Minimum Length Sailboat Ocean

ROCKPORT, Texas-The 9janv.-2011.

ROCKPORT, Texas-The 9janv.-2011.

map of our campsite.

The weather has been beautiful since we arrived. We took the opportunity to wash the motor and the car that had been soiled when we had a downpour started Tuesday afternoon. I took the opportunity to assemble the bicycles that I disassembled and placed in the car prior to departure in order to protect against salt and rust. I also repaired a water leak that had the rear control panel tanks. It worried me to undertake this work because I had no idea how it was done behind the panel and I also fear to discover that the water tank was cracked. Finally everything went very well and I just replaced the hose that ran neck.

I then checked the engine oil levels and other liquids. We have done 3500 km since we left and the engine did not consume a drop oil. That is excellent. I also restarted the icemaker from the fridge. It is necessary to disconnect the pipes and the drain to prevent freezing, what I did last November. With the return to warmer temperatures it was time to restart.

ideal conditions being Friday, we decided to go for a bike ride in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, a National Park located approximately 20 miles from Rockport. I installed the bicycles on their support behind the car while preparing lunch and Marielle we took the road towards the park.

Sanctuary, a protected area of 464 square miles located on the southwest side of the bay of San Antonio along the Gulf Coast, south Texas, which was established in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Birds that can be observed include ducks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills pink and finally white cranes, a species that was endangered but whose population has taken a lot of expansion since the 40s. With any luck, we can also see in the marshes and ponds, alligators, deer, snakes and wild cats.

http://www.wildlifehotspots.com/aransasnwr.html

http://www.stateparks.com/aransas.html

Caracara

The short route is 15 miles round trip. This is the one we chose. There was a second runs, which added 25 miles to the first but we were not equipped to repair a puncture in need and we decided to be cautious and to call this ride later. All in all, it was a beautiful day with beautiful ideal temperature for this type of exercise.

Gilbert

There were two registrations with RV parked in front of Quebec us at the campground. We decided to invite them home for a 5-7 Saturday night. We have thus made the acquaintance of Pierre Tremblay Ginette St-Marseille and Sylvie Auger and Gilbert Labelle. As we approach the hour of supper, Sylvie Gilbert and inform us that they had a piece of meat (brisket) to the oven was big enough to feed everyone and it also had potatoes. After the No, No, No betting in a similar situation, we quickly decided to take advantage of their generosity and we hosted a dinner in our motorhome.

Ginette Pierre and

We enjoyed an excellent meal generously sprinkled with wine in the company of charming and interesting people who have the same dreams as us and have the same experience.

The thunder and lightning woke us up around 4 am the next night. We suffered a storm of unusual strength. At some point, the wind became so violent that I was afraid that they pull the canvas over the rear extension and I decided to close it. Then the rain turned into hail, making a terrible din. We were very happy when the storm finally subsided and we thanked God for not having been at anchor on our boat as the anchor would have probably dropped and the consequences would probably have been worse.

Sylvie my right

Sunday did not have a great day and as we left the next morning, we have everything ready for departure even attached self behind the motorhome. The next morning our new friends are kindly came to greet us before we departure. At 9 o'clock we were off to Mercedes, a small Texan town on the border of Mexico.