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The Island Moon

Issue 529

June 5, 2014 Around The Island

By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com

It was a big weekend on out little sandbar as the beaches were packed; both with people and a Sargassum invasion of Biblical proportions which mounted up in odiferous piles and left us all a little wateryeyed. Just when the experts thought it would make landfall north of us the east wind came back and here it came. Unfortunately it doesn’t look much better for the near future.

The voice of The Island since 1996

Island projects

ISAC Moves to Restrict Driving on Seawall Beach

It’s out there folks and it looks like it’s headed our way.

Geomys bursarius As you move about our Island these last two weeks of spring you may notice that our Geomys bursarius friends are very active hereabouts.

That’s right, it’s mating season for our friends the Pocket Gophers. It’s the spring air that puts a little spring in the step of our scurrying and vertically challenged little neighbors.

By Dale Rankin

The Island Strategic Action Committee (ISAC), an advisory committee to the Corpus Christi City Council, on Tuesday took a definitive step toward restricting driving on the beach along the Michael J. Ellis Seawall.

The plan calls for wooden bollards to limit driving to two lanes from the north end of the seawall, southward, on the beach to a point adjacent to the seawall parking lot. Under the plan, no vehicles would be allowed on the beach south of that point.

The move comes fourteen years after an agreement was made between the city, seawall property owners, and the Texas Legislature to amend the Texas Natural Resources Code by which the property owners would buy and donate to the city the land required for a seawall parking lot in exchange for the removal of vehicles from the beach. The property owners, through a self-assessment, paid developer Paul Schexnailder $430,000 for the land to build the parking lot which opened in 2007; in 2008 voters approved a plan for restricting traffic on the beach with the use of wooden bollards creating the traffic lanes, and extending northward parallel to the waterline, to within 600 feet of the south Packery Jetty creating headin parking adjacent to a pedestrian beach.

The plan has been on the books since then but with no action from the city to implement it.

The last attempt at implementation was in 2012 when city planners wanted Island taxpayers, through the Island Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, to pay the estimated $104,000 to purchase the wooden bollards.

ISAC members at the time balked at the plan, pointing out that the $104,000 price tag was $678 per bollard and the city, citing a lack of funds, dropped the project.

At their Tuesday meeting ISAC members voted to “request that the city enact the 2008 ordinance.”

In attendance were District 4 City Council member Colleen McIntyre, and At-Large members Chad Magill, and Lillian Riojas. Magill said after the meeting he will place the matter on a council agenda.

The council will have the option of enacting any or all of the plan, as long as it is in compliance with the GLO rules; major changes would require another council vote, plus GLO approval which could take up to a year.

City staffers at the ISAC meeting asked for a delay until more study on the width of the beach can be done, and to resolve discrepancies in language in the bonds approving the digging of Packery Channel and the existing city ordinance which alternately lists the width of the beach at 150 feet, and 180 respectively. The beach width is now maintained by the dredging of Packery Channel and the placement of the dredge sand on the beach along the seawall. Since Packery Channel opened in 2005 the width of the beach there has increased dramatically.

The mating season of Pocket Gophers in Texas ranges from January to September but for Island Pocket Gophers May and June are the months to get busy.

Here are some Pocket Gopher fun facts you can use to amaze your friends if you can find a way to steer the conversation in that direction, like, ‘I was reading in the Moon…”

Pocket Gophers don’t have pockets in their pants because they don’t wear pants. They wear fur which has little fur-lined pouches outside of the mouth, one on each side, which are capable of being turned inside out, and are used for carrying food, and sometimes sand, and that’s where they get their name. Females give birth to one to six young after a gestation period of around thirty days, so expect to see a lot of little bitty Pocket Gophers running around in July and August. In the meantime try not to run over any of them as they move about from bar to bar searching for their significant other.

Projects continued on A5

It’s just one more reason to read the Island Moon, to keep up with the predilections of Island rodents.

For research scientists, archaeologists and students from Texas A&M University at Galveston, the deep-sea discovery of three 19th Century ships only 180 miles from their campus was like finding treasure in a new world. But they didn’t have to sail to the A cannon found at a shipwreck site, nor did they have to take the 4,300 foot present during discoveries of what plunge to the ocean’s depths. Instead, are now known as the Monterrey they explored the shipwrecks, while Shipwrecks. firmly anchored to Texas A&M’s “I grew up hearing about pioneers Exploration Command Center in the discovering the new world and heart of Galveston’s campus. astronauts going into space,” Thomas Heathman, a marine Heathman said. “There’s that same biology doctoral student and part of Shipwrecks continued on A5 a new breed of virtual explorers, was

Solar Shingles – Who Knew?!

