Houston, a special trip to NASA was arranged by our friend Phil Moyer. We had an escorted tour by a friend of his and had a surpurb time.
The "Barf-Plane." The inside of the aircraft, a reconfigured C9, is padded and the new guys are taken up to experience weightlessness. The aircraft makes great dives, then climbs, then dives, and so on.............. A rollercoaster.
The reconfigured B59 is used by NASA to simulate Space Shuttle flight back to earth, landing.
The Neutral Bouyancy Lab is where the astronauts train to work in neutral bouyancy on the Space Station.
Our last look after hours of touring was at the Apollo series. The successes, most memorable was Apollo 13.
Being in Oil Country . . . had to see oil history and how-they-do-it. Charlie has a special affection for Texaco.
The Beaumont Oil Museum near the "beginning", Spindletop, had a great description of a refinery and how it works.
In Houston . . . the real thing.
A great evening was spent with Bonnie's cousin and his wife, Elliott and Susan Smith. They are completing their retirement home west of Houston and met us for dinner.
We had many great days and nights with our friends Phil and Virginia Moyer. Virginia came down with the flu and had to miss some of the activities. Bonnie departed Houston by plane to return to Virginia Beach and work . . . I had the task of moving from Houston back to New Orleans. The weather was not the best.
Anchorages were too shallow so could not anchor . . . had to proceed during darkness passing tugs and operating on GPS, Radar, and the Guiding Hand of the Lord! Then the generator quit . . . a problem with bearings.
Locks are great in the dark; but then everyone out there tries to help all they can. Makes the trip a rewarding experience.
Stopping in Houma, Louisiana, was interesting this time. The boat that pulled in front of SONATA is a 1.5 million dollar boat . . . however, the generator does not work, the fresh water does not work, the toilet system does not work and the poor guys wanted badly to take a shower and .... There are no facilities at Houma, I offered SONATA which one fellow accepted. This fellow is deaf! From South Africa and has been deaf since he was age seven. He has never heard an English word spoken and told me, yes told me, to continue talking for he had learned English, can speak and can read lips. He did a magnificant job! His name is Charl and has made a sailing trip around the world. You can see his website at www.silentvoyager.com. On this occasion, in Houma, he was delivering this 1.4M yacht to Houston for his employer.
Saint Louis Catheral in the French Quarter, Jackson Square, from the River! On my way to the Industrial Canal and a lock out of the river and into the canal for my wait at Seabrook Marina for Bonnie's return on Friday.
Arrived at the Industrial Canal and "took a number" to get through. Was number 3, elevated to number 1, just as the automobile bridge went on curfew. Curfew from 1530-1745 (3:30pm to 5:45pm) so all that could be done is to tie up to the wall and wait, and wait. Got through the lock just after 1800 (6:00pm) and tied up at Seabrook, no assistance, the marina staff goes home at 4pm, at about 7:30pm. A great day! Avoided the serious weather scheduled for Thursday; which, as this is being written storms overhead with 50 knot winds and heavy rain. Tomorrow will be a great day.
Friday will be a great day!! A stop at the Central Grocery for a Muffuletta (if you have never had one your life is missing a gem.), then the Mardi Gras parades (see: www.nola.com/mardigras), including the ones that were cancelled tonight due to weather, and Bonnie's return to SONATA with her daughter, Rhonda and her friend Leslie. Sunday or Monday we all are off to Pensacola via the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Rabbit Island, Biloxi and then Florida to Key West and beyond.
Houston, a special trip to NASA was arranged by our friend Phil Moyer. We had an escorted tour by a friend of his and had a surpurb time.
The "Barf-Plane." The inside of the aircraft, a reconfigured C9, is padded and the new guys are taken up to experience weightlessness. The aircraft makes great dives, then climbs, then dives, and so on.............. A rollercoaster.
The reconfigured B59 is used by NASA to simulate Space Shuttle flight back to earth, landing.
The Neutral Bouyancy Lab is where the astronauts train to work in neutral bouyancy on the Space Station.
Our last look after hours of touring was at the Apollo series. The successes, most memorable was Apollo 13.
Being in Oil Country . . . had to see oil history and how-they-do-it. Charlie has a special affection for Texaco.
The Beaumont Oil Museum near the "beginning", Spindletop, had a great description of a refinery and how it works.
In Houston . . . the real thing.
A great evening was spent with Bonnie's cousin and his wife, Elliott and Susan Smith. They are completing their retirement home west of Houston and met us for dinner.
We had many great days and nights with our friends Phil and Virginia Moyer. Virginia came down with the flu and had to miss some of the activities. Bonnie departed Houston by plane to return to Virginia Beach and work . . . I had the task of moving from Houston back to New Orleans. The weather was not the best.
Anchorages were too shallow so could not anchor . . . had to proceed during darkness passing tugs and operating on GPS, Radar, and the Guiding Hand of the Lord! Then the generator quit . . . a problem with bearings.
Locks are great in the dark; but then everyone out there tries to help all they can. Makes the trip a rewarding experience.
Stopping in Houma, Louisiana, was interesting this time. The boat that pulled in front of SONATA is a 1.5 million dollar boat . . . however, the generator does not work, the fresh water does not work, the toilet system does not work and the poor guys wanted badly to take a shower and .... There are no facilities at Houma, I offered SONATA which one fellow accepted. This fellow is deaf! From South Africa and has been deaf since he was age seven. He has never heard an English word spoken and told me, yes told me, to continue talking for he had learned English, can speak and can read lips. He did a magnificant job! His name is Charl and has made a sailing trip around the world. You can see his website at www.silentvoyager.com. On this occasion, in Houma, he was delivering this 1.4M yacht to Houston for his employer.
Saint Louis Catheral in the French Quarter, Jackson Square, from the River! On my way to the Industrial Canal and a lock out of the river and into the canal for my wait at Seabrook Marina for Bonnie's return on Friday.
Arrived at the Industrial Canal and "took a number" to get through. Was number 3, elevated to number 1, just as the automobile bridge went on curfew. Curfew from 1530-1745 (3:30pm to 5:45pm) so all that could be done is to tie up to the wall and wait, and wait. Got through the lock just after 1800 (6:00pm) and tied up at Seabrook, no assistance, the marina staff goes home at 4pm, at about 7:30pm. A great day! Avoided the serious weather scheduled for Thursday; which, as this is being written storms overhead with 50 knot winds and heavy rain. Tomorrow will be a great day.
Friday will be a great day!! A stop at the Central Grocery for a Muffuletta (if you have never had one your life is missing a gem.), then the Mardi Gras parades (see: www.nola.com/mardigras), including the ones that were cancelled tonight due to weather, and Bonnie's return to SONATA with her daughter, Rhonda and her friend Leslie. Sunday or Monday we all are off to Pensacola via the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Rabbit Island, Biloxi and then Florida to Key West and beyond.
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