The stern showing the tiller/rudder assembly on Pelican.
15-20 knots from the northwest, the exact direction we were headed. Oh well, that is what two engines are for, I figured. The two little 8-hp motors pushed us along at 4-5 knots, even into the cold 15-knot wind. Somewhere around the halfway point is where I had the first of what I am sure will be many heart stoppers. Pelican was in the center of the river in 20 feet of water as I started the turn onto Bluff Creek…BUMP-BUMP…I looked at the sounder, 2 feet! The props were kicking mud up, but she cleared. Doing this for the first time causes a feeling that defies words, and it is definitely not good. I knew that there would be groundings, but the first day, come on! Thankfully, no damage was done and we never actually came to a stop. The rest of the trip was uneventful. Both the crew and I were getting used to things. Pelican handled well and all was fine until we reached the dock. Now remember, this was only my second time to dock this big joker, and the crew had never docked a boat before. The wind was blowing onto the dock, and the current was from ahead. There was another boat tied just up current from our slip. We bumped against the piling pretty hard — just a scratch. A scary moment, yes, but all was well. It gets your heart pumping and it makes memories. It absolutely requires your undivided attention and whole-hearted participation. At the end of the day, you know you have accomplished something. As scared as you were, so are you proud.
Small bait trawlers were working the channel south of the bridges. As they worked, they attracted several dolphins. These were the first that we had seen in a long time, and it was good to see them. Many small boats churned the waters of the harbor, alongside the massive warships that lined the west bank. Pelican was introduced to her first real open water chop as we cleared Spanish Point and the entrance of the Pascagoula Inner Harbor. The southeast wind and chop were right on our nose, but Pelican paid no notice to either. After motoring out the channel, it was time to sail. We got the motors up and bore off on a starboard tack, close hauled. Our destination was the west end of Petit Bois Island. The day was absolutely beautiful. The southeast wind was steady and stayed 10-12 knots. Sunny skies, with 2-3 foot seas made for a great first day’s sail! We did some practice tacks, and at about 3:30 p.m., the anchor was set just off the island. The original plan was to anchor close enough to go ashore in the dink. A walk on the sand would have been good, but the wind was just a little too high. We made supper, watched the ships, listened to some music, star-gazed, and finally went to sleep. Cathy and Victoria had performed very well, but they were obviously tired. The trip back under power took about five hours. I had learned a lot about the boat, the crew, and had fun to boot. There are a few items that need to be fixed or changed before we sail again. Our next adventure will be sailing to Dauphin Island, Alabama.
Our Maiden Trip to the Island Finally, we were going to head out to open water. Our destination was Petit Bois Island, part of the Gulf Island National Seashore. This would be Pelican’s first sail and a chance for me to see any problems — a “shakedown” cruise. The cheerful chirping of the birds and the smell of the bayou made its way into the boat and woke me early. The wind was out of the southeast and forecast to stay there for the next few days. I wanted the weather to be perfect. First impressions are important to a green crew. We motored down the river to an old storm-battered pier on the Pascagoula River, just north of the Highway 90 bridge. A few shrimp boats were tied up here and there. We stopped for the night to avoid starting our sail in the dark. Our mascot, a pelican, perched on a nearby piling and stayed all night. We settled in, ate supper, and Victoria did some schoolwork. News & Views for Southern Sailors
SOUTHWINDS
January 2008
51