We started our day at the Texas Visitor Information Center, learning about growing and processing the area's sugar cane. From there we continued south and east to South Padre Island. When we arrived, we were told that at 7 AM there had been so much fog on the island they couldn't see a thing. We, on the other hand, had a wonderfully warm and sunny boat cruise in the waters of Laguna Madre. We were treated to a lengthy dolphin experience, sometimes seeing seven at a time. From there we cruised by the shrimp fleet at Port Isabel and passed through a swing bridge. At that point, our boat crew put out a net, dragged the bottom for a short time and pulled up an amazing variety of creatures. There were trigger fish, puffer fish, two blue crabs (one was a female carrying thousands of eggs on the underside of her body), a very unattractive large slug that shoots out a colorful purple dye to protect itself, brown shrimp, a sting ray (we saw the barb that can kill), a gigantic snail and a spiny sea urchin. At the end of our ride, the wind had totally re-arranged our hairdos, but we decided the pleasure had been worth it.
Our included meal had seafood choices of fresh Gulf shrimp or red snapper in a setting overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Great food.
At Sea Turtle, Inc. we learned so much about the rescue and rehabilitation of turtles. One of the young interns had devised a prosthesis for a turtle that had lost a flipper. It was so effective that the Today Show and the CBS Early Show will be airing an interview very soon.
Driving past some new development on the island, we saw a multi-million dollar condominium high rise on which construction has been halted because the structure is leaning. A lawsuit is pending on this very costly mistake. North of any development, the island is natural sand dunes and beach with waves rolling in. We went to a park at the southern end of the island, took our shoes off, rolled up pants legs, and went wading in the Gulf of Mexico. People gathered shells and enjoyed the 77 degree sunshine. It is always cooler on the island, so back in McAllen, we found 84 degrees.
As always, we bonded this evening over a social hour at the hotel.-Laurel Johnson, Tour Director
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