Six TOWN women and one very nice husband enjoyed our weekend on the Texas coast!
On the way down, Nancy, Judie, and Jane toured the museum in Danevang with history about Danish immigrants, while Carrie ate a home-cooked buffet lunch at the historic hotel in Blessing and explored Palacios. Coincidentally, they ran into each other at a gas station in Matagorda. After getting situated, the Thursday-arrivers began with a delicious seafood dinner.
The next morning the day started with a walk on the beach — picking up shells and identifying shore birds. The weather was good. That afternoon, the other three travelers must have been on the same “wave link” as all seven of us coincidentally arrived in Bay City within minutes of each other. Several toured the historical museum with artifacts from the French ship La Belle, and we all got to walk the trails of the Matagorda Bay Birding and Nature Center, which had beautiful grounds. Some took the opportunity to bird a little in the marshes on the way back to Matagorda.
That Friday evening we, of course, ate more seafood at a popular restaurant. By the time we got back, the wind was blowing so hard that it pulled up the stakes on half of Lee Ann’s and Gordon’s tent. Luckily it was prevented from blowing down the river and into the bay by weighting it down with an ice chest and tool box and tying it to metal park posts! Later, three of us managed to do a little fishing from the park pier.
The tenters survived the night, but thanks to generous TOWN ladies (Nancy, Judie, Jane, and Janet), they opted to stay in the wonderful beach house that fronted the ocean the next night.
When we all walked over the dunes to the beach Saturday morning, it looked like a tsunami had come in overnight! The beach we walked on the day before was not even there! The nesting area Janet and Carrie had walked to the day before was under water, as was everything else. Water was right up to the road from Matagorda leading to the LCRA park and the beach. The park staff said this only happens about twice a year when very strong winds blow from the South while a very high tide is also coming in. So, it was “special” that we got to experience this. The winds, tides, and river currents prevented us from kayaking over to the secluded and pristine white sands beach covered with numerous gigantic shells, which was all under water — but there’s always “next time.”
While Gordon fished (and almost caught one), the birders went in several directions birding locally around the marshlands. A long bird list was compiled. Carrie and Lee Ann walked out onto the jetty, along the water’s edge, and along the pier, having to do some wading to get back. Along this walk, a Speckled King Snake was seen, and a Blue-footed Booby was sited sitting alone, probably wind- and wave-blown from afar!
That afternoon, after waiting for the winds to die down a little, the kayakers set out to find St. Mary’s Bayou — but maybe “next time.” They ended up on another cut, but had fun exploring the channels through the grassy marsh. Janet and Carrie looked for birds, while Lee Ann and Gordon tried fishing from their kayaks. Gordon hooked a trout, but only an Osprey caught fish, which it carried to its perch to eat.
Meanwhile, Nancy, Judie, and Jane were at the harbor getting fresh shrimp for a shrimp boil dinner. We had our very best dinner of gulf shrimp, scalloped potatoes, corn on the cob, and chocolate pie! The company and conversation was also the best, as we visited and ate and listened to stories of Nancy’s childhood years spent in Matagorda and Port Lavaca, and other tales of the group’s exciting travels!
Sunday, the weather was great. Leaving, we each went our ways and did a little more exploring before heading home. Janet stopped by the Matagorda Bay Birding and Nature Center again, and spotted two Nutria with a baby. Nancy, Judie, and Jane drove around some areas of Matagorda County. Carrie walked to the end of the pier and also the trail to the marshland viewing pagoda. Coincidentally, Carrie ran into Nancy, Judie, and Jane at a gas station in Bay City, and they caravaned to lunch in El Campo.
I feel that we will return someday to do this Matagorda trip again!
CarrieL