The Cruising Adventures of Wild Blue and crew...
- Thread starter JamesTXSD
- Start date
Hola!
We had a nice day trip to Mexico today. A bit of "gallows humor" on the ride there, but no problems. We shopped, ate, bought some necessities, laughed, walked... pretty much a typical Discovery/Wild Blue kinda day. We've mentioned before that the climate along the border has changed (due to crime); one new difference: young military men with automatic weapons, a bunker, and armored personnel carrier on the Mexico side of the bridge. The reports in our local newspapers definitely show crime on the increase, but we were cautious... picked the best place to cross over, the best time, and walked across.
Since there is no Verizon coverage once you get to the bridge, I carried my SPOT on tracking, so our daughter could see our progress. Then I activated the "We're OK" as soon as we crossed back into the good ol' USA.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
We had a nice day trip to Mexico today. A bit of "gallows humor" on the ride there, but no problems. We shopped, ate, bought some necessities, laughed, walked... pretty much a typical Discovery/Wild Blue kinda day. We've mentioned before that the climate along the border has changed (due to crime); one new difference: young military men with automatic weapons, a bunker, and armored personnel carrier on the Mexico side of the bridge. The reports in our local newspapers definitely show crime on the increase, but we were cautious... picked the best place to cross over, the best time, and walked across.
Since there is no Verizon coverage once you get to the bridge, I carried my SPOT on tracking, so our daughter could see our progress. Then I activated the "We're OK" as soon as we crossed back into the good ol' USA.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
We just waved good-bye to the Discovery crew... what a great week! Good meals, some fun touristing, great conversation and lots of laughs. Travel safe, friends, 'till our paths cross again.
Best wishes,
Jim & Joan
At our favorite little beach bar (Palm Street Pier)...
Best wishes,
Jim & Joan
At our favorite little beach bar (Palm Street Pier)...
Pat Anderson
New member
Patty here. Beach bar? You're all drinking F-D SODAS!!!
Pat Anderson
New member
Patty here, again. My bad! Just LOOKS like sodas. You all DO know how to party!
Jim,
Saw this and thought of you and izzy
See http://www.snorgtees.com for a this on a T-shirt plus dozens of others that will have you rolling on the floor.
Saw this and thought of you and izzy
See http://www.snorgtees.com for a this on a T-shirt plus dozens of others that will have you rolling on the floor.
Funny stuff, Roger... these days, most of my t-shirts are plain... guess I'm out of opinions?
We had that talk with Izzy... and then gave her some to see what she'd do with it. Not much. Guess she's just "high on life." 8) And that gives me another excuse to post another cute photo of her...
Best wishes,
Jim
We had that talk with Izzy... and then gave her some to see what she'd do with it. Not much. Guess she's just "high on life." 8) And that gives me another excuse to post another cute photo of her...
Best wishes,
Jim
Jim, Izzy looks fine, and sounds like you are doing well. Do you go down into Mexico often or far? "No Verizon at the bridge...." does that mean there is no cell service across the boarder or just not worth setting up for a one day trip? Thanks for sharing the photos and narration.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Hi Harvey,
Our Verizon phones go to "No Service" as you cross the bridge. I've not tried to use my phone in Mexico on other trips, because the phone itself doesn't work with the service providers there.
Here's a link that explains it better than I can:
http://www.cellularabroad.com/verizon_intl.html
Best wishes,
Jim
Our Verizon phones go to "No Service" as you cross the bridge. I've not tried to use my phone in Mexico on other trips, because the phone itself doesn't work with the service providers there.
Here's a link that explains it better than I can:
http://www.cellularabroad.com/verizon_intl.html
Best wishes,
Jim
What a day. The water was the bluest blue I've seen in quite a while; with a few small puffy clouds, it was another "Chamber of Commerce day" here... sunny, light winds, highs in the mid-70s, low humidity... gorgeous! And we had work to do. After cleaning out our storage area (big "Trash to Treasures" sale coming up this weekend), we took Wild Blue out for a sunset cruise. With the "Rules of the Road" thread here, I wanted to shoot some nav aid images to illustrate potential questions.
Here's what the water looked like as we turned down the ship channel...
While bee-bopping along, this Homeland Security boat came blasting by us...