Island home is the first in the city to have them

Seawall driving

The latest round of cheap talk, patter, and jive came Tuesday at the ISAC meeting where the city staff wants to wait until this fall to make a decision after hearing a report from A&M Corpus Christi on how wide the beach is expected to be in the future. This is despite ten years of such reports which already give us that information. It is just the latest in a long line of foot dragging that has cars driving at forty miles per hour literally in arms reach of people sitting in beach chairs despite a vote by citizens in 2008 to put a stop to it.

By Dale Rankin The Island is home to the first house in Corpus Christi with solar shingles.

“I’ve been watching this technology since it began to be developed in 2000,” said Islander Roy Tansill, who just had the shingles installed at his house in on Pionciana last week.

“They just became commercially available in February, but in this area only in the past few weeks.”

The frustrating part of the matter is that there is no opposition to the move except inertia at City Hall;

In fact the technology is so new that the Windstorm Insurance inspector who came to Tansill’s house had to call Austin to find out what the protocol was for installation. Tansill, a retired statistician from Baltimore

Around continued on A5

Shingles continued on A3

Inside the Moon...

Last year’s Atlantic hurricane season had the fewest numbers of hurricanes since 1982 with fourteen tropical and subtropical storms that formed in the Atlantic and only two became hurricanes, but neither became major hurricanes.

On the Rocks A6

While the number of tropical and subtropical storms was above the average of 12, the number of hurricanes and major hurricanes was way below their averages of six and three, respectively. (Major hurricanes are categories 3 and above.)

Last week we reported that NOAA has predicted (actually we said “preducted” in the Moon Typo of the Week) and this week we look at the season which began this week through the prism of the Farmers’ Almanac.

Eat Texas Local A6

Boathouse 1st Anniversary Party A11

What’s in store this season?

The Farmers’ Almanac is predicting four possible tropical storms affecting regions this season. One is an early season storm by the end of June along the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Coasts, a second during the third week of July near or along the Atlantic Seaboard, a third in midSeptember in New England, and a late season tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico and possibly the East

Around continued on A16

Live Music A18

A little Island history

Texas Horse Marines Captured Ships from Horseback

It was this week 178 years ago that the Texas Horse Marines, a mounted company of Texas Rangers in the service of the Texas revolutionary army rode into Texas history.

In 1836 the rangers, under the command of Maj. Isaac Watts Burton, had been dispatched by Gen. Thomas J. Rusk to watch a stretch of the Gulf Coast south of San Antonio Bay. When they heard of a suspicious vessel in Copano Bay, the rangers hid on the shore and sent up distress signals.

As you will see from the story in this issue the City of Corpus Christi continues to drag its feet on a promise made to property owners fourteen years ago and approved by voters six years ago to restrict driving on the beach at the Michael J. Ellis Seawall.

Farmers’ Almanac Predicts Late Season Gulf Storm

“This ordinance has been on the books for six years and we’re still talking about it instead of doing anything,” said ISAC member Greg Smith who proposed the vote to enact it. “And it’s been fourteen years since

Monterrey Shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico Explored by ROVs Pocket Gopher

New Pirate Ship Sails into Port Aransas

Island bridges, water line, park improvements

By a unanimous vote the committee requested that the city council enact an ordinance approved by voters citywide in 2008 and approved by both the city council and the Texas General Land Office to restrict driving to two lanes on the north end of the seawall and prohibit driving where the beach is less than 150 feet wide.

Offshore boaters report that last Sunday a mass of the stuff covered the Gulf from thirty to forty five miles off our shore. A flyover of the Gulf of Mexico by Texas A&M Galveston last Sunday showed several large mats off our shores and to the south headed our way, even as the stuff was already piled up all along Island beaches.

Weekly

Considering how much Texas history has occurred on horseback it isn’t surprising to learn that one of the Republic’s greatest naval victories was achieved by 20 or so

armed and mounted rangers known to history as the Texas Horse Marines.

This little-known band of Texas patriots, under the command of Maj. Isaac Watts Burton, is believed to be the only Marine unit in history to receive a tomahawk as standard issue and perhaps the only one to capture three ships while riding horses and without firing a shot.

The “soldiers at sea” in this instance had been dispatched to the Texas coast by Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, who feared that Mexican troops might land on the Texas coast. This was in June of 1836, three months after Texas’ decisive victory at San Jacinto but the Mexican army was still in Texas. A Mexican insurrection was very much on the minds of the new Texas government.

While patrolling an area between the mouth of the Guadalupe River and Mission Bay, Burton got word of a suspicious vessel sailing into Copano Bay. Burton and his rangers hurried to the area and issued distress signals to the ship, a schooner named Watchman, which may have also run aground on a sandbar. The rangers did not respond when the ship hoisted American and then Texan colors, but responded to the Mexican colors.

