Mardi Gras In Mobile and Splash!

Greetings to all from Mobile as we continue to get cruise ready. While we made into the water yesterday... hooray!...
we think that it may be short-lived. Our dinghy davit system does not line up properly with the transom of the dinghy itself.  There will need to be some reconfiguring of the brackets that support the dinghy when it is in the upright position. This will mean that we will be in and out of the water several more times. We are not happy about this as this was all to have been completed before the boat was shipped..... but wasn't.

This event though was not without celebration though. Our new friends from Denmark have been on the hard all this time as well. Their sailboat was repaired and put in the water just after us. So a bottle of Prosecco was found, uncorked, and toasts made. They have to get their mast stepped and do a few other things before they depart. They will probably leave on Monday or Tuesday depending on the weather. Their next destination is Cuba.

On the lighter side we have spent some fun time together and enjoyed going to Mardi Gras parades a few times. Mardi Gras in Mobile has a longer history than that in New Orleans dating back to 1703. The celebration of "mystic societies" discontinued during the Civil War but resumed again in 1867. These societies continue today. The parade that we went to on Saturday night was put on by the "Mystics of Time".

The first time we attended we pulled off the freeway and asked a police officer where was the best place to park? We explained that we were both from out out the area. He said that we should park right behind his car in the freeway median. So we did. When we came back the next time we did the same. We like free parking with an armed guard close by.

As we walked to the downtown area

we passed many celebrations in action in hotel parking lots

where local walk around bands played jazz

and high school bands warmed up before the parade started. Of course there were street vendors everywhere selling all kinds of Mardi Gras memorabilia.

Along the way were entertained by street musicians and you can imagine the people watching opportunities at an event like this.

After dinner at an historic inn...

 we proceeded to the parade route up the street. We managed to get a spot where the police observation post was set up after we arrived. That made us wonder if what we might be in for but there was nothing to be worried about while there.

The parade itself was made up of large paper mache floats..

marching bands and groups of all ages...

And look who came home with all the beads. How do you think she got those?

Nautical Word For The Day: [from seatalk.info]         

Fetch:                                                                       

1. The distance over which the wind can blow unobstructed by land before reaching the observer.                         

2. The distance which the effect of seas can travel               unobstructed by land before reaching the observer.    

From Great Loop Jargon:                                            

3. A southern term indicating that someone is going to get something. Example: I'm fixing to fetch some grits... "wansum"?