Gulf Of Mexico Crossing

Well I finally got to taste what it was like to do an off shore passage. Dean and Katie friends of ours called and asked if I would be interested in helping deliver there 1991 hunter 42 passage. So I had to ask the admiral and she gave me the go ahead nod. So the wheels were put in motion for me to fly to Tampa Fl to jump on their new boat. Rob was one of the other crew members who also flew in from Kemah Texas to join myself on My WayToo! Along with the 4 of us was Katie's dad who turned 71 on the trip with myself turning 54. Katie's dad who had never been on a sailboat ever in his life signed on for the whole trip as My Way Too! started from Fort Lauderdale. Our leg of the trip was 745 n/m. I will have to say that Al may have thought Rob and I were a little crazy at times during the delivery. I was the last to arrive as I did not get aboard till around 7 pm. Then shortly after that we pulled out of the marina they has just stayed in for the day and we motored out 25 miles just past the sunshine sky-way bridge and dropped the hook.

Morning came early, as usual not enough wind to carry us 4 kts. As that was our cut off point for the distance we had to cover as our weather window looked excellent for the next 4 to 5 days. As we got out about 45 miles the chatter on the VHF started. Now one would think that being out
that far and running a boat you would be prepared. Now mister sport fisherman that we just had pasted about 3 miles back called the coast guard and tells them he is out of 2 cycle oil for his motor. So naturally the coast guard ask if he was sinking or in distress. Nope Just out of oil. Well we do not deliver 2 cycle oil a and asked if he was a member of Tow Boat or any towing assistance and he replied nope. We all aboard My Way Too! said oh s+*t this is going to be some
expensive 2 cycle oil. As the conversation went on they asked if he had anyone he knew that would bring any oil. Now this is a time when you need friends and good ones you hope. Well he had none that would give him assistance so the next thing was they transferred him over to
Tow Boat. First thing they asked was if he had a credit card. Glad he did. The calculated cost was over $ 900 just to deliver the oil and over $2200 if towed. After hearing the cost he said he would try motoring slowly back towards Tampa. Now we are all thinking what the h#%l is he thinking. Is he going to do a insurance claim once he burns the motor up or what. So the last
message we heard was that he was slowly motoring towards Tampa. So our first full day we covered 146 n/m and then the wind switched to the west. Yep just what we did not want to see. West winds as we were heading west as they were light but we were just above the high and it
was in front of us. As we progressed I had asked if they have been fishing along the way and Al said yes but had not caught anything.
Checking over what bait the had I seen spied a few baits that should produce us a fish or 2 the distance we had to travel. Seeing what rods they had I thought oh we are a bit on the light side but we have to give it a try. With new baits on and and 2 poles out west we head. It was not even a half hour and our first hit sent the real a screaming as we landed our first fish. It was a Spanish mackerel. Al Agreed to clean it so knife in hand away he went to clean it. As soon as we got the fish unhooked back in the bait went in. Poor Al just a about got finished and away the reel went singing again. In comes a frigate tuna. During the next few hours we landed over 8 fish and lost 2. One we lost took the line out so fast we never knew what it was but it must have been the big one that defiantly got away. As we day went on we got all the fish cleaned and stored away for a few meals along the way. During one of my night watches on helm I had my iTunes and
head set going and I heard the blow of a dolphin and I looked over to our port side and there was a pod of around 8 to 10 dolphins. So with the full moon out and the boat on autopilot with flat seas Katie and I went up to the bow to watch the show. They stayed with us for about 10
min. As we pushed on we started to get into the oil platforms out in the gulf and what a mess that is. There are so many out there that one can not sail a straight line. With work boats and the rigs it was a very busy place especially at night. I had one work boat one night hail me on the radio just after he hit us with the spot lite. He told me he was trying to figure out what we was as they do not see many sailboats out in the rigs. As the nights turned into days the high pressure system that had been sitting right over top of us started to move on and started bringing us more wind and our only rain squall that we tacked around as we watched the lighting hitting the water all around us so we went into storm mode. Dropping all sails and getting the proper equipment on as I was the token lighting rod. Actually we wanted
to get some water as we were running a bit low but it never really rained that hard where we were at. Our forth day out and 3rd day with
out seeing land we were once again treated to a pod of dolphins leading the way for us in front if the bow. This was one of the highlights of the trip. They stayed with us once again for a long time
as you could hear them singing and blowing as well as coming out of the water.
As the day progressed on it started to get rougher and night was worse. It was so hot and ruff in the v berth I could not sleep so I wedged myself against the settee on the floor and went to sleep. Well Rob came below and went to pass me and the boat lurched one way and Rob missed grabbing a had hold and landed on top of my knees as I was in a dead sleep and we both screamed as I hurt both knees and he thought he had broken ribs or a kidney hit. It took us both a few days to get over what happened but no lasting damage just bruises. Pressing on as we had been sailing quite a lot as we had 2 good runs of over 24 hours with out hearing the motor. Getting closer to Galveston we could see the lights of many tankers anchored out awaiting entry into the harbor. We figured there had to be 50 to 75 anchored out as it was quite something to see as many were sitting high in the water. So do we really have an oil shortage if we are filling all those tankers with oil and sending the out. Makes one ponder that question. We sailed on
and up to Kemha and arrived in My Way Too! slip at 4:30 am with awaiting dock help and
much needed rum. Over all it was a great trip and everyone aboard was
ready for rest a long hot shower. Would I do it again, yep! So to top the trip off we went on a Saturday afternoon rum race in Galveston bay
on Robs boat. A 38 foot hunter as were in the cruising class and we managed to take a 2nd place (unofficial) for him which he was pleased. As the dang boat recorder never seen us pass the finish line. I just believe it was because we were a smokin going across the finish line and the recorder never seen us.