Thinking the signals came from distressed Mexicans, the captain of the Watchman and four of his sailors rowed ashore in a small boat to aid their countrymen. Imagine their surprise when about 20 Texans on

History continued on A4

A2

June 5, 2014

Island Moon

The Travelling Moon Gets Around

The Moon goes to Roatan Honduras with: Craig Sileton, Debby Seefeldt, Doug Seefeldt Traveling Moon Goes to Greek Isles Between our departure from Istanbul and our arrival at Athens, there were a lot of great Greek islands in-between, but we must admit that our favorite island (after N. Padre of course) was a small one called Symi. We rode the gondola to the top and got someone to take one of us overlooking the harbor top of the mountain on the opposite side of the harbor. It was a beautiful fishing village island trying not to become too commercialized, which reminded us of North Padre Island.

Believe it or not, once we reached Athens we flew "back" to Istanbul and leave tomorrow for 15 days of a tour of the inner-parts of Turkey. Hopefully the will also be a good Island Moon photo opportunity during that circular tour. The natural inclination once people are away from home is to miss home and we are no different, but off we keep going.

Best till next, Tim & Pat Oman

Padre islanders, bob-0 and adra campbell, made their yearly 2 month trip to cabo during april and may. Cruise ships, fresh fruit, and "lands end" are just part of their daily entertainment.

Island Creations Remodeling

Total Renovation & Remodels, Outdoor Kitchens & Spas, Additions, Kitchen & Bathroom Upgrades, Sunporches, Replacement of Windows and Doors, Roofing, Painting & Stucco

Landscaping Insured Member, Padre Island Business Association Member, Builders Association, Corpus Christi

960-0327

Design work, Yard Maintenance, Decks, Pergolas, Installation of Rock, Grass, Plants, Trees, Walkways, Paths, Tree Trimming, Container Planting, Vacant Lot Mowing & Shade Covers. All Kinds of Fencing, Pressure Washing & Deck Staining & Sealing

Concrete

Driveways, Patios, Sidewalks, Patio Overlays, Decorative Stamping & Staining, Decks, Bulkheads, Grouted Stone Walls & Patios, Decorative Stone Paver Driveways & Patios

Owned & Operated by Island Residents David & Katherine Pierce References Available Upon Request Commercial & Residential

RAY HERRERA DIRECTOR Operations VOTED BEST Pet Services

2006-2013

Doing Everything a Home or Business Needs

Www.padrevet.com

361-949-8200

The Island Moon traveled with us Julie and Jay Wise to the top of Diamond Hill in Connemara on the West Coast of Ireland

CHRISTI KRESSER VETERINARIAN Cats & Dogs

14802 Compass Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78418 “On The Island�

VOTED BEST

Veterinarian 2006-2013

Cat -Dog Friendly Facility *SAVE up to $75.00 On 1 Year Supply

Chef Nick at Boathouse Bar & Grill made this chocolate pirate ship cake for a coastguardsman's going away party. Photo by Mary Craft

$50.00 REBATE $25.00 Discount per Dr. Kresser

Well-Behaved Cats, Dogs & Owners Always Welcome Experts Claim Flea, Tick, Mosquito Infestations Will Hit Record Numbers In 2014

PURCHASE A 6 MONTH SUPPLY CHERISTIN OR NexGard

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN 1 OF 2 YETI COOLERS

CATS

DOGS

Winner will be announced July 1st

Schlitterbahn crew and Islander Stepanie Van Gorder (second from the right) celebrated her birthday on a bike ride with friends.

June 5, 2014

A3

Island Moon

Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder

Letters to the Editor Crimes

Moon,

Distribution Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah Andy Purvis Devorah Fox Mary Craft

After evaluating the news reports from the local TV stations, The Island Moon and the Caller-Times, it appears that most crimes are drug related, especially murder and robbery. It’s a series of never ending tragedies that seem to be getting worse. Some of our drug gang related murders echo the gruesome drug murders that take place in Mexico. From talks in the coffee shops and other social gatherings, when the talk of crime comes up, it is soon followed by the talk of drugs. Questions arise as to why there is so many decades of old drug houses operating that make it so easy for our youths to become addicts and start a life of crime to fuel their addiction. Some say the drug houses are allowed to operate so that law enforcement will have connections to the underworld, while others say it makes the economy better because more police officers have to be hired and more money spent to fight crime. Most of the agendas of the City Council is for spending taxes for police equipment, pot holes and real estate buildings and talks of other real estate development and wind farms, hearing nothing about “ways to fight crime.” Perhaps it would make sense to hire “Drug eradication experts,” since taxes are often used to gain knowledge.

