763 March 30-31, 2022 Last Beach Overnight Trip
Wednesday was a weird weather day. During the night it had been really windy. With the dawn it was cloudy and still. I tried a walk and when I was 1 mile away from the campsite, it began to rain. Tim came with the Jeep to rescue me. I waited a while and then went out again. It was sunny but it was quite windy again.
In the end, I walked even further than usual just in 2 parts. I saw three deer near the road.
Beach blanket flower.
We wanted to go out on the beach and camp again. We were waiting for the winds to abate. We watched the windsurfers in Laguna Madre. Most of our neighbors here at Bird Island have all the gear. They wait for optimal conditions and when the winds are just right…out they go! People with smaller sails and boards like it windier. People who have larger sails like less wind.
We left in late afternoon. We stopped at the pond to check on the turtles.
We traveled 22 miles on the beach and found a great spot. Just as we arrived at 3:38, it was high tide. We knew if we set up the tent above the high-water mark, we would be just fine with the next high tide at 1:21am.
We passed a pleasant evening watching the birds and the waves. We enjoyed our dinner and a fire.
Sunset.
When we settled for bed, the ocean waves sounded very loud but they proved to be very soothing and we were soon asleep. Tim was awake at midnight and he checked the tide line. It was far enough away from the Jeep. In the morning though, he realized that the tide had come all the way to the ladder. The water had wrapped itself around the large log we had used for our fireplace. Ocean water had flooded the firepit. Shew…that was close!
Sunrise.
On the way out this morning, we passed this stuck truck. The owner had tried to dig his way out with a shovel. We saw this same guy stuck in the sand yesterday at about MM10. We stopped then to see if we could help. A guy with a pickup truck had tried to use a tow strap to pull him out but was not successful. A young man with a Winnebago Campervan used his winch to pull the box truck out. Tim suggested that the box truck turn around and go back. Only high clearance 4WD vehicles are advised beyond MM5. So, the driver of the white truck must have decided to continue on his way down the beach. The tires were mired in deep soft sand. There was nothing we could do for him…we are too light…even so, you would think after being stuck yesterday, he might have made another choice! Who knows just how many times he had been stuck in between! Maybe he relies on the kindness of strangers to help him out. Maybe he drives along for awhile until he gets stuck and then waits for someone to yank him out before he drives on again…
Tim discovered a couple of cracks in the Jeep rack the holds the tent. We aren’t sure yet what the permanent fix will be. A new part takes 12-16 weeks to fabricate and ship. In the meantime, Tim propped the rack with piece of wood and fastened it with wire. We hope that should hold until we get home.
It took us an hour to drive the 22 miles back to the RV. We unpacked and rested for a short time. We went to Corpus Christi for supplies. We also found a carwash.
We got some exercise in this afternoon. I took a walk to the boat ramp. These white pelicans were hanging around, waiting for the castoffs from the fishermen coming in.
Paddleboarder with dog.
Tim had another flat tire and had to use my bike.
This is our last evening on Padre Island. One last sunset on the bay.
Tomorrow, we will drive north toward Houston.
