Trip Report: Goose Island Campout

November 29-December 4, 2018

Who

Gloria, CindiS, Maria, June, JudyS, SandyS, Marilyn, Susan, DianeN and guest, NancyL, Joan, SaraF, and JackieD participated all or some of the days TOWN’s occupation covered. Cindi is a resident of Rockport and gave us a number of tips for kayaking excursions and was the concierge for our seafood feasts Saturday.

What

We couldn’t have had better weather for our outdoor activities!  Five days of dry, cool temperatures and true blue skies!

We went kayaking Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, getting a taste of the local put-ins of St. Charles Bay.

Friday we put in at Big Tree and intended to paddle across “about one mile” to an island, but the wind and waves generated alternate plans, which were to paddle along the upwind shoreline and explore a ruined dock and lagoon. Then the wind brought us back.

Saturday, with all our paddlers assembled, we drove to Howard Murph Park across the big bridge, but the wind was again daunting. Then we drove to the State Park’s Bayfront Campsites (now day-use only due to hurricane damage), mucked thru the foul-smelling mud, and paddled into the wildlife viewing area.  As we kayaked into the breeze some of our group saw dolphins! Our return float was easier.

Saturday eve NancyL bought us a map of the Goose Island waterways and picked out our Sunday spot, an unmarked overpass of Highway 35 at Cavasos Creek, which let us slide into gentle waters and through the Aransas Wildlife Refuge.  We saw whooping cranes only from a distance since the tall marsh grasses hid the nearest views; we saw mud-lined banks with big ol’ claw track;, and Joan saw a mudbound slitherer alongside her kayak.  Later we spread out the detailed map and saw the little green alligators in each of the marsh channels we explored.  Best float ever!

In addition to paddling, we had bike rides, ate at a restaurant, had a shrimp boil (thanks to LisaM’s loan of a big boiling pot!), a meal a couple of us preceded with some delicious fresh raw oysters (thanks to Cindi for coordinating the seafood purchases purchases!).  Altogether a meal that we ate in several courses, with corn and potatoes and rum cake and salad.

On Monday morning Marilyn and Joan did some plant remediation as a thank-you to the Park; it was a job they couldn’t have paid us for—meaning that we worked for 2 hours and hardly made a dent in the overgrown sunflower patch.  I suspect it was make-work, and the ranger pretended to be grateful.   J

Highlights

Best of all, we got to know new member SaraF, and soon-to-be-member CindiS; we got to have roaring fires each night; we witnessed stars arrayed against moonless nights; and we fell out quietly by 10 pm without causing any mischief.

Lowlights

TOWNie JackieD had a bike accident, ordered some crutches, and hobbled around till she could head back early.  When she got to her doctor Monday an X-ray showed she had fractured her femur at her hip!  As of today (Tues., 12/4) she is at Seton Hospital on 38th St. recovering from surgery and will be home later this week.  If you wish to send well wishes you can call or email her using your roster.