A three day cruise aboard Tehani, on Matagorda Bay

[CharlieJ]

As many of you are aware, Weds thru Friday is our weekend. This week we decided it was time for a sail. We would have gotten away early on Weds morning, but there is a brand new beach front bar (literally ON the beach) 6 blocks from the house and on Tuesday nights they have $2 Margaritas ;D ;D

BUT, reasonably early on Weds we loaded up and headed for the marina.

After motoring down the channel until we could sail, we set main and jib and shut down the Yamaha. Reaching the gap in the spoil banks we turned out in to the big part of Matagorda Bay. It's about 25 miles across at that point.

Of course as we were motoring down the channel, we passed our illustrious harbor master out on HIS first sail in months. He's the guy with the ever present cigar :D



Setting main and jib, and turning on the tiller pilot, we watched Tehani sail herself for some 5 1/2 hours, til we loosed sheets and sailed in to our anchorage for the evening- place called Palacios bayou.

We sorta looked like this-



and a good bit like this-



Laura was awake early the next morning, doing some boat work- I snoozed in - something rather rare for me;) By the time I got up she had coffee ready and had taped off and started sanding some brightwork getting it ready for a fresh coat.

So I joined in. She has decided to paint the eyebrows on Tehani a gloss black in an attempt to keep them looking decent. Varnish simply will not hold up, since the one side faces the afternoon sun and the wood gets very hot.

So some painting was in order. No, I didn't help- she won't let me NEAR the boat with a brush- only a spray gun ;D



After the paint had dried a while we sailed down the bay to an anchorage behind the Matagorda Peninsula, where we had lunch, napped and did a bit of this-



Finally waded through the first volume in the Patrick O'Brian series titled Master and Commander, and got part way into the second. I'm sorry, but my opinion is unchanged- the most boring books I've attempted in a while. C.S. Forrester's Hornblower books are far and away better reads. I returned the rest of the series- I won't bother.

After lunch and naps we upped anchor and sailed on down bay to the jetties leading to the gulf. Anchored behind a bird sanctuary island ( but not TOO close- it smells ;))

Saw a wonderful sunset-



as we were cooking dinner - check out the view through the ports-



After a peaceful night we awoke to a roaring good sunrise over the peninsula-



It was so bright it lit the clouds the opposite direction-



early on Laura got the second coat onto the eyebrows-



And while we enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and thinly sliced Spam fried crisp, we watched the morning develop around us

A crabber at work-



Many Dolphins feeding around the boat-



and some early morning fishermen-



After getting the breakfast stuff cleared up and the boat put to rights, we hoisted sail, upped the anchor and headed for home up the bay some 18 miles. As we went we passed the fishing town of Port O'Conner. Quite well known in fishing circles-



and so, sailing wing and wing part of the way, tiller pilot driving, we sailed back to our marina, unloaded the boat and drove on home, tired, but very relaxed and happy ;D

There WAS one bit of comedy during the trip- this video will show you what I mean ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9vTbM-GFy0

[s/v Faith]

Very nice post CJ.  Thanks for taking the time.

  Great pictures... enjoy the grog.   ;D

[Tim]

And I forgot to mention on TSBB...REALLY nice pics ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

very nice,..thnx 4 sharing.

[Godot]

Sweet.

Gawd! I've got to find the time to go sailing!

[Delezynski]

Nice trip and GREAT photos!

Greg

[CharlieJ]

Greg- it isn't the Sea of Cortez, nor the Bahamas, but it's a really good sized bay and we enjoy sailing there when we can.

Actually Matagorda Bay proper is probably the largest bay on the Texas coast, considering that the Galveston Bay complex is actually 4 bays. And since the average depth is something around 11 or 12 feet ( Laura claims 7) it can get just as nasty as Albemarle Sound, if you've ever sailed there.

[Captain Smollett]

Sweet photos, Charlie and Laura.  Thanks!!