As we motored into the bay, I went below and made all of us coffee with our french press and tea kettle. We ate my blueberry muffins I'd made the night before. Our first leg in the bay would be downwind with the Northerly so it wasn't too bad.
After making coffee, I went up into the cockpit with Brett while Eddie stayed below to get warm and watch his chart navigation system on his computer screen.
I was wearing a long sleeve shirt, fleece and ski coat with a pair of khakis and Smart Wool socks, my $5.00 gloves from Walmart and my Teva Boat sandals. I also had my pink fleece hat that I gotten as a White Elephant gift from Cindy's Christmas party, made by Shannon. Unfortunately we did end up leaving the scarf behind which proved to be the wrong move.
I sat in the cockpit with Brett a few minutes, eye balling the rising waves around us. It was the first time I'd been in such big swells and the boat was rocking around. I went below soon and pulled on my long underwear bottoms. A few minutes of being in the cockpit, I went below again to pull on my long underwear tops and one of Eddie's ball caps. It was cold! We were motoring down the channel at about 4.5 knots. Eddie had a problem with his batteries and they were worried to turn off the engine because they might not have the juice from the batteries to turn it back on. So we were not able to sail down the bay with the North wind.Soon, Brett changed into his foul weather trousers for warmth. Eddie had also pulled out his new foul weather gear and was bundled up good.
I sat in the cockpit and watched the boat roll over the swells. I started getting apprehensive about this but continually told myself that this boat was a good boat and could handle it better than me. Brett could see my fears and uncomfortableness starting to rise so he unfurled the jib (foresail) a little to help balance out the boat a little from the rocking. I just sat there quietly with my coffee, staring at the swells when I finally saw the dolphins at around 9am! There was only one but he was close. They look bigger on a 24 foot boat than a 37! By then, I was not feeling great. A few times I watched the boat dip into the bottom of a swell and the water touched her toe rails. But she was a good boat and could handle this easily. This was normal too, this wasn't really that bad weather except that we had winds 13-18.
We soon turned toward the channel after following navigation markers via the paper chart and Eddie's chart plotter. His Radar decided not to work properly which we soon found out was just loose screws in the back. He was using a radar/chart plotter combo unit, an electronic chart system on his 20" flat screen monitor mounted to his forward bulkhead and several paper charts. We were loaded with navigation aids. Only his newest fishing chart had the new channel on it though. His electronic gear was already outdated for the channel (ICW- Intercoastal Waterway- I had called it the International but it's the Intercoastal)
When we turned NorthEast, things got worse. The swells increased in size and we were now attempting to scoot almost on top of them and to the side so we were thrown around a lot more than when we were surfing with them southbound. We had to roll up the jib, it kept flogging in the wind. I didn't like the motion or the look of it and wanted to take a break. I headed down into the cabin around 1030am. Eddie was on his way out of the cabin and told me not to get nautious while down there. I nodded and sat down and put my feet up on the other berth to brace myself. In literally about 6 seconds, My face did it-turned instantly green (don't know why they call it green?) . I got up and literally pushed Eddie from the companionway to the cockpit and I rushed to the low side of the boat (leeward) and threw up. And threw up. And threw up. I desperately tried to find the horizon each time, so I could make myself stop. It was horrible. Poor Eddie was sitting next to me, trying to console me. After I was done, I did feel a little better. But I couldn't go below. It instantly made me sick. It has to do with the eyes talking to the brain about equilibrium, etc.
I had wrapped up in Eddie's wool blanket in the cockpit but the wind just went right through every piece of clothing I had. I sat quietly bundled up on the starboard side of the cockpit, frozen with cold but unable to go inside for warmth because of the seasickness.
The boat was being thrown around a little bit and spray was hitting us a little. Thank god for Eddie's dodger. Brett and I firmly believe you do not leave on a trip without a dodger. It completely protects you from wind and spray. I could really see the benefits even more after this trip. We were making no time at all going against the wind. Without being able to put up the sails, we were slowly motoring at about 2-3 knots on this stretch. We had been in dry weather so far, just a grey cover and now the sun was starting to come out. I sat as quietly as I could, grasping to the companionway to keep myself upright as the boat acted like a bucking bronco through the swells.
We found our next marker to turn and headed directly into the wind. Now we were fighting every swell head on. They were about 3-4 foot swells, with an occasional 5-6 foot. They were very close together, which slammed the boat hard between them. The winds had also picked up to 25 knots with gusts of 28 knots, near gale force winds. It was definitely like riding a bucking horse. (not that I've ever been on a bucking horse). LOL But the sun was coming out. I had gotten sick every half hour for 2 hours before feeling a little better. Brett made me drink water and eat some crackers I had wisely packed. The boys ended up being on their own for food though. I did offer to make sandwiches for them if Eddie brought me the fixings for them. LOL. But he had found all the snacks I had packed to munch on and it tide him over.
With this new route, we were only doing .5-1 knot! (about 1-2mph) The big waves would hit us, and we'd actually go backward. I hadn't noticed this slow progress, the boat would rear up and slam into a swell and feel like we were surging ahead and I had kept my eyes on the horizon and next marker to follow in the channel. We had to travel at 30 degrees on the compass even though our marker was at 90. We had to counteract the swells and wind from blowing us out of the channel. Brett had it down pat. He did awesome with keeping us in the channel even though our nose was pointed way port of the marker. The couple times he had to run below, Eddie and I tried taking the helm and had the boat all over the place. LOL. After being out for about 6 hours and my third time getting sick, Eddie suggested we might turn around and try this another day. I hollered Not to do that because of me. Seasick is a part of sailing and I was fine.