Yeah, that's 4 225s on the back of that boat. I've flown twin engine airplanes that didn't have that much horsepower. :wink: They stopped right after I shot that image; I thought we were going to get a "safety inspection", but it must have just been coincidental, because a few moments later they took off like a shot again.
So, about those nav aids; here's a shot that shows two nav aids in one image...
Do you see them?
I've read about people "doing the ICW" who want to go to the far end of it, and frequently say it ends in Brownsville, TX. Well, not really. The ICW ends about a half mile from our house, in the Port Isabel Turning Basin. Brownsville is another 15 miles down the (very nondescript) Brownsville Ship Channel. And they don't allow recreational vessels in the Port of Brownsville. Here's what the end of the ICW looks like...
Nothing to indicate the end of the ICW... heck, there ought to be a plaque or something. :wink:
Coming back in the canal on the way home, we spotted a ship in front of us...
And a closer view...
There's a small bit of our island beyond that canal and the ship channel... from the boat, it kinda looks like the ship is just moving across the land.
Nice way to finish off the day.
Best wishes,
Jim
Here's what the water looked like as we turned down the ship channel...
While bee-bopping along, this Homeland Security boat came blasting by us...
Yeah, that's 4 225s on the back of that boat. I've flown twin engine airplanes that didn't have that much horsepower. :wink: They stopped right after I shot that image; I thought we were going to get a "safety inspection", but it must have just been coincidental, because a few moments later they took off like a shot again.
So, about those nav aids; here's a shot that shows two nav aids in one image...
Do you see them?
I've read about people "doing the ICW" who want to go to the far end of it, and frequently say it ends in Brownsville, TX. Well, not really. The ICW ends about a half mile from our house, in the Port Isabel Turning Basin. Brownsville is another 15 miles down the (very nondescript) Brownsville Ship Channel. And they don't allow recreational vessels in the Port of Brownsville. Here's what the end of the ICW looks like...
Nothing to indicate the end of the ICW... heck, there ought to be a plaque or something. :wink:
Coming back in the canal on the way home, we spotted a ship in front of us...
And a closer view...
There's a small bit of our island beyond that canal and the ship channel... from the boat, it kinda looks like the ship is just moving across the land.
Nice way to finish off the day.
Best wishes,
Jim
It's been a few days since I had Wild Blue out; other stuff to get done. Plus, it has been windy here in the Tropical Tip. Yesterday it was blowing a consistent 25 with gusts above 35, but the temps were in the low 80s. Yeah, sounds like a good day for a boat ride. 8) Even with winds like that, we are able to find protected water to poke around in; the prevailing winds blow across the ship channel, so that was my pick. I ran Wild Blue out to the jetties, looked at the 6 - 8 foot waves in the Gulf and decided to stay where the ride was smooth. :wink: Coming back in the jetties, I took this silhouette of people on the rocks...
Just seconds before I shot that, I was watching a surfer carry his board out there. With the rough surf, it was easier to walk out on the rocks to where the surf was breaking and get in, as opposed to paddling the board out. Today was windy/rough enough that the kite surfers seemed to be taking the day off.
Coming back in around sunset, I took this image, looking west down the ship channel...
Then, to show what the little point and shoot camera will do with the scene set on "sunset"...
Kind of an interesting setting.
Best wishes,
Jim
Just seconds before I shot that, I was watching a surfer carry his board out there. With the rough surf, it was easier to walk out on the rocks to where the surf was breaking and get in, as opposed to paddling the board out. Today was windy/rough enough that the kite surfers seemed to be taking the day off.
Coming back in around sunset, I took this image, looking west down the ship channel...
Then, to show what the little point and shoot camera will do with the scene set on "sunset"...
Kind of an interesting setting.
Best wishes,
Jim
Prepare To Be Boarded... Wednesday, February 11th. Izzy and I went for a boat ride this afternoon. For some reason, she has gotten shy when we have guests at the house... she’s the same on the boat. As we were putting across the Laguna, we saw an orange boat with a flashing blue light: US Coast Guard.
I knew we hadn’t done anything wrong, so I figured we were going to be boarded for a “safety inspection.” While the Coast Guard is charged with keeping our navigable waters safe, they are also part of Homeland Security. I’m pretty sure we didn’t look too suspicious, but we get this at least once a year.
