I spent two days with Navy friend, Vern, and his wife Debbie at Rockport on the Texas Coast. Vern and I served together on the USS Truxtun, were both discharged from the Navy in 1972 and hadn't seen each other since. We'd only recently become reacquainted on the Internet. We had a lot of catching up to do after 41 years. It was a great visit.
Vern and Debbie were fantastic hosts. They invited me to stay at their home, chauffeured me around the area and pointed out the highlights of the quaint tourist town of Rockport. Like me, Debbie has an interest in photography and has made beautiful pictures of the local seashore birds and can name them all. She pointed out to me the best areas so that I might also get some bird photos, which I did but can't remember the names of most. Click: PICTURES
The second morning of my visit we were up at 5:30 a.m. for a fishing excursion on the Aransas Bay. Vern, Debbie and Vern's brother, Bobby, are avid fisherman and have befriended one of the guides, "Danny", a semi-retired, good-natured man of the sea who's been taking folks to fishing spots on the bay and beyond for the past 55 years. Now days he only takes a select few, mostly just people he knows. As Danny wryly puts it .... "Hell, I wouldn't even take Bubba (Vern's nickname) if Debbie didn't come along."
Danny, with his boat in the water at 7:15 a.m., got underway quickly from Goose Island State Park. He pulled on his windbreaker to ward off the spray sure to be generated on the high speed run across wind-blown water and headed to a far island where we were to anchor and catch a variety of fish that included "black drum," "red fish" and "speckled trout".
Bobby caught the first one, a "black drum," which is prominent in the area. Vern, Debbie and Bobby caught a lot of those, along with red fish and one speckled trout caught by Debbie. I caught three (a record for me) --2 black drum and a flounder. Our total was about 25 fish, which Guide Danny filleted as soon as we returned to the dock about 6 hours later.
That evening Vern and Debbie took me to the "Crab-n" restaurant south of Rockport where the chef will cook for you the fish you catch. We all shared Debbie's speckled trout and my flounder, which was stuffed with a special recipe, predominately crab. What a delicious treat it was.
Vern, Debbie and Bobby sent me on my way this morning with "happy birthday" wishes, hot coffee and two breakfast burritos under my belt. I couldn't have asked for a better visit on the Texas Coast.
I turned 63 years old on State Hwy 77 somewhere between Rockport and Rockdale, Texas. The mostly two-lane highway was a great alternative to the busy and undesirable Interstate 35.
The ride started cloudy and windy but changed to sunny and hot within two hours and, though pretty strong, the wind was at my back, boosting me along at a comfortable 65 on the 70 mph road. I rode through beautiful ranch land covered with green grass, undoubtedly a product of frequent rain showers, though most folks say drought conditions exist in this part of Texas. I passed through several small towns, such as Halletsville, Schulenburg, La Grange, Giddings and Rockdale where I am now at a Best Western trying to decide what direction to take tomorrow.
Stopping early in the day, I took the opportunity to access the Internet after a three-day absence and am keeping an eye on the weather channel. Serious thunderstorms and possible tornadoes are predicted for my original destination at Lancaster on the south outskirts of Dallas.
I've learned one of the cousins I was going to visit is in the hospital in Tyler undergoing dialysis. My plans are therefore changed. I will abandon the ride to Lancaster tomorrow and head east to Tyler, about the same distance but different direction.
Video: Corpus Christi To Rockport
Video:Fishing Aransas Bay
Video:Fishing Aransas Bay
Except for the irritating snap, crackle and pop of camera adjustment, the sound is muffled in the fishing video due to the camera being enclosed in a watertight, plastic case.
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| Vern and Debbie at Their Beautiful Home in Rockport |
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| Nearby Neighbor To Vern and Debbie |
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| Snowy Egret |
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| Forgot What Kind Of Bird This Is |
Sacks of Oysters on The Streets of Rockport
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| This Person Included A Lighthouse Design To Their Home |
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| Local Pelican |
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| Bobby at The Helm, Assisting Danny Position The Boat at Anchor |
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| I Think Danny Called This a Sheep's Head? For Whatever Reason He Threw It Back. Either Too Small or Not Good To Eat? |
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| Started Out a Cool and Windy Morning But Ended a Calmer and Sunny Day |
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| Prize Catches of The Day |
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| In Line for A Handout At The Fish Cleaning Station |
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| Southbound To Aransas Pass From Rockport, TX. (Google Earth Images) |
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| Entrance To The "Crab In Restaurant" on Hwy 35 |
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| Crab In Restaurant Will Prepare And Serve Fish You Catch |
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| Vern, Glen and Bobby
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2 comments:
You look like you fit right in down there. What a neat idea to be able to go to a restaurant that will cook your "catch of the day". You for sure know that it is fresh. Looks like a lot of fum.
Love it Glen. Thanks so much.
Keith
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