The Texas Visitors Bureau at Harlingen was our first stop this morning. After watching a video about how sugar cane is grown in the Rio Grande Valley, we were treated to some sugar cookies, courtesy of the local Convention Bureau.
Most of the rest of our day was spent on South Padre Island. With weather in the 70s, everyone was able to sit out in the open on our dolphin watch boat cruise (it was another bad hair day!). Besides the dolphins, we saw cormorants, brown pelicans and gulls. The boat crew dragged a net behind the boat for about 30 minutes, then brought it aboard to show us the
catch. Our favorites were the puffer fish whose defense mechanism is to inflate themselves with water until they are a big round ball. That way they appear larger to predators. The boat crew got them to inflate several times to make sure we all got pictures. Squid, shrimp, and a
brittle starfish were also in the net. We learned that if one of the arms of the starfish breaks off, it will slowly grow a replacement.
We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant along the water, with several choices including fresh fish and seafood. The Key Lime Pie for dessert was a big hit.
Another island stop was at Sea Turtle, Inc., a non-profit agency established to rescue and rehabilitate injured turtles. We could get right up to the huge turtles swimming in huge open tanks. Some of them were not able to be released back into the Gulf, others were being treated
with antibiotics in hopes that they would get well again, and a few had release dates scheduled.
We drove away from the developed area of the island to see the sand dunes on both sides of the road and the Gulf of Mexico waves pounding the shore. Our last activity (after a stop at one of many T-shirt shops) was some beach time. Heads bent, sacks in hand, we collected shells to take home.
We arrived back in McAllen this evening in time for another social hour at the hotel, sunburned, windblown and smiling after our island day. - Laurel Johnson- Tour Director
Most of the rest of our day was spent on South Padre Island. With weather in the 70s, everyone was able to sit out in the open on our dolphin watch boat cruise (it was another bad hair day!). Besides the dolphins, we saw cormorants, brown pelicans and gulls. The boat crew dragged a net behind the boat for about 30 minutes, then brought it aboard to show us the
catch. Our favorites were the puffer fish whose defense mechanism is to inflate themselves with water until they are a big round ball. That way they appear larger to predators. The boat crew got them to inflate several times to make sure we all got pictures. Squid, shrimp, and a
brittle starfish were also in the net. We learned that if one of the arms of the starfish breaks off, it will slowly grow a replacement.
We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant along the water, with several choices including fresh fish and seafood. The Key Lime Pie for dessert was a big hit.
Another island stop was at Sea Turtle, Inc., a non-profit agency established to rescue and rehabilitate injured turtles. We could get right up to the huge turtles swimming in huge open tanks. Some of them were not able to be released back into the Gulf, others were being treated
with antibiotics in hopes that they would get well again, and a few had release dates scheduled.
We drove away from the developed area of the island to see the sand dunes on both sides of the road and the Gulf of Mexico waves pounding the shore. Our last activity (after a stop at one of many T-shirt shops) was some beach time. Heads bent, sacks in hand, we collected shells to take home.
We arrived back in McAllen this evening in time for another social hour at the hotel, sunburned, windblown and smiling after our island day. - Laurel Johnson- Tour Director
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