Mother comes to visit

June, 2014

My mother came to visit Claire and myself here in Texas.  She can get quite adventurous when it comes to her yearly visit.  Her last visit to us was when we were still sailing Baja.  She flew into Mexico City, another short flight to La Paz, then bussed North to Loreto; where she hopped on Splendid Isolation and sailed the Sea of Cortez with us for 10 days.  Spending time in Puerto Balandra on Isla Carmen,  Punta Mangles, Caleta San Juanico, before heading back to Loreto. All by herself, no Spanish, never been to Mexico.  We were blessed to have her join our crew in such a magical place. 

This time, she drove her SmartCar 12 hours straight to my Grandparents’ (her parents’) house in Edgewater, Florida.  Got back in her tiny car and drove another 18 hours straight through to our little vessel here in Kemah, Texas.  Where she visited for the first week of June before making her direct drive back.  I guess you can see where i get some of my crazy adventure genes from.

While here she spent most of her nights at The Clipperhouse Inn.  The Bed and Breakfast located behind the winery and restaurant where I am working.

i made chips and salsa while my mother volunteered to wax all the yellow topside paint

I took her to Galveston Island to tour the historical district.

we went aboard the Elissa

With her wake being over 135 years old, she is one of the oldest sailing ships still sailing today.  She is a three-masted, iron hull Barque.  Built in 1877 by Alexander Hall & Company of Aberdeen, Scotland.  She measures 205 feet tip to tip. Displacing about 620 tons!  She is not a replica, but a survivor!  With over 90 years work as a commercial cargo vessel, built at the decline of ships under sail power.  She is still fully functional and well kept by hundreds of volunteers!  Moored at Pier 21 on Galveston Island, Texas, she is well worth the tour.

the galley

forward bunks

i can’t even imagine tacking a vessel of this size in that bad of seas…

engine room

tiled floor chart of the Gulf of Mexico

lunch in Galveston

ahi tuna rolls

we watched a historical movie on The Great Storm that hit Galveston Island Sept 8, 1900.

took the SmartCar to the shore.

great day, warm water, too bad for the seaweed overload

trees destroyed during Hurricane Ike have been brought back to live by local islanders.

my mother is a fanatic of old homes

besides waxing our topside paint she also took the time to restore our teak paneling!

Thanks for visiting!