The Steamtug Blog

What did you do for the 4th of July celebrations? We had the Friday the 3rd off which is the way they usually take public holidays off, then Saturday my new friends Will and Sarah took me out on their boat, cruising all the way up the Calcasieu river, tying up at the river side boozer at Logger head! We departed early in the morning so as not to get caught up in the crowds at the boat ramp, and things were even more quiet than expected. The weather here in Southwest Louisiana is damn hot everyday. I tell them that summer is hotter in Australia, as temperatures here are around 90 to 95. I thought water boiled at 100, but I guess with different atomospheric pressures up here on the top of the planet, it doesn’t boil till 212! So in normal language, its around 35 degrees every single day. Sure its hotter at home in Geelong, but it’s hot one day, then cooler for a few days, unlike here where it never gives up! So it was hot out on the water in the full sun as we cruised up through the breakwater. Many years ago, Lake Charles was all fresh water until they cut the shipping channel up through the Calcasieu, and even beside it when it twisted a bit, making a new deep water path for the salt water to flow up. If it wasn’t for the shipping channel, I would not be here! But many locals say it was an environmental disaster as the ecology of the whole river and lake system changed. So just North of Prien lake, and Lake Charles it self, they constructed as lock gate which prevents the salt water going further up. We have had lots of rain, so its open with good water flows south down the river. We had a BBQ cook up in Will’s backyard, and walked down to see the fireworks, harbour side when it got dark after dinner. For such a small town of Lake Charles, with 80,000 people, they sure put on a great display! It look great over the water with the 2 main casinos standing proudly in the background. Lots of beers and a really fun day!

Air Freight arrives!

Exciting news! My air freight has arrived! Its always exciting when stuff arrives from home. But there was really nothing too exciting in there… mostly just all my clothes. Coats, scarfs, wooly hats and gloves. Just what you need when its still hot in the morning when you go to work because it never has a chance to cool off here. At least there was some excitement with my ship’s clock and barometer, and the little ships telegraph that I planned to put up in Edelweiss one day. And my Geelong footy jumpeer which I have hanging on the lounge room wall.

I got my driver’s license! Louisiana style!

When you drive here in Louisiana, you have to prove you had at least 8 hours in the classroom on how to drive, then a minimum of 8 hours experience behind the wheel. I took a certificate I got from working with Origin in Queensland for advanced 4WD training which was a 3 day course I did with the RACQ with classroom stuff, a practical driving lesson in the bush, and a group lesson on how to recover a 4WD from being bogged, flat tyre and more. I presented the certificate to the authorities here in Louisiana and they would not accept it as proof I could drive a car. So I had to drive my car down to the driving school early on a Saturday morning and sit in a class filled with 15 year old kids who were getting their license before they went back to the new school year in August. Next, I drove my car to the driving school, then jumped in the learn to drive car with Miss Heather, my instructor who took me for a 2 hour lesson (at enormous expense). I had to do this 4 times until she could take me for my driving test. They taught me all kinds of skills I never knew, like how to drive on the wrong side of the road, how to ignore red traffic lights as long as your only turning, how to answer the phone while driving, how to avoid other crazy drivers who are too busy dialing their friends to pay attention to me coming along behind them, and most importantly who to drive with 0.8 blood in my alcohol stream. Still, I must have shown a little prior experience (like 30 years!) as she passed me first go! I then had to take the test certificate down to the office of motor vehicles and the took my photo for my license. Do you sense a little irony in this process??? Anyway, it cost me $500 all up, but I’m glad its all over!