Mileage:  70,891

Malaquite Beach Campground Padre Island National Seashore Corpus Christi, Texas

The sun was shining when we woke up this morning!!  What a difference the sunshine makes!  We drove 20 short miles to the National Park.

Padre Island National Seashore is the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world.  It looks much the same as it did when Karakawa Indians lived here hundreds of years ago. 

We camped at the beach.  This is our view.

We packed lunch and went to go for a drive.  As we passed the visitor center, we saw a sign for a sea turtle release.  We hurried to the ramp but we had missed it by minutes.  The crowd of people was coming back from the beach.  We were able to watch a sea turtle release several years ago and it was amazing.  The rangers rely on spectators to help safely guide the small turtles to the surf…and then we all cheered for the tiny little beings making their way into that big ocean…

We drove out onto the sand and saw this jellyfish.

We stopped and picked up trash again today.  Another 8 bags full.

Our lunch and turnaround spot at MM25.  At this mile marker, the Loop and the Yucatan currents collide.  The beach is full of shells and of course, trash.  This piece of beach is nicknamed Devil’s Elbow.

Golden hour.

November Days of Thanksgiving Day #15:  We are grateful for the people who help to save the sea turtles and for the people who try to preserve the beach…for our grandchildren.