Smoke on the Water: Rita No.12

September 28, 2005

Rita No.12

09:39 CST, NW Houston, Texas

Roughing it in style.

As Rivrdog has so ably relayed my progress, I won't bore y'all with a detailed account of my holing-up in at the only available LaQuinta room for miles and miles.... other to say that air conditioning rocks! A shave, a hot shower, access to news on cable. A small refrigerator, a hotplate and a stock of food brought from the boat via the hacienda. Comfortable perhaps, but it's certainly not home.

It was nice this morning to awake and find a live dial tone on the room's phone. So, I'm taking advantage of it to check my mail (thanks, everyone!) and give a quick update here.

In about 30 minutes, I'll take off from here on a solo scouting trip to Galveston. Neighbor and fellow blogger Liberty reports having visited the New Dawn, and seeing that everything looked well.

My friend and fellow liveaboard John rode out the storm on his self-built 44' ketch. I spoke with him at length yesterday, and he said that the only damage he took was the loss of his portside rub-rail. Though not a cakewalk to replace, that's what the rail is there for, to take the wear of bearing against pilings or other hulls.

Concurring with Liberty's report, John tells me that all appears intact with New Dawn. Might I hope she came through with nary a scratch?

John's anenemoter reported steady winds of ninety to a hundred and five miles per hour, with gusts to one hundred and twenty at the marina. That most North wind eventually clocked 'round to a bit of a West wind as Rita passed. It bore upon the boats starboard sides for almost the entire time, quartering more towards the bows as the storm progressed.

That his ketch only suffered a lost rail, and the New Dawn appears to be fully intact, to me is half miracle, half damn good rigging by the ships' respective Captains.

After my scouting trip today, I'll leave the boat's air conditioning running, so she'll provide a cool and comfortable welcome home to the cats and I when we shift the flag to home waters after a week's absence.

Tomorrow's plans are to vacate the room here in Houston, and re-install my host family at their home near Dayton. With moderating temperatures and the fact that electricity is returning to the area much sooner than expected, I anticipate no undue hardships to befall them after I take leave of their hospitality.

Before I take the Crown Vic back to Galveston, I'll take the car down to Baytown for a quick air-conditioning repair and to top off with fuel.

Then, and with much less urgency than a week ago, I'll load the car with gear, the cats and point the car once more Southward, with a purpose.

It will be good to be home.

Posted by Jim on September 28, 2005 | Permalink