow after an all night run up the east coast. This little guy had to have flown at least 8 feet in altitude or he could not have landed on our bow. Usually they cruise at 2 feet max.
But surfing around this morning I came across an interesting video by Discovery Channel. Included inside.

Remembering—

To the words

When it happens you are not there
oh you beyond numbers
beyond recollection
passed on from breath to breath
given again
from day to day from age
to age
charged with knowledge
knowing nothing
indifferent elders
indispensable and sleepless
keepers of our names
before ever we came
to be called by them
you that were
formed to begin with
you that were cried out
you that were spoken
to begin with
to say what could not be said
ancient precious
and helpless ones
say it

W.S. Merwin

October 2001

Castro sounding more like an American politician everyday...

"I actually meant the opposite of what I said"  Fidel Castro

"Shoot that new publicist, here." 

Article here

Friends remember fishing captain, who died after being thrown from boat in Jupiter Inlet

This is interesting...

 Seems Fidel Castro is a Nethead... An article in the LA Times goes on to say the old revolutionary even writes his own blog. Now he is dissing Iran and declaring Cuba's economic model 'Doesn't Work'. He must have a new publicist.
More inside...

Hurricane Earl in the Virgin Islands

They weren't so lucky.

OKay... another update.

It's midnight and all I hear are warnings, doom and gloom, but where I sit it's calm as it can be. I look at all Istaboa's instruments and they show problems ahead, but still nothing has changed.
A good stiff drink would be nice, but if all hell breaks loose, I guess I need to be circumspect... or sober anyway.
Coast Guard is busy as a bee... folks are walking the docks, but, I don't see it. YET!
Two more hours until the eye is in our neighborhood...
We shall see...

Update on Hurricane Earl

Yep, I hopped on a plane yesterday and now I sit on Istaboa. Doubled all the lines and secured the Kayaks—and, everything else that wasn't tied down. So, we're ready to go.
Thankfully, Earl appears to have taken a northerly turn which will take it away from Gloucester Point and Istaboa. Now we have three more storm systems out there lurking. I think we're as ready as we can be.
Still a good thing coming up here to check on things. Seems the freezer in the lazarette died on us while we were gone. Lots of chicken, beef, lamb, and shrimp has been unrefrigerated for more than a month in 95+º weather. Nice smell and a fun job.
Had a great dinner last night with Peter, our dock neighbor. Local steamed clams in a sherry creme sauce. Ummmmmm.....   love the food up here almost as much as the Northern Gulf Coast.

I miss the crew a lot. It doesn't feel right being aboard without them.