Once around...

I was up early this morning.  The forecast is calling for a front to move in - windy before cooler and rainy by tomorrow night.  I considered taking the boat out for a sunrise cruise, when Joan came out of the bedroom: "I thought you'd be out on the boat before it turns windy."

"Well, I was thinking about... yeah, I'm going to head out.  She walked with me down to the dock, "Do you want me to push off?"

"I might as well give it the ol' solo try."

Goodness, this boat is easy; as it moved away from our dock, I slid in to the helm seat and gave it just a little bit of gas.  Nice view looking down the canal...

I waved good-morning to our neighbor Susan; neither of us wanted to raise our voice so we didn't wake any other neighbors.  At the end of our canal, the first view of the rising sun...

No camera manipulations, just a beautiful view.  Turning down the next canal to head out...

I decided to do a "once around the island," planning to time it to catch the 8:00 bridge opening on my way back in.  In the turning basin, I came upon the first of two tugs pushing barges...

That is the same tug, different light according to my location.  For the second shot, the sun was at my back...

 This guy on a daymark...

That is on the Port Isabel Channel, where I came upon the second tug...

They were about 10 to 15 minutes apart - that may alter the 8:00 bridge opening.  I turned on my radio to monitor the bridge frequency.  Heading down the ship channel, looking towards SPI...

I enjoy the quickly changing color temperature as the sun rises.  I looked at the camera, the Lumix this morning... "Hmm, a 'star filter.'"

That might be good for lights at night, but a bit hokey on the early morning sun.

I saw a couple dolphins, moving fast.  I could see their movements, but a bit too far away for this camera.  Then, a couple more behind me.  I pulled off the power and waited.

They were right there.  And then, not.  Oh well, I couldn't dawdle if I wanted to make the bridge opening.  The water was lovely, just starting to get some wind.  I pushed the throttle up to 4,000 RPM and was doing 14 knots.  A pleasant ride, but I like the quiet with a lower throttle setting.

I heard the first tug clearing the bridge, and there were going to hold the bridge for the second tug instead of closing in between.  I turned north in the Laguna Madre.  A sportfisher heading out of the marina there...

Looking north in the Laguna...

I bumped the throttle up to time it so I could go through the bridge as the second tug/barges cleared it.  I called the bridge tender to coordinate that move.  He came back with, "Yah-da-oh-si-muy-chi-chi..." 

That isn't a critique on his radio technique, I can't understand him when face-to-face... it is even worse on the radio.  I came back with "Sorry, that was 'garbled.'  I'll plan to come through the bridge unless I see you closing it.  Otherwise, I'll let you clear traffic and go through in five minutes for the 8 o'clock opening."  Just making sure there was going to be some opening for me.  When I got close I called again, "If you can leave it just a sliver there, I'll slip right through."

"Oh, OK..." and then some other stuff I couldn't understand.  I waved as I went through, he waved back.  I guess we're good.

On the other side of the bridge, I could see another sportfisher coming this way.  He called the bridge, making sure he would get the 8 o'clock opening.  The response, "Yah-da-oh-si-muy-chi-chi..."

There was a moment of silence while the boat crew asked each other if they could understand that (I could see three of them at the upper helm), followed by... "Umm... Roger."

A beautiful morning.  The wind was just starting to come up as I came down our canal.