Part One - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four

Friday, June 13th 2014, Day 5
We get up sometime around 8 am’ish and take our time to clean up, get dressed, etc.  Apparently I forgot to pack a razor so the weeks’ worth of scraggly whiskers stays on.  With some Indian blood in me, growing a nice beard is out of the question.  Usually it ends up looking something like an unkempt Shaggy from Scooby Doo and starts to itch after a couple weeks.

After unhitching the Holder, we cruise into town for breakfast before making our way to the beach.  Arriving sometime around 11 am we find the day’s hosts already set up with coolers of Shiners and other drinks.  Grabbing one each we settle in for some lazy chatting while awaiting the first boats to arrive.

Out on the water a beach cat zooms back and forth hundreds of yards out.  With the stiff wind he makes good time.  Closer in we see a couple PDRs making test runs for tomorrow’s PDR Championships to be held right here at Magnolia Beach.  One of the little boats has a curious rig that looks like a split lug sail.  The split is at the mast which leaves essentially fore and aft sails on a common set of yards.  Very interesting! Interesting enough that I spend the next hour or so thinking of how to set up and trim that front sail part to act as a jib to help power up the aft sail part …

Another cute little sailboat takes to the waves.  It is a tiny plastic molded production boat with aluminum foils and a wheel inset into the hull bottom.  A person can wheel the little thing down to the beach like a wheelbarrow, set up the windsurf type sail, drop in the dagger board and rudder, and be sailing in less than 10 minutes.  And it was all car-topable!

The little boat handles the waves rather well to dart around with ease.
Boats start arriving in the early afternoon.  Each is greeted with enthusiastic cheers welcoming them to the finish.  Pressing into late afternoon, the Ducks finally arrive in a big group.  One by one they pull up to the beach in a neat line.  Each Duck captain is cheered.  The last Duck to touch sand is ChevyDuck.  Hugs, handshakes, and lots of congrats are had by all.

BlueDog Beachwalk

MacGregor(sp) On the Beach

Capri Sails In

Matt’s Mariner

Mayflys Arrive

The Ducks Arrive!

I grab video of it all until the call goes out for the Shrimp Boil.  Mmmmm!  Delicious!  It has been a few years since eating shrimp.  Add in a bit of sausage and potatoes … wash it down with another Shiners … yum!!

Dad and I are mindful of time moving into the early evening hours.  Bidding goodbyes, we hit the road for the long long drive back home. 

Like the boat trip, we keep options open for the drive home and eventually decide to press to Boutte, LA to get his truck.  We arrive at 2 am and he gets his truck as quietly as possible from our sleeping friend’s house.  We hug and bid each other farewell before Dad gets on the road to complete the drive to mid-Florida.

As for me, the plan was to find a hotel for the rest of the night.  Ever try to find an open hotel at 2:30 am?  Didn’t work for me.  Each one was locked up.  Ok.  May as well keep driving then.  But first, the truck needs gas.

Ever try to find an open gas station at 3 am?  Didn’t work for me.  Every station was closed with pumps turned off.  It took four different stations before finally finding one that had 24 hour pumps.

Gassed up, tired, and worn out, I set out on the 5 hour drive home.  Here is where all that caution used during the Texas 200 decides to take a vacation.  Many times during the 5 hours finds my eyes closing while on the road.  One time narrowly missing a vehicle parked alongside the highway after drifting off onto the shoulder.  That wakes me up for a brief time but it is a struggle to stay awake until gratefully arriving home at 8 am to hit the bed and promptly fall asleep.  It was an utterly stupid thing to do for a guy that knows better.

Luckily, the Texas 200 trip was not a stupid thing to do (no matter what other captains may insinuate!).   Instead, the trip was amazing in its harshness, beauty, adventure, and comradeship.  Not to mention getting to spend a precious week with my Dad sharing something that we may never get to do again.  Even if the memories fade of our trip we will always remember how we felt for one week in Texas sailing in an event worthy of being called “The Best Time Ever”.

See everyone next year in the 2015 Texas 200!

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