After yesterday's paddle I drove back to the coast. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is 35+ miles above Corpus Christi where I hoped to see the endangered whooping crane. I camped at Goose Island State Park in Rockport. During an evening walk I came across a dozen or so white pelicans, several brown pelicans, a blue heron, a few American egrets, a couple of snowy white egrets, a dozen or so Ibises, some ducks and a large hawk.
While having supper I leaned back with my arm over the back of the chair, my hand hanging down with a piece of bagel in it. The next thing I know I feel a tugging on the bagel and it's gone. A gold colored squirrel had come right up to me and ripped me off. He was a fat little sucker with absolutely no fear. I chased him and he finally condescended to climb a tree, but only a few feet. He'd just hide on the other side from me. I could have reached around and caught it if I wanted to.
This morning was another bright morning in the upper 50's with lots of sunshine. I had wanted to paddle up to Aransas NWR but a strong 10+ knot wind was blowing out of the south. That might have pushed me the 12 miles or so to the whooping crane rookery but I'd spend the next three days trying to get back. I gave up that plan pretty quickly.
Putting in at the state park boat ramp I paddled out past 60-70 Ibises chowing down on the mud flats. I thought we were nearing high tide but there wasn't much water in the bay. I noted several new duck blinds out in the water of the bay as I followed a buncha posts towards San Jose Island.
1+ foot wind waves kicked up around me. I haven't used the rudder since I bought the boat. I thought this might be a day I'd want to use it. Of course, not using the rudder, I never take the bungee off when I launch. Reaching behind me with the paddle I got it off without too much trouble, but then never did use the rudder.
I had the PFD on (for warmth) and had even brought the spray skirt along. I found my knees and thighs becoming wet and decided to slip into the spray skirt. The Perception Acadia is a very wide and stable boat so I was able to wiggle and squirm around putting the spray skirt on fairly safely.
A shallow bottom fishing boat came zooming by so I was able to watch it to see where the open water was. The bottom is all mud and covered with oyster beds, probably not very succulent in that environment. I later found there was a red tide warning for the area anyway.
I paddled out into open water where I saw more posts disappearing off into the distance. The nearby islands seemed to be nothing but piles of oyster shells. With nothing interesting close at hand I followed the posts farther out into open water.
Here the waves frequently exceeded 2+ feet with many breaking over the oyster bars. Up ahead I thought I saw a dolphin. Closer inspection revealed a buoy for a crab pot or something. I no sooner expressed my mild disappointment when a dorsal fin broke right in front of the buoy and I could see the spray as the dolphin spouted. I dunno if that was my first dolphin of the season or not.
The wind still blew from the south at 10+ knots. I was getting wet, not a good thing during flu season and me without a flu shot. Heading in with the wind and waves at my back I got several good waves and had some nice surfing. As soon as one wave died under me another would come along and pick me up.
I tried to sneak a couple of short cuts but nothing doing. I had to stay in the channel or the oysters shells reached up to rip my bottom out.