They pulled up alongside Wild Blue. I cut the power and stepped out into the cockpit. “Good afternoon, sir. Have you been boarded for a safety inspection recently?” the young man asked.
“It’s been about a year,” I responded.
“Do you have any weapons onboard?” he asked.
“No, sir. No weapons,” I responded.
“We will be putting two men on board for the inspection. Please have your license and registration ready.”
I was already ahead of them. While they were tying off to Wild Blue, I got the paperwork, fire extinquisher, flares, and life jackets ready for inspection.
“I can see you’ve done this before,” the young man said as he stepped aboard.
“I don’t want to delay you gentlemen. I know you have other things to do.”
There were the usual questions about the registration, how fast does this boat go, do you do any fishing, it this pretty good out in the Gulf? They aren’t just making conversation; they want to know about the boat, but they also want to see if everything I say adds up.
They actually ran a check on my license, but the whole thing was done in about 20 minutes. They handed me a “good as gold” paper that will show I’ve been boarded if I get stopped again in the next 6 months.
They didn’t pay any attention to Izzy, and she stayed at the back of her carrier. I have no doubt that they thought I was a half bubble off level, taking my cat out for a ride. :wink:
Best wishes,
Jim
PS - Speaking of Izzy... she's growing up. Still, she's so small, but at the "teenage stage", where her ears are too big for her head.
I knew we hadn’t done anything wrong, so I figured we were going to be boarded for a “safety inspection.” While the Coast Guard is charged with keeping our navigable waters safe, they are also part of Homeland Security. I’m pretty sure we didn’t look too suspicious, but we get this at least once a year.
They pulled up alongside Wild Blue. I cut the power and stepped out into the cockpit. “Good afternoon, sir. Have you been boarded for a safety inspection recently?” the young man asked.
“It’s been about a year,” I responded.
“Do you have any weapons onboard?” he asked.
“No, sir. No weapons,” I responded.
“We will be putting two men on board for the inspection. Please have your license and registration ready.”
I was already ahead of them. While they were tying off to Wild Blue, I got the paperwork, fire extinquisher, flares, and life jackets ready for inspection.
“I can see you’ve done this before,” the young man said as he stepped aboard.
“I don’t want to delay you gentlemen. I know you have other things to do.”
There were the usual questions about the registration, how fast does this boat go, do you do any fishing, it this pretty good out in the Gulf? They aren’t just making conversation; they want to know about the boat, but they also want to see if everything I say adds up.
They actually ran a check on my license, but the whole thing was done in about 20 minutes. They handed me a “good as gold” paper that will show I’ve been boarded if I get stopped again in the next 6 months.
They didn’t pay any attention to Izzy, and she stayed at the back of her carrier. I have no doubt that they thought I was a half bubble off level, taking my cat out for a ride. :wink:
Best wishes,
Jim
PS - Speaking of Izzy... she's growing up. Still, she's so small, but at the "teenage stage", where her ears are too big for her head.
Doryman":hck64wgt said:
Hi Warren,
Izzy doesn't mind the leash, but she doesn't yet understand the whole premise of going from Point A to Point B... she's still a baby and has the attention span of a gnat. She rides fine in the boat and the truck - no fussing, no puking. She's not sure-footed enough to let her walk around the outside of the boat... yet.
Molly, on the other hand, was a classy, elegant lady. She would have walked beside me without the leash and not run off... and never missed a step on the boat. Izzy runs at top speed, slides on the tile floors, and runs into the furniture. :roll: We have a ways to go. :lol:
I'm waiting for the next installment on your Florida thread.
Best wishes,
Jim
When I put the leash on any of my cats, they just flop down hard on the floor and glare at me with the greatest intensity, disgust, and threat!
I guess I could put the leash on a skate board and then pull the cat around on that! But, none of them are going to allow such an insult as leash walking expectations go by without severe paybacks.
John
I guess I could put the leash on a skate board and then pull the cat around on that! But, none of them are going to allow such an insult as leash walking expectations go by without severe paybacks.
John
A blast from the past...
Yesterday, we were out enjoying a sunset cruise. The weather was gorgeous: still close to 80 degrees, light breeze, partly cloudy. I had just taken this photo...
