A Week at the Gulf Coast

Sunday Jan 22, 2023-Week 17 of my second year of van life

Well this week started off in Port Lavaca Texas, and ended less than 75 miles away, in Port Aransas! 😜😂

I parked on the beach facing the water, not far from the breaking waves. I awoke to the beautiful pastel, then changing to a bright orange sunrise, then changing to a silvery, cloudy scene with sun rays shining thru and then changed once more to add an orange tint, over the Gulf of Mexico.

I sat and just enjoyed the ever changing sunrise while drinking my coffee and getting ready for my day. I then drove around to visit and revisit a few places around the bay, before heading to the Aransas NWR. I first drove down a tiny dirt road around the lake. Stopping at several places to take pictures and iso birds. According to Google that road should've gone around the lake and back out to the hwy but instead lead to a huge hole, filled with water. 😂 A guy who was there with his dogs, enjoying the peacefulness and the sights, said it's been that way as long as he's known, so Google needs to update their maps. 😳 It's obviously been that way a very long time.

After driving back out to the hwy and stopping for gas etc I then took off for my destination for the rest of the day. I arrived at the Aransas NWR around 2pm and even though the winds were against me, 30mph most of the afternoon, I still was able to find lots of beauty and even saw a couple new birds. I saw a couple of alligators also, one about 5-6 ft and the other one about 8 ft.

There was apparently a 12 ft one but it was another mile down the path and I was running out of time and steam 😜 I'd already walked 3 miles and had more to go. The heat of the day was getting to me, plus I'm not sure how but I never found time to eat either. lol It's not that I forgot, I just kept saying when I get here or there I'll eat but time just got away and by the time I got back to my camp at nearly 6 pm! And still had never eaten, I was exhausted and so hungry! I thought I might eat everything in the van! But I was too tired to cook so I had peanut butter and jelly, a banana, and some cheese. Lol

My camp was at a tiny little town park outside of the refuge. They have electric and water hook-ups but since I didn't need any of that they let me stay for free. 🥰

The next day I awoke ready for an early entry into the refuge but fate had other plans. I thought I had a problem with my tire and was going to have to get a new one back in port lavaca, apparently it was fine. Although it took me more than half the day to find that out. I didn't get to the refuge until after 3 and didn't really feel like doing much hiking. It was another hot day. So I drove to the fishing pier and picnic area and leisurely ate my lunch which had been cooking in my hot logic since noon. It was tofu with cauliflower and cheese and an awesome sauce I found at Aldi's for just $1.99 I think tomato, basil and artichoke. It was yummy 😋 I meandered around there a bit then drove down to the songbirds trail and walked thru it, intending to go to the front of the rail trail but never got so far. Daylight was again about to run out and I still had to get back to the parking/camp spot.

Tuesday I left early and traveled in the direction of Rockport and Walmart to have my tires rotated and balanced again because it's time and it's "free" but mainly so they could check my tire. They agreed with the other guy that it seemed fine. Yeah!! I was relieved! So off I went to goose island state park. I was told the whooping cranes were there! And boy were they? Several! along with tons of roseate spoonbills!!!!! Also I found a few dozen black skimmers, an awesome looking bird I'd never even heard of!!! The name does it no justice at all, with its bright orange almost toucan-like bill and orange legs, white and black coloring of its body, its black eyes dissolving into the black making them appear to not have any. They look quite comical actually.

Thursday I drove around the bay and took the ferry to Port Aransas and mustang island and the ocean there, where you can also park for free on the beach. Not exactly free, as you have to buy a yearly beach pass for $12. 🥰 It's a totally different experience than at port Lavaca.

Which is still very cool. I mean it's the ocean! What's not to love? Ok well, sand everywhere is not nice 😂 but otherwise, I absolutely love the ocean.

Friday was very very windy! 45 mph winds!!! They said gusts but, it never let up that I could tell. Not the best time for birding but I went anyway and saw tons of cool birds. Then I went back to the beach and just watched the waves crashing on the shore. Awesome! It was also quite mesmerizing to watch the loose sand being blown over the hard packed sand which is the roadway, unless you needed to get out of your vehicle.😲 The winds continued at that rate until around midnight. I was actually surprised to find that I had paint left on that side of my van in the morning. 🤣

Btw, for those birders reading this and keeping up with it, my life list is now at 500! 🥰 The last dozen or so birds being waterfowl.

Anyone who loves birding, the coast of Texas is the place to go for sure! I thought Tucson and the areas surrounding it were birding meccas but, wow! Just, I'd advise staying far away from what look like fish cleaning stations. They're not! Or I guess they could be that too but I had a very unpleasant shock to say the least which disrupted my energy the rest of my day. 😳😢🦆😱😓

I hope everyone has had a wonderful, adventurous, and happy week. Tell me what fun and exciting things you've done this week or plan for the next.

Don't forget to visit my friends' website Sophiaswell.net and mine at Teresa-Stallings.pixels.com

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