Saturday, a really warm day, we drove into Corpus Cristi to pick up some spare bolts from Fastenal for the slide-outs, only to find they don't open on Saturday. We stopped at Walmart to pick up some sandals for the beach and then headed on a scenic loop around the city to Mustang Island. We were glad the visitor information lady suggested this driving tour. We stopped at Mustang Island SP to see if we should consider camping there, and decided it would be well worth it. Although the park was full, the staff expected that we should be able to get a site on Monday. We spent some time walking on the beach, dipped our toes in the gulf of Mexico water. It is not as warm as the water in Florida or Hawaii, but tolerable (for feet).
The town of Port Aransas looks interesting and will be explored when we are at the State Park. We cross back to the mainland at the north end of the island on a ferry. There are about 5 little ferries that carry about 15 to 20 cars for the 10 minute run, so the wait was short. However, there was a line of several miles waiting to get onto the ferries to go to the island. We stopped at H.E.B. for groceries on our way back to the trailer. Joan was able to give directions to a lost couple from Wisconson. They had gome on a drive from their campground and couldn't figure out where they were, so didn't know how to get back. They need a "Greta" (our GPS) who can always guide them home.
Sunday morning at the lake was very foggy. We headed out about 9 AM, early for us, to go to Goliad. By the time we drove 3 miles, the fog had lifted and the temperature started rising. We had a really great day in Goliad. In the state park, there is a reconstrucion of a Spanish Mission Nuestra Senora del Espiritu Santo de Zuniga to the Indians in the area.
This a very interesting area, rich in history of the Texas Revolution. The first signing of the declaration of independence from Mexico was made in the chapel of the Presidio La Bahia (later another declaration was made elsewhere).
Colonel James Fanning and a troop of about 350 men were captured here by the Mexican army. A while later, General Santa Anna gave orders that the men were to be executed. This act, plus the defeat at the Alamo, provided the motivation for the revolution. There is a monument here to Francisca Alavez, nicknamed the Angel of Goliad, who many times had interceded with the Mexican troops to exhibit leniency to the Texan men.
There is also a monument to General Ignacio Zaragozo, who was born in a house by the Presidio. His family had moved to Mexico, where he joined the army. His main achievement was defeating the French, the best army at the time, at the battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This victory was the basis for the famous Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Latin American.
On our way back to Lake Corpus Christi we stopped at Beeville. A very artistic community. The court house has a "Golden Boy" similar to that on the top of the Provincial Parliament building in Winnipeg.
Monday we moved to Mustang Island State Park. We had checked the wi-fi when we were earlier, and knew we needed to be as close to the headquarters as possible. We noticed that the people in site #1 were packing up so Joan asked if we could have that site. However, the staff gave us #2, since they hadn't actually left yet. When we parked to back in, the folks in site 1 were pulling out, so Joan asked if they would come up to the office so that we could get that site. They were more than happy to accommodate me, so we got the site closest to the wi-fi tower. It also has the benefit of wide views from our living room windows, rather than a view of the trailer a couple of feet away. After we got set up we walked the 10 minutes to the shore and spent the afternoon walking on the beach on the Gulf of Mexico. What a beautiful white sand beach. We chatted with some folks from Missouri that were spending their winter in Texas. We were surprised at the number of oil rigs in the gulf, so close to shore.
Tuesday we drove up to Rockport, which is next to Goose Island State Park. We decided that we had made the right choice in staying on Mustang Island, with its 5 miles of beach. While there, we visited the 'Big Tree', a live oak, which considered the oldest tree in the USA, over 1000 years old. It makes a person feel very young.
On our way back to the trailer we stopped at a bird viewing area to enjoy some cinnamon treats we had picked up in a bakery. While on the ferry coming back to Mustang Island we saw several dolphins cross in front the ferry.
Wednesday was a perfect beach day. We stayed at the park, spending 3 hours walking along the beach going south. While walking along the beach we saw a dolphin in the Gulf, between the shore and the oil platforms. We also saw a boat dock at one of the platforms.
Thursday morning we again walked along the shore, this time heading north. It was a little cooler than the day before, with an east wind blowing the surf up higher. In a addition to the many gulls, there were also several pelicans fishing, and blue herons watching the action, as well as many other little sandpipers.
There was a jellyfish that had just washed up on the beach. It had a pattern that looked just like
a shamrock.
We noticed some yellow flowers on the dunes on our way back to the campground.
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