... when our cell phone rang. It was Security on our island; seems there was a guy at the gate who wanted to go to our house. I asked his name and was told, "John Gerber." Before the security guard could go any further, I told him, "Let John in, give him the directions to our house, and tell him he can go inside and wait for us; we'll be right there."
We bought our first sailboat from John. He is 70 years old and still actively selling boats. I haven't heard from him in a few years. We got back to our dock where John and his wife were waiting. Great conversation, out for supper, lots of catching up.
Let me tell you why John and I have remained friends over the years. He did more than just sell us a boat; he loves sailing and he wants all of his customers to love sailing. He delivered the boat from Nebraska to Texas and spent two days with us getting the boat set up and "showing us the ropes." After that, he called us every week for the first three months... just wanted to know if we had any questions and gave us on-going encouragement. I wondered how long this would go on... after 3 months, he called us at least once a month. Not trying to sell us anything or ask for "bird-dog" leads on other buyers - just to visit about how we were using the boat. He is more than the sailboat dealer we bought from, he is our friend.
It was great to reconnect with John again (he and his wife are down here vacationing). He was surprised to hear that we no longer have a sailboat, but was very interested in our cruising adventures with Wild Blue.
Over the years, we've bought plenty of stuff: cars, motorcycles, RVs, boats, houses... there has been NO other purchase we've made that we've received this kind of follow up and concern. Don't get me wrong, we've had lots of good buying experiences (and some real crappy ones), but this has been one of two (the other is a motorcycle dealer friend of ours) experiences where the guy doing the selling REALLY wanted us to love it.
From the sounds of things, the guys at Ranger Tugs understand this. I know Marc at Wefings does. There are probably lots of other great dealers out there for all kinds of products. But how many buying experiences stay with you all your life, and become the standard that you compare ALL the others to?
I hope the timing works out so we can take John and his wife out for some water time while they're here. It would be a pleasure to show the guy who taught me to love sailing what our life on the water here is like. Seems like the least we could do. He is one of the good guys in the boating industry.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
Yesterday, we were out enjoying a sunset cruise. The weather was gorgeous: still close to 80 degrees, light breeze, partly cloudy. I had just taken this photo...
... when our cell phone rang. It was Security on our island; seems there was a guy at the gate who wanted to go to our house. I asked his name and was told, "John Gerber." Before the security guard could go any further, I told him, "Let John in, give him the directions to our house, and tell him he can go inside and wait for us; we'll be right there."
We bought our first sailboat from John. He is 70 years old and still actively selling boats. I haven't heard from him in a few years. We got back to our dock where John and his wife were waiting. Great conversation, out for supper, lots of catching up.
Let me tell you why John and I have remained friends over the years. He did more than just sell us a boat; he loves sailing and he wants all of his customers to love sailing. He delivered the boat from Nebraska to Texas and spent two days with us getting the boat set up and "showing us the ropes." After that, he called us every week for the first three months... just wanted to know if we had any questions and gave us on-going encouragement. I wondered how long this would go on... after 3 months, he called us at least once a month. Not trying to sell us anything or ask for "bird-dog" leads on other buyers - just to visit about how we were using the boat. He is more than the sailboat dealer we bought from, he is our friend.
It was great to reconnect with John again (he and his wife are down here vacationing). He was surprised to hear that we no longer have a sailboat, but was very interested in our cruising adventures with Wild Blue.
Over the years, we've bought plenty of stuff: cars, motorcycles, RVs, boats, houses... there has been NO other purchase we've made that we've received this kind of follow up and concern. Don't get me wrong, we've had lots of good buying experiences (and some real crappy ones), but this has been one of two (the other is a motorcycle dealer friend of ours) experiences where the guy doing the selling REALLY wanted us to love it.
From the sounds of things, the guys at Ranger Tugs understand this. I know Marc at Wefings does. There are probably lots of other great dealers out there for all kinds of products. But how many buying experiences stay with you all your life, and become the standard that you compare ALL the others to?
I hope the timing works out so we can take John and his wife out for some water time while they're here. It would be a pleasure to show the guy who taught me to love sailing what our life on the water here is like. Seems like the least we could do. He is one of the good guys in the boating industry.
Best wishes,
Jim B.