March is approaching. I can feel it in the wind. March can be a very windy month, and yesterday was a February preview. I left for Brownsville, TX in the morning fighting a 30 mile per hour head wind from the south in advance of a cold front. By 11:00 A.M., when I stopped to take out a loan to buy some gasoline, the wind had shifted and I faced a 35 mile per hour head wind from the north on my return trip. For those of you in the northern climes, it is 43 degrees here this morning. The shorts I wore yesterday were a little inadequate this morning when I strolled outside to get the newspaper. The new picture in my heading is the Queen Isabella Causeway spanning the Laguna Madre between Port Isabel, TX and South Padre Island. The picture above is of a resaca in Bayview, TX. A resaca is a man made irrigation reservoir and some are quite beautiful.
The town of Port Isabel, TX has a beautiful old lighthouse, and is typical of other fishing and resort areas in other parts of the country. The seafood in the area is wonderful. I ate lunch at Captain Roy's yesterday and was not disappointed. I love the water, and at one time had a small day sailer. I went sailing one March on a large lake north of here. The wind was strong and my wife reluctantly agreed to go. The following poem was written after that outing.
MARCH SAILING
It started out a lovely day
March breezes softly blew.
I pulled my sailboat to the lake
my wife the only crew.
But as we launched, clouds drifted in
cool wind began to gust.
It was my crewmate’s first assist
some training was a must.
My boat was small with open hull
no keel, just centerboard.
I turned her bow into the wind
set sail and ran from shore.
She heeled to starboard on a reach
my wife was seated there.
The gunnels touched the water line
her eyes were wide with fear.
The water finally breached the side
and roused her from the trance.
She crossed the hull and glared at me
with malice in her glance.
I took the hint and made for port
riding with the wind.
I’d have to find another crew
or sail alone again.
It started out a lovely day
March breezes softly blew.
I pulled my sailboat to the lake
my wife the only crew.
But as we launched, clouds drifted in
cool wind began to gust.
It was my crewmate’s first assist
some training was a must.
My boat was small with open hull
no keel, just centerboard.
I turned her bow into the wind
set sail and ran from shore.
She heeled to starboard on a reach
my wife was seated there.
The gunnels touched the water line
her eyes were wide with fear.
The water finally breached the side
and roused her from the trance.
She crossed the hull and glared at me
with malice in her glance.
I took the hint and made for port
riding with the wind.
I’d have to find another crew
or sail alone again.
