14 Feb 13

Pulled out of Morgan City about 9:00 and headed east through the Bayou Boeuf Locks. About 10:30, we pulled into the McDermott Fabricators’ slip in Amelia and cruised up to see the decks of the Alen platforms, which have been loaded out on a huge, ocean-going barge for the trip to Equatorial Guinea, west Africa. I worked on the Alen project for nearly two years prior to commencing my “sabbatical of indeterminate length”. Several of my former colleagues waved and shouted verbal abuse and encouragement as we motored stately past the barge. We motored on the rest of the 34 miles to Houma Downtown Marina, arriving about 20 minutes behind “Longhawk”. My old work buddy - Ken Hebert - and his wife came down to the boat for docktails and dinner. Unfortunately, as it was Valentines Day, there was not a seat to be had in any restaurant in town, so we ordered take-out pizza delivered to the boat. The marina is about 10 feet - literally - off the ICW under and between the two big highway bridges that connect north and south Houma. We had a steady stream of barges and tugs going through all night long, but slept well as we knew they could not get to us.