Tag Archives: Lake Travis

It’s a boat, 5

Posted on June 24, 2007 | Comments Off on It’s a boat, 5

Got the gas aboard this morning for tomorrow’s early trip to Yacht Harbor Marina, even if the forecast is for a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms. I think the forecast is overly broad, as the area most at risk is east of I-35, not Lake Travis in the hills west of Austin. So, it’s worth a gamble. If there’s lightning in the sky, I’ll call the marina and cancel. If not, I’ll motor the 2-3 miles to their dock and tie up. Then… multiple problems. Get the jib off the forestay, and the mainsail out of the mast, detach the topping lift, lazy jacks and boom vang. Then unhitch the boom. If it’s not pouring by then, the rerigging might get done. If it is, and the rigger wants to put it off, I can always take a cab back to my car and go home.

UPDATE  Well, I find that LCRA is forecasting only 40 percent for Monday, and they run the lakes.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Sailing, Weather/Climate

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Flood gates to open

Posted on June 18, 2007 | Comments Off on Flood gates to open

The rains ended yesterday, but the runoff is still flowing and Lake Travis is now at 682.14, about a foot higher than it was Friday. So LCRA is making plans:

"At 4 p.m. today, LCRA plans to fully open one floodgate at Buchanan Dam and to increase releases from Mansfield Dam from about 5,000 cfs with two hydro units to about 7,500 cfs with three hydro units. Inks Lake will rise to about two feet above its spillway. Tomorrow morning at about 8 a.m., LCRA plans to open one floodgate at Mansfield Dam for a total release of about 12,000 to 13,000 cfs."

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Posted in Sailing, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Travis still rising

Posted on June 17, 2007 | Comments Off on Travis still rising

LCRA says the weekend’s rain is expected to end tonight, but Lake Travis is still taking in runoff from storms in the watershed, including one area that got almost six inches overnight, and the lake is expected to be about 683 feet above mean sea level by next weekend. That would be about 18 inches above where it is now, which might put the rest of the parking lot at Anderson Mill marina underwater. With the sloop’s rerigging scheduled for Monday, the 25th, I’ll have to hope the water isn’t full of debris and boating banned by then. It should take me about thirty minutes to motor to Yacht Harbor Marina for the work, unless there’s logs and other big stuff to dodge.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Sailing, Texana, Weather/Climate

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It’s a boat, 4

Posted on June 16, 2007 | Comments Off on It’s a boat, 4

Sloop.JPG

It was in the inviting 70s this afternoon so I went out and continued working on the sloop. Decided to stick with the old cabin lights, aged-looking as they are, until they quit, before using the new ones. Hooked up the new gel battery with the trickle-charge from the solar panel on the top of the boom there, but left the new charger installation to another time. The tuned-up Suzuki 4 started on the second pull. Next is the dreaded cleaning and painting of the teak, seen here in all its decrepitude. But if overnight rains don’t cause flooding, I believe I’ll motor out into the channel tomorrow. See if I can shed some of the marine life I can see on the rudder, and can’t see but can assume is on the keel and the bottom of the hull. Want to hold off sailing until the rerigging is done on the 25th.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Sailing

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Lakes filling

Posted on June 16, 2007 | Comments Off on Lakes filling

LCRA site shows Lake Travis has risen about 12 inches since last night’s rain, as flow rates rise in the Llano and Pedernales rivers. Indeed:

"Inflows from overnight rains are slowly filling the Highland Lakes. Flood operations are not anticipated at this time. However the chances of flood operations this weekend have become more likely as the lakes fill."

They’ll start later this afternoon with hydrogeneration at Mansfield Dam, and likely stick with that if the predicted more rain in the watershed doesn’t start driving the level up too fast. Opening flood gates always seems to be the last resort, given it’s a reservoir, and opening too many can flood people living along Lake Austin farther downstream. Those folks are sure to be watching LCRA’s balancing act.

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Posted in Sailing, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Great Blue Heron

Posted on June 13, 2007 | Comments Off on Great Blue Heron

GreatBlue.JPG

You might have trouble imagining a sparrow to be the descendent of a dinosaur. But it’s easy with these birds, pterodactyl-like as they are, especially in flight. This one was fishing on Lake Travis. 

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Posted in Texana

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It’s a boat, 2

Posted on June 8, 2007 | Comments Off on It’s a boat, 2

Meteorologist Troy Kimmel emails that we can expect scattered showers this afternoon from a cold front making its way southeast across Texas. Thought I saw a surprising amount of dark clouds over Lake Travis this morning when I was out there working on the sloop. Got the cabin cleaned out, finally, and all cushions vacuumed and the surfaces wiped down with Lysol. Next I want to paint the interior teak, before starting work on the teak bin boards and doghouse trim. Next big problem to solve is getting the outboard overhauled. The one place that works on Suzukis is swamped with work. Meanwhile I’ve a re-rigging planned for the 18th at Yacht Harbor marina, a few miles away, but can’t get there easily without a motor. Not in a hurry, anyway. I could sail back, after the rigging’s completed, but still got to get there.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Sailing, Weather/Climate

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