From: gb0wbff@vm.tcs.tulane.edu
Subject: Andrew Nuks
Nntp-Posting-Host-[nntpd-2295]: boxorain.sob.tulane.edu
Organization: Freeman School of Business, Tulane University
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 20:41:18 GMT

Andrew's near miss of New Orleans resulted in the first good days of Lake
Pontchartrain sailing, hopefully a omen for a good fall season.

Tuesday dawned calm with the city in a frenzy of hurricane prep.  Not a 
battery, loaf of bread, or quart of milk to be had; the stores were cleaned out
and everyone was home except for a few hardy souls sitting at the municipal
harbor on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain looking for wind.

That morning I had to go over to Mississippi to help my parents board up their
camp. When I drove back across the lake at noon on I-10 small white caps were
developing, about 15mph or so.  I thought I'd go check out the usual sailing
spot, the boat launch at the municipal harbor.  By the time I got there it was
noon and everyone was on 5.0's, a non-normal occurrence in New Orleans in
August.  The wind was out of the northeast with about a 30 mile fetch.  The
lake's average water depth is only 15ft. making for lots of short steep chop.

I rigged a 5.0 and went out, and got slammed, too much sail.  Went down to a
4.5 and had a great time, reaching back and forth accoss the south shore for 2
hours or so, by then the wind had picked up to ?? and I went down to my
smallest sail size, 3.9.  However a combination of my first session in 3 months
and very gusty conditions made me pack up and go home after an hour.  The levee
board police asking us to leave also had something to do with it.

I went home and made sure all my own hurricane prep was done.  As usual with
good prep of this sort it turned out to be unnecessary.  Andrew missed New
Orleans by about 60mi to the SW.  Good news for us, but sad for the people in
Morgan City.

Wednesday dawned windy and overcast, but out of the south now.  The electricity
had gone off at home the night before but the wind hadn't ever gotten over
about 60mph.  I went out for a walk, I live 2 blocks from the MS river and it
was capping like crazy, for a minute I thought about sailing on it then I
thought about every town from MN to LA dumping everything in it.  

After the power came back on at 10 am I kissed the kids and went out to the
lake.  I was the first one out there and the police were still blocking access,
they said absolutely no sailing the water was still rising.  I pleaded to just
go and see what it looked like and they said I could go look for 10 minutes
only.  However after five they drove back to the launch and said they were
leaving and if I was crazy enough to sail go ahead.

I started rigging my 3.9 and two other cars drove up from yesterday, Mark
Richards and Rob Myers ready for more.  We went out and started to get slammed
around a lot but loving it.  The Coast Guard station a mile away was calling it
20 knots with 35knot gusts, HELP.  Whatever it was I had a hard time sailing
it.  I'd skip from wave to wave when a gust hit and then bury my leeward rail
and die!  Any tips on how to sail in these conditions would be appreciated. 
After a couple of hours I left for a beer (or two) and fried oyster poor boys
for fuel.

Rick Boebel, a kook having a good time.