Another night in the 30's with today's high somewhere in the 50's. At least the sun was out again and there was no wind for a change. The Nueces River flows up to and then back down from the town of Three Rivers (where they have a huge refinery). This part of the river is 40-50 feet wide, a greenish brown and flows 2 knots or so. Mud banks rise on either side of the river 5-15 feet high. Live oaks are draped in Spanish moss, covered with vines or stand there naked.
After only a mile of paddling upstream, the river narrowed to 25 feet or so and shoaled. I tried working my way up one side and then the other without success. I could have gotten out and lined the boat up I suppose but it just didn't seem worth the effort of getting my feet wet. So I let myself drift back down with the current.
A couple of ducks took flight and there was, of course, the ever present blue herons. As I drifted past the put in I spotted two deer on the far shore. They spotted me too. I continued to drift and it was amusing to watch them crane their necks to see around trees that came between us as I moved downstream.