Brett pulled out the chart and showed Eddie that if we turned to go back and tried to go up the bay, North, it would take us about 12 hours to get back. We only had about 1.5 hours to the main part of the ICW which was inside land and calm. So we all agreed it would be stupid to go back. Our spirits did lift a little as the sun started shining. The sun definitely made it better. We talked more about sailing and figured out navigation as needed. We had come to a crossroad and I was able to figure out on the chart where we were and where we needed to go. It was really fun to navigate off the chart.
Finally we FINALLY reached the main ICW channel inlet. As SOON as we got out of the bay the swells almost completely stopped. All we had was wind ahead of us and off to our port. I was feeling better and talking with the boys again. I was very disappointed about getting sick but very proud that I had not gotten really scared about the waves or anything. I really trusted the boat and not made it a worry for me.
After awhile, I took the helm for Brett. Eddie had turned on the stove that warmed up the cabin and came out into the cockpit. Brett sat and ate some jerky while I steered for awhile. I told him I didn't want to just be remembered as being sick. LOL
We came up to the Matagorda locks for the Colorado River. Eddie pulled out the waterway guide and I read the directions as to how to get through the locks via the VHF radio. After a little confusion and a little wait, they finally let us through. After getting through the locks, we came upon a swing bridge. We weren't aware of the bridge and I scrambled through the book to find out what to do. I figured out the mystery and it worked brilliantly. It was like solving a puzzle and I loved it. It was around 4pm and we had decided there was no way to make Sargent before dark. We pulled into
Matagorda harbor for the night. The harbor master was a friend of Eddie's and he was meeting 
us to have dinner at the restaurant. 
We pulled up toward the transient docks. Brett tried to reverse into them but the engine died. He tried again and again. Finally, he turned the boat and we went in forward. We parked the boat and noticed a frayed line sitting on deck. The rolling furler line for the jib had fallen in the water and apparantly wrapped around the prop. That is why we couldn't go in reverse! It was an absolute miracle that the line wrapping around the prop didn't kill the engine out in the bay as they normally do. We would have had trouble if that had happened. We would have only had the main sail. We would have had to turn around and go South of Palacios to the Matagorda Bay entrance of Port OConner! 
We felt awful about the line, Eddie had forgotten to secure it after furling up the jib but Brett felt responsible because he was the Captain. Because the boat could still go forward, we had decided we would continue on in the morning. We had dinner with Eddie's two friends, Craig, the harbormaster and Andi, a sea captain of a tugboat. I had a light dinner. The land sickness was hitting now in the restaurant as I struggled to read the menu.Later that night, Craig offered us an electric heater and a shore power cord to use. Eddie had left to a motel, and Brett and I stayed on the boat. We discovered that the shore power didn't work and it was supposed to get to 35 that night. Oops. It had more to do with his electrical problem on the boat. We could run other things off the batteries but the heater had too much amperage. But we kept the boat closed up and it was okay. Not too cold. I made some hot chocolate and tea on the stove which warmed us up. We went to the showers and each took long hot showers to warm us up and headed back to the boat. I talked with Grandpa and Grandma a while and then Brett and I huddled together in the vee berth and watch a new movie on Eddie's giant flat screen monitor/computer with his surround sound Bose speakers. It was an awesome setup. We awoke the next morning at 630am and made some coffee.
We took a look at the waterway guide and turned the VHF on to listen to the weather forecast. Eddie showed up and the three of us discussed our options while I cooked pancakes. We thought we would probably make Freeport that day and then make Kemah on Saturday. But we then heard the report of more Northerly winds and cold temp. So Eddie decided we would wait until the wind wasn't blowing so hard and it was warmer. He made the call and we were soon waiting for someone to pick us up from Matagorda. We left the boat in Matagorda, tied to a slip with our gear on it for next week. We visited with Eddie's friend, Andy, who had lent him his old truck for the night.
Then we went up to the restaurant to wait for Eddie's ride. They were still closed but lovingly invited us in for some coffee.
After our ride arrived, it was only a 30 minute drive back to the park! It took us 9.5 hours to get to Matagorda via the bay and the channel and 30 minutes to drive back. Crazy. We planned on going again this week, hopefully on one of my days off.
Unfortunately Eddie called today and wants to go Tuesday/Wednesday. I just found out that I am needed to work on those two days. So I am really disappointed that I won't be able to complete the journey with them. Brett and Eddie and Andy will finish the delivery. I am disappointed but you go when the weather says you go.
So that was my Very long version of our trip. Unfortunately I only got pictures when we left and when we hit the channel. I didn't get any pictures of the swells we had encountered. I later asked Brett what these swells/winds were like in comparison to his trip to Florida last year with Tom and Dana (when they ended up near Mexico). He said it wasn't even 25% as bad as that. So I have a lot more to learn and get used to on a boat. But Brett said we will do all we can do NOT to leave in those conditions (In a Northerly for instance).
That's the story in a nutshell. Well... Maybe in an eggshell- or maybe in a Greyhound bus.
You can definitely see how sick I was because I didn't even think about the camera out there... And you all's know me and my picture taking! I have looked and looked for pictures of what it was like but haven't been able to find them. Maybe all photographers get sick during those types of short, steep swells? LOL
Enjoy!
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