I can still see with my mind’s eye a lot of fool things I did without thinking. Comes to mind sometime early into 1970 while serving with River Patrol Group SS, working off the YRBM 16 (Yard Repair Berthing and Messing) Barge; tethered out in the middle of the Mekong River, not far off was the village of Chau Doc and the mouth of the Vente Canal.

Both us and South Vietnamese were existing on the YRBM 16 and come time to go ashore, one just waited for the next patrol out and was dropped off in the village.

I was on a 35 ft. river patrol boat not far off from the YRBM 16 when an 18-ft. Kener ski barge (outboard motor boat) left for patrol. Armed to the teeth and with as many South Vietnamese sailors going ashore for some leisure time as it would hold.

Being one watching everything on the river, I noticed not long after it left the 16, the engine (outboard motor) sparked up, then caught fire. Some of the party on that boat decided it was time to bail out and face the river. The rest of the crew (undecided) waited ‘til the tank (gasoline) caught fire and followed suit.

Those sailors, being born on the river and all, knew what to do…took up with the current and made do ‘til picked up…with one exception of two sailors hangin’ on to the bow rope. Bam, boom, pott, pott, ping, and other such noises almost drownin’ out the caterwaulin’ of these two sailors hangin’ on, some billowing from the burning fiberglass.

Decision time was at hand. Being the only U.S. person on board a Vietnamese boat, I could only advise. Kind of requesting everyone on board to take cover and come close in, throw a line over and drag them two sailors off a ways to bring them safely on board. Advice or no advice, the crew was having no part of it. What was going on in that boat was a better part of Hades and I couldn’t really fault them.

Takin’ matters in my own hands, or should I say the good Lord’s, I just stripped down to bare essentials (at least I thought), fumbling with the laces on my boots. Can’t remember if my heart was racing or completely stopped.

I hit that river head on, not taking into account the current and the combat boot socks I didn’t take off. I had about one and one half foot of limp wool hangin’ off my feet. Until I wrestled with the current and pulled them socks off, I wasn’t for sure who was in more trouble – me or them two sailors hangin’ onto that burning boat!

Once the socks were off, it didn’t take but a few minutes (I thought it was an hour) to make up the distance I lost down river (offing the socks). Then a few more to get to the burning boat from where I started.

Here I was hangin’ on, both other parties dong the same; the pain on their faces, I was for sure resulted from a grenade or fired off ammunition in the burning boat above. You’d know it…the boat crew did what I told them to do at first. Just wouldn’t do to say what I thought at that time, takin’ account of the position I was in. They throwed us a line O.K., but one of the gentlemen I was helpin’ decided he wasn’t stickin’ around any longer. He takes the line, leavin’ me and the other just hangin’…boom, bam, and whatnot still going on and being aware of the heat and smoke. Making another pass was necessary to extract us from the floating inferno.

Can’t remember just how I got back on board our boat, but when we were clear and takin’ stock, no persons had a scratch. Them two sailors, out of a dozen, couldn’t swim!

I guess hindsight is, “if you’re going to be a sailor, learn to swim.” “And if you swim…take your socks off!” In my mind’s eye, it still feel good to do what I did.

Dr. John Nielson-Gammon, Texas State Climatologist and professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University, was recently asked by Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) to give his insight on the current drought in our state.

“Since October 1, 2010, we’ve had a little more than nine inches of rain on average for the state,” said Dr. Nielson-Gammon. “Normal would be about 23 inches, so we’re well below 50 percent.”

“If we don’t get 4.5 inches of rain between now and the end of September, we will have the driest one-year period ever, surpassing 1956, which is the drought of record for most places.”

“Up until the last month or so, the outlook for this winter looked really promising. Some of the indications now say that we might see another La Niña developing, which will tilt the odds toward another dry winter. The thing to worry about is the 50 percent chance of a La Niña this winter and the possibility that the drought will continue and water supplies will continue to get worse.”

