OT my somewhat strange and unique venture into Riley Smith land

[Frank B.]

Well at least close to his land, these days I'm not sure if Gautier is a suburb of Escatawpa or vice versa or both succumb to the authority of Moss Point or maybe Pascagoula.

So I'm down south for two events at the opposite ends of the joy continuum, both held at my mothers house in Ocean Springs although here again I can't figure that geography out, maybe something to do with 16th section lands, because seems like she is in Gautier. The first event, on Saturday, was a family only memorial service for my brother's wife who passed away unexpectedly from a fall a few weeks back. It went well except that she was not there as her cremated remains did not arrive for the service.  It seems when you pay for the most expedited shipping from Mobile to OS, the package is just as likely to arrive in Atlanta.  It was noted, however, that she always wanted to travel so maybe she was directing the trip.

Event two, on Sunday was a birthday celebration for my mother who turned 101.  That was nice, five of the six of her children were there, and lot's of phone calls from the grands and greats.  We did have for a short time, a five generation placement for a picture.  She got a nice card from her high school, Little Flower high school for girls in Philadelphia, and it is possible that she is the oldest living alumnae, graduating in the class of 1942. The next day my sisters took her to lunch at her favorite Chinese restaurant and then to the Walter Anderson museum.

Because all lodging at the family owned properties was claimed, we stayed at a B & B in Gautier about eight minutes away.  It was nice, on a bayou, don't know which.  Saw the remains of the cold weather fish kill, mostly mullet, but also saw and heard plenty of mullet jumping so they will prevail.

Hiked the Fontainebleau Nature Trail for exercise, part of the SandHill Crane refuge.  Learned that the Old Spanish Trail, which was a traffic nightmare when I lived in the area, is now the way to go, hardly any traffic maybe since I10 was finished through the area.

Also watched the Iggles win the Superbowl.  No, I didn't mispell it, that is pretty much how they say it in Philly.

No sailing pics, although at least a pic of some water, the bayou behind our room. Those white specs on the far bank are the dead fish.

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[Riley Smith]

Let me be the first to wish your Mom a happy birthday and to extend my condolences for your sister-in-law. The little hamlets can be hard to understand, as often there are no signs or lines. Gautier is its own city now and I'm sure OS and it are close together there along the Old Spanish Trail. All the others are across the river and have no bearing. I haven't seen any of the fish kill because I was underneath the old house brazing copper lines. The water is back on and I'm happy, and later the KoC are going to have a Mardi Gras party there. We've been dog sitting in the north of the county and away from the beachfront, but I did see two deer this morning with the coffee!!

[Krusen]

Happy birthday to your Mom, she is a decade ahead of me.  At our age, a decade is a long time, yet passes quickly.

Six years ago this Easter, I was sailing the Intracoastal Waterway with Captain Kidd,   seems a short time ago...........

Just talked with a friend that I sailed with in 2021 on his Compac Pilot House, he had a spinal fusion last fall, and debating if he will sail this summer, he is only 67.

Another member here that I was hoping to sail with this summer had a skiing event, bunged up legs, does not expect to be sailing this summer.

Life can be unpredictable, seems to be run by the same entity that creates the weather.........

4 inches of snow outside,   so will not be walking out there today.  I do like snow, but now it is risky to walk on.  The sidewalks are shoveled, but also salted, I hate to track in the salt.

A special thought on your Mom's birthday, all but one of her children present is very special, and rare at 101 years.

[Roland of Macatawa]

A special thought on your Mom's birthday, all but one of her children present is very special, and rare at 101 years.

Indeed! Congratulations.

[Riley Smith]

PS- low tide! One of my buds almost got stuck in one of those little bayous as the tide left. He was pushing the boat to a BIGGER and DEEPER bayou and noticed a glimmer on the exposed mud below the salt grass line. It was a golden ring with a large ruby. Sitting proud just like the present it was. It was a very neat ring and I wondered if he rubbed it would a Genie appear 

[Wayne Howard]

A friend and I went fishing in a no name slough west of Sargent,TX just before a dry front came through. This slough opened into the Gulf ICW and the towboats had created a bar at the mouth. Anybody see the upcoming adventure? My friend's runabout could get in under most conditions by running full speed up to the bar then jerking the outboard up to slide over the bar and continue on up the slough. We had caught a couple of nice redfish just as the front was coming through. As the temperature went from comfortable to down right chilly, we decided to head home.

As we turned the last curve, the mouth of the slough came into sight and lo and behold the bar was now an island! The runabout doesn't draft hardly anything but it does have a draft and we did not clear the bar. Pushing and pulling the boat through the muck was a wet and filthy operation all the while it's getting cooler and cooler. And there is still the boat ride from here to the house and part of that is upwind.  It seems his wife was not too eager to have us tromp through her house with muddy clothes and shoes so we had to take off our pants and shoes outside and wash off the mud from our legs before coming in. (Mean wife)

And once we were dry and warm, there were still fish and a boat to clean. Anyway, that was the last time we fished that slough before a cold front. 

[Frank B.]

Well aware of the effect of a cold front with strong north winds on the tidal flows in the Gulf.  Often create a slick flat close in that might entice you to go out, but a good set of binoculars aimed at the horizon will show a jagged, saw tooth image that indicate large and rough seas not that far away.  In Mexico beach such conditions will bring the biting green head flies from the marshes behind that will drive you inside to wait for the wind to turn.

[Riley Smith]

I've used that wind shadow effect at the Labrot House, as the wind shifts out of the north and allows the water downwind of the bluff to be perfectly calm. Oh YES! And Frank isn't kidding about the saw-teeth EITHER! Those passes between the islands during a peak tidal flow can get frightful when the wind shifts from the north. I have avoided THAT situation all my life and will continue to do so.

As a perfect example, here is the front passing this morning. No tornadoes or bad stuff happened here, and not a whole lot of rain as I went to capture the first rays this morning. To the south is the front retreating and to the north a clear sky on the lake. Not readily apparent is the wind. I arrived just as the sky to the north started clearing. There was NO wind. As soon as the clear air moved close the wind began picking up, blowing all the clouds to Florida. And me back home for breakfast but I got what I went for in the third picture

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[Frank B.]

Riley, that particular front put Sheri and I in our "safe place" for an hour at about midnight last night.  Our safe place is a first floor, windowless, interior hall where the geometry of the frame makes it very stout. Sirens went off and we know the drill.  The closest touchdown was in Shannon, about twenty miles due south.

[Norm L.]

It has been strange that for the last year the very nasty red radar fronts have been diagonal passing to the west and north of New Orleans just north of Lake Pontchartrain.  Scary weather 30 miles north of us.

[Riley Smith]

 Lake Ponchartrain seems to create a "seam" that affects my area and we get less than others to the north. I never even woke up, which is unusual but I must have been deep in the sleep zone. Good thing nothing happened. We don't have sirens, just cell phone warnings which didn't happen. Some jackass awhile back sent a missing persons alert out at 3am though and almost gave me a heart attack.

[Captain Kidd]

Up here in the NWGA area we were under a tornado watch; my daughter, who lives 30 miles south of us, had a warning alarm go off on their phone. Not sure what or where anything touched down. The rain (or maybe it was the cat jumping) woke me up about 3:00 a.m. My wife heard some cracks of thunder. I must have fallen back asleep 'cause I didn't hear anything else.