Greetings,
Marlene and I have just spent a great weekend in Kemah, Texas with our fellow Cal-listers, Jay and Linda Jones, and their wonderful boat, Spirit Horse.  Jay and Linda are both originally from here in NE Oklahoma so we  have always had lots to talk about.  In fact, Spirit Horse is documented in Tahlequah, OK, the tribal seat for the Cherokee Nation, of which Jay is a member.   I'm glad we were finally able to take them up on their invitation to go sailing.

Friday evening was spent on the Kemah Boardwalk eating too much seafood and drooling after all of the magnificent boats.  If you like sailboats of all sizes, shapes, colors and makes this is the place to hang out....and the beer is pretty good, too.

Saturday morning found us eating (again) at the local sailor hangout, "Skippers" followed by a day of sailing and motorsailing on Galveston Bay.  Spirit Horse is a beautiful Cal 31 that Jay and Linda have been refurbishing.  Named for the horse of Native American legends, Spirit Horse does take you to "a better place".  They have done some great things with her and still have more to come.  I came home with lots of ideas. And she sails wonderful !!!  Wheeled steering, Harken furler with a 140 ginny, lazy jacks and lots of Sunbrella make here a pleasure to sail and to stay comfortable.  Lights breezes in the morning, a gulf shower in the early afternoon and stiff winds in the late afternoon made for an exhilarating cruise....not to mention the freighters and barges in the Galveston ship channel !  I never knew it was possible to sail at 7.3 knots with just a mainsail up but we did it !!!  What a ride !!

Saturday night found us doing what we do best....eating....at Steve's Landing on the Bolivar Pennisula and ICW, following an eight mile ferry ride from Galveston Island.  The food was great and the company was absolutely wonderful.  Jay knows so much about the area, the history and legends and the local sailors and  their boats.

A quick souvenir run back to Kemah on Sunday, and more boat lusting, was followed by the inevitable airport delays trying to go home.  Sailing is a much more calming and civilized way to travel !

If any of you ever have a chance to visit the Houston area make sure you look up Jay, Linda and Spirit Horse.  Cals seem to attract all the best people and this couple is right at the top of the list.  Now where did I put that To Do list...

Tony Rodriguez
Marlene's Magic
'73 Cal 27 PT, #255