“I suspect that if the drought continues like it has, sometime next year some places in the state will exceed their drought of record and with the increase of population and the increase of water use we’ll start seeing some serious problems. Hopefully during the next few months places will work out and try to figure out, ‘Well, what would happen if we had another dry year like this one? How much projections in water use would that be? What restrictions would we have to put in?.’ Not often can you see a disaster coming a year in advance, and certainly the odds are against a disaster next year, but the odds are a lot better now than they would be in other years. So this is a rare opportunity to plan ahead for a disaster that may be coming and prevent it from becoming a disaster.”

“It’s important to separate optional uses of water from mandatory uses of water. You have to drink; you don’t necessarily have to keep your lawn green throughout the year. The more water that gets conserved now, the more water is available for next year if the drought goes on into next year.”

Do you have questions about water? TWRI can help.

TWRI fosters and communicates priority water resources research and educational outreach programs throughout Texas. We have extensive listings of water conservation and drought resources, in addition to our various publications. We produce txH2O, a magazine published three times per year that features water research and education in Texas.

This special newsletter is distributed in association with New Waves, TWRI’s monthly email newsletter, which delivers breaking news about water resources education and research in Texas. To subscribe to TWRI publications, visit twri.tamu.edu/publications/subscribe.

Pictured: L-R, Dennis Brown, Executive Director of the Food Bank of the Golden Crescent, Carol & Jim West, hosts of the NGA Hooters Pro Am Golf Tour and Ramona Hollan, FBGC Director of Resource Development. The West’s presented the Food Bank with a check for $15,000. Proceeds from the Pro Golf Tour total $26,185 and will provide 167 children with Kid’s BackPacks containing nutritious food for the entire 2011-2012 school year.

My buddy and friend, Andy Lacy of Port O’Connor, passed away on Saturday, August 13, 2011. Andy and his wife Betty were visiting their daughter Cara Lacy Ball and her family in Portland Oregon.

Andy was born Andrew Miller Lacy on October 3,1931 in San Antonio, Texas. At the start of World War II his family moved to Orange, Texas. While attending school in Orange, Andy played football and ran track. After the war his family moved to the east end of Houston and Andy graduated from Milby High School. He was soon inducted into the United States Army and he served his Country during the Korean conflict. Soon after he came back stateside, he enrolled in the University of Houston where I met him and we became friends.

After I got back from my military service we got back together and went to work for Southwest Fab. Co. While working there we started fishing together down West Galveston Bay where his dad had a bay place. It was there that they taught me the art of wadefishing with artificial baits. To this day I know of no one better at catching specks with a gold spoon.

In the mid 70’s we both bought property in Port O’Connor and spent many a day enjoying fishing here. Those of us who knew and fished with Andy will miss him, and every time I go out in the bay I will think of him.

Andy is survived by his wife Betty; two sons, Kirk and Andy Harris Lacy; one daughter, Cara Lacy Ball; son-in-law, Zane Ball; and two grandchildren, Alexander Ball and Mimi Ball.

G.B. (Robby) Robertson

Ruby Jones Stanwood

Ruby Etta Jones Stanwood of Port O’Connor passed away August 13, 2011.

She was born August 12, 1941 in Lansing, North Carolina to Lillard Monroe Jones and Celia Stike Eldreth Jones.

She is survived by her husband Joseph Daniel Stanwood of Cedar Park, Texas; two daughters, Maria Amanda DeLeon Kalka of Victoria and Rosa Lee DeLeon of Seadrift; son, Juan DeLeon IV of Port O’Connor; and sister, Bernice Elizabeth Eldreth Scott of Elton, Maryland.

Ruby is preceded in death by son, Joseph Dean Stewart; three sisters, Nona Eldreth Pugh, Marie Eldreth Shiflett; Maxine Jones Demyha; and two brothers, Ralph Eldreth and Bill Eldreth.

Ruby was, for 36 years, the owner of Hurricane Junction in Port O’Connor. She had also worked in Seadrift as the manager of Blasingham Lumber.

A memorial service for Ruby was held at Port O’Connor Community Center on August 25, the Reverend Bill Reeves officiating.

Memorials in Ruby’s name may be made to Fisherman’s Chapel, P.O. Box 538, Port O’Connor, TX 77982 or Hospice of South Texas.