bamamick
12-11-2005, 04:33 PM
But I am getting better. We had a small turnout (4 boats), but two of the guys I consider big guns, and the other guy won every race when we sailed in the spring. I was in the races this time and was doing very well in one of them, but a 5 knot oscillating breeze is not my forte and I got caught out of sequence. Anyway, I'll beat someone sooner or later. A couple of the guys who were going to sail had to cancel at the last moment. We still feel good about the Finn fleet down here. We'll get it going.
As far as New Orleans goes, like Venchka said, it's just a big mess. I've lived here all my life, so the hurricane stuff didn't really shock me. Just a bloody big mess that someone has to clean up. But will they, that's the question? I estimate that a couple hundred thousand people working like mad would spend years cleaning this up, and where would they live while they did that? Every big parking lot is a tent and camper city now. National Guardsmen are still patrolling the streets every day.
Probably the biggest shock to me was the visible water lines on houses five miles and more from the lake. I am talking water lines 6-7 feet high. Because of the mess this entire thing is being trated as a biohazard, with the cleanup folks having to dress out. It's going to take years, folks. The east side, which is basically as big as Mobile, is totally abandoned. A ghost town.
One thing to remark on: New Orleans has alway had this great reputation for hospitality, but I will tell you that among the sailing community around here it has been known for arrogance. I am sorry to post something negative but it's true. We have a saying here that the people get nicer the more east you go (into the Florida panhandle). Well, the folks that I talked to yesterday were like a new people entirely. Everyone was nice, helpful, and interested in us. I was actually thanked for making the three hour drive over, which I can tell you has never happened before, and I have sailed at New Orleans more times than I can remember. God bless 'em. They have been through hell over there, they really have. I will always remember the contrast between the wreckage of the harbors and the smiles on the faces at the two clubs.
Mickey Lake
As far as New Orleans goes, like Venchka said, it's just a big mess. I've lived here all my life, so the hurricane stuff didn't really shock me. Just a bloody big mess that someone has to clean up. But will they, that's the question? I estimate that a couple hundred thousand people working like mad would spend years cleaning this up, and where would they live while they did that? Every big parking lot is a tent and camper city now. National Guardsmen are still patrolling the streets every day.
Probably the biggest shock to me was the visible water lines on houses five miles and more from the lake. I am talking water lines 6-7 feet high. Because of the mess this entire thing is being trated as a biohazard, with the cleanup folks having to dress out. It's going to take years, folks. The east side, which is basically as big as Mobile, is totally abandoned. A ghost town.
One thing to remark on: New Orleans has alway had this great reputation for hospitality, but I will tell you that among the sailing community around here it has been known for arrogance. I am sorry to post something negative but it's true. We have a saying here that the people get nicer the more east you go (into the Florida panhandle). Well, the folks that I talked to yesterday were like a new people entirely. Everyone was nice, helpful, and interested in us. I was actually thanked for making the three hour drive over, which I can tell you has never happened before, and I have sailed at New Orleans more times than I can remember. God bless 'em. They have been through hell over there, they really have. I will always remember the contrast between the wreckage of the harbors and the smiles on the faces at the two clubs.
Mickey Lake