2008 Cruise to the Magnolia Messabout
20 miles a day or so - Tuesday 9th to Friday 13th June 2007 Cruise route
There is a Duckworks cruise for handmade boats to be run by Chuck from Port Isabel to the Messabout, to run in parallel with the casual cruise aimed at 40 miles a day
Rockport at the Cove - Monday Afternoon
CoveHarbor This place is across from the ramp we use, and the restuarant. High cotton!! Swap some vehicles to Magnolia, Supper at "the Hook" as a Monday night meet. Sail out at sometime Tuesday a.m. Never does get to be real early. Usually Lunch rafted up on the north side of Aransas Bay. Then camp out just short of San Antonio Bay (at mile 505) that Tuesday night.
We will be going up the ICW as we did last year. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we will make a side trip to Seadrift for Wednesday, overnight at the Seadrifter Inn overlooking the ramp (looks to be a place to tie up there) for a meal at Mama Ter Ters and a shower. Then Thursday can make the side trip to the Park for afternoon -Thursday night. Louis and I scouted it in July '06 and our visit on the Wednesday (07) went well. We had the place to ourselves but no facilities or even water - but it does have decent docking, bar-be-que pits and shade.
Friday back to the ICW and past O'Connor into Matagorda Bay. There we turn north inside the ship channel, or along it depending on your choice, and make for Indianola. There is a marina there with dockage, meals, bathrooms and a shower. Just short of the Magnolia Beach messabout, but a safer place to park. After the 2007 burglary we may try a better park and lock plan.
Then we either make it in on late Friday afternoon or we stop at Indianola on the Friday night and we can sail up to the messabout to join in on Saturday early.
If the weather or such does not cooperate, we drop Seadrift, then - if the weather or other incident holds us up - the island park stop and thus we have two days or so in hand. In the storm of '06 Louis and I left the first overnight stop at 505 and Louis made it straight to to the Messabout that night, even hanging back for me (tail end charlie). I just overighted back at Indianola (Blue is getting mo' sail for 08). So the whole trip is a two day sail spread over four. You are most welcome to catch up, pass us or any other combination. Our pace is aimed at 25-30 miles or so a day to do the trip in four days. Sheltered spots for overnighting are not evenly spaced and this will be weather dependent. There are no guarantees, we will help as we can (see the 2006 mast bending and unbending exercise in the photos!!) but you must be self sufficient, some of the sailing may be alone, especially later in the days as we all have a different pace. Usually we gather together at turns and the start of bays and so forth and mostly try to keep together. Bring firewood or charcoal if you can for the park and mesabout camps.
The trip directly along the ICW is 68 miles . In 2008 we will detour to Seadrft for the Wednesday night stop
Indianola Marina is just around the corner from the Messabout, and much more civilised than the Magnolia Ramp with restuarant , facilities, docking places, and a place to park that is hopefully more secure.
This is just a rough plan - I would rather have the company than put anyone off by an agressive plan. Cruising is very wind/weather dependent and we all have to get back, we cannot "wait for the wind to change". On that score be sure you have a reliable outboard, or you really know what you are at.
Note we will be passing and being passed by tugs and barges that take up a good piece of the width. If you misjudge it they run the risk of running you down (you are putting their careers at risk remember), and they take a dim view if your wandering around in front of them. The channel is also narrow and it is possible that you may ground occasionally, much less challenging than being run down tho. Bring a VHF if you have it. Channel 68.
In 2006 Gerald Mittlestat and David H sailed from Port Mansfield overnight to join us at Rockport in an open 14-ft boat. No motor - Outstanding 24 hour shot.
People could join from Seadrift or Port O'Connor as we go. See Page 4A for the Seadrift chart. Port O'Conner has a number of ramps with public parking.
Park Thursday Night
From Seadrift . Possible short cut through Steamboat or South Pass to the Matagorda Park. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/wma/find_a_wma/list/?id=48 Hang out at the dock, there are barbeque pits and shelters, a cold water shower and recently built rest rooms. Those are however only available if the Park workers are there when they mow or otherwise perform maintenance. There is no permanent park employee present. Visit the Lighthouse. Then through to Indianola on Friday.
Matagorda / Indianola by Friday night
Should be a straight shot with the prevailing wind. In Port O'Conner the Shell landing (the eastern ramp) has food, ice etc.
For those joining in - with the possible uncertainty of Seadrift and the Park, you might call us on Monday night or on Wednesday. Note a cell phone s very iffy (AT&T did work just - stand on deck and hold it over your head) at 505 and at the Park. Cell phone numbers will be posted.
Friday sailing
Either to the Messabout or at the Messabout. People trickle in on Friday, lots of interest later in the day, and talking over a campfire. But you need to be in early Saturday, I slept in at a motel after the cruise 2007, and ambled in at ten to find all in full swing. Ther is usually a potluck on Saturday - Chuck and Sandra are the hosts and backbone, but we need to help as we can.
It will depend on the consensus on trailer pickup. Since most live in Houston we likely will have moved the trailers up on Monday. At least one vehicle will have to be in Rockport, likely me as Louis can dop me off on the way home.
Saturday - The Races, Messabout and good fellowship.
See the hand crafted and the unusual boats.
Shorty wil undoubtely have a plan...
http://www.shortypen.com
Information will be USPS mailed to all who ask as a CD, coordinate printout, GPS program and file and 11 by 17's of the maps.
The view from Blue
