When we launched at Magnolia Beach earlier in the day, we’d decided this would be our camp for tonight, and surely others would be there by now. I’ve gone back a couple of times to check on a friend who hasn’t sailed for three years due to some rough cancer treatments, and I’m running later than I’d like.
After sailing past the Port O’Connor jetties, I anchor for a half hour to give my friend a chance to catch up…but I’m running out of time. Pass Cavallo is different every time I’ve been there since Hurricane Harvey roared through the area in 2017. I do not feel confident I can find today’s version of the pass in the dark.
Filled with misgivings, I haul the anchor up and sail on.
In the last of the light I see masts a mile or so away, and an anchor light on one of the boats. I head for it. As the sun drops below the horizon it gets dark quickly—really dark. Darker than normal, even. I have read something about Saharan Desert dust in the air, maybe this is a side effect. It’s 2020, after all.
I drag my Mayfly 14, Gamaray, ashore right at 9 p.m. One of the other guys immediately texts our missing friend. He replies that he’s on a beach across from Port O’Connor with a couple of other Texas 200 boats, and that they are camping there for the night. I don’t know why I was worried about him—this guy is smarter and has more sailing experience than pretty much anyone I know. We make plans to meet up at Army Hole the next day, and as I am changing into my dry camp clothes I notice that my clip-on sunglasses are still clamped onto the frame of my glasses. The Mystery of The Darkness is solved.
Denne historien er fra January - February 2021-utgaven av Small Craft Advisor.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra January - February 2021-utgaven av Small Craft Advisor.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A HEAD FOR RUBATO
I dislike port-a-potties. I'm not too fond of poop in any form, really, being non-scatological by nature.
THE ARTFUL SAILOR
Ain' nothin' new about using sails as nautical billboards. The ancients painted all sorts of signs and symbols on their sails.
Twin Keels
OUT WIHUEIRIJE with Howard Rice
Cedar Key 2022 Windy Boat Meet
Cartop Cruising
A New Trailer
THE BIGHTS
PLAN STUDY: Fancy Free
If you're looking for a simple and inexpensive cruising sailboat with traditional character, our FANCY FREE should fill the bill. The sharpie-dory hull with flat-bottom, hard-chine form is ideal for the amateur.
BOAT REVIEW: Rhodes 22 Revisited)
Overlooked by the masses, admired by owners—there are good reasons the Rhodes 22 has been in production for over a quarter century.
Another Favorite Mod
The always creative Tom Luque sent us details on one of his favorite modifications
BLOODY TUESDAY
“Although the author if indeed he even used his real name) calls this story fiction, we arent so sure. You be the judge. Eds
CRUISING ISLE ROYALE
I sle“ Royale on Lake Superior is one of my favorite places to cruise. Established as a National Park in 1931, Isle Royale is located about 20 miles off the North Shore of Lake Superior near the Minnesota/Canadian border.