Bobbie Kimbrell

Maybeth Christiansen

Solar continued from A1 who was also an avid windsurfer, built the house in 1992. The shingles were developed by a Dow-owned company called Powerhouse Solar, who brought in a crew from Houston to install them.

Each shingle is secured by twelve nails and guaranteed to survive a 120-mph wind. In Tansill’s case the cost was $15,000 which includes a box to convert power from DC to AC, a two-way meter which can run backwards when the shingles generate more power that he is using and sell the excess power back to the power company. The federal government will allow a 30% tax credit and the state allows the cost of the shingles to be deducted from home appraisals. Software that comes with the package allows Tansill to monitor how much power the shingles are generating by looking on his home computer.

“I don’t know yet how much I will save because they are too new,” he said. Information from the manufacturer says the shingles are expected to pay for themselves in a maximum of ten years, however, that time could be less in South Texas due to our high number of sunny days. Tansill’s are installed on his south and east-facing roofs.

One of the cost savings of solar shingles versus solar panels is that the shingles take the place of asphault shingles, cutting the cost of roof replacement, while solar panels are installed with an entire roof.

City

Jay Gardner

Youth Art Camp Island Style-

Chad Peters Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis Ronnie Narmour

PORT ARANSAS ART CENTER- 323 N. Alister

Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver

- Ages: (must be at least 9 years old) 3rd-5th Grades Time:1-3 pm

Photographers Miles Merwin

A variety of Artists will Instruct in a different medium each day.

Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Office Security/Spillage Control

Camp I Monday-Friday JUNE 16-20 Cost: $25 per Week Camp II Monday-Friday JULY 14-18 Pre-Pay & Register to save your space! Call 361-749-7334 Cost: $25 per Week Pre-Pay & Register to save your space! Call 361-749-7334

Riley P. Dog Editor/Publisher/Spillage Control Supervisor

Send your letters to the editor to

Dale Rankin About the Island Moon

editor@islandmoon.com

Excesss electricity from the solar shingles is transmitted onto the grid The solar shingles use integrated photovoltaic cells to transform sunlight into electricity with the use of a CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide) as a PV (photovoltaic) material.

The CIGS-based PV cells are incorporated into the roofing shingles by over-molding them with a polymer. The electrical circuitry enabling power-generation is integrated into each shingle, and the shingles are connected by wireless plug-style connectors.

Solar shingles were named one of the 50 Best Inventions of 2009 by TIME magazine.

News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.

Island Obituary

Scott Joseph Marco

The Island Moon Newspaper Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper

Where to Find The Island Moon

Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A

The Gaff Wild Horse Saloon Tarpon Ice House

Miss K’s Catering & Bistro

All Stripes Stores

Amano

Whataburger

Felder Gallery

Doc’s Restaurant

Island Woman Boutique Coast Club Coffee Waves Moby Dicks Spanky’sLiquor IGA Grocery Store Port A Business Center Carter Pharmacy San Juan’s Taqueria Wash Board Laundry Mat Port A Parks and Rec

CVS

Snoopy’s Pier Isle Mail N More Island Italian Ace Hardware Holiday Inn Texas Star (Shell) Jesse’s Liquor Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant Subway Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers WB Liquor

Public Library Chamber of Commerce

Flour Bluff

Duckworth Antiques

H.E.B.

Back Porch

Liquid Town

Woody’s Sports Center

Whataburger on Waldron

Shorty’s Place

Ethyl Everly Senior Center

The Flat’s Lounge Giggity’s Stripes @ Cotter & Station Gratitude Gift Shop Keepers Pier House

Fire Station Police Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID

New Advertisers American Bank is your one stop for all financial services including construction loans, lot loans, refinances, mortgages, home equity loans and more. The Island Branch Executive Officer is Dan Suckley who has been at this location for many years. Call 949-8070 or visit them at the corner of Park Road 22 and Hwy 351.

The Port Aransas Museum is looking for some people to be docents which are volunteers who act as guides and talk about the wonderful things about their town and its history. Classes are being given at the museum on the weekends of June 20-21 and 27-28 9 am – 3 pm with a break for lunch. Call Rick Pratt at 5496328 or email rickpratt45@gmail.com.

Business Briefs The Corpus Christi Hooks have been selected as one of the 15 minor league baseball teams to host a nationally televised game. They will host the Frisco Rough Riders on Thursday, June 12th and it will be on CBS Sports Network at 7:05 p.m. Highlights of the night will include Thirsty Thursday, with discounted beer and soda, plus Hooks electric orange 10th-season T-shirts for the first 1,600 fans.

Drop Anchor Bar & Grill on Cutoff Road in Port A is now open. Enjoy fresh seafood with a Carribean flair and a great view of the ship channel from the upper deck.

Island Joe’s Coffee and Gallery Shop should be open by the time you read this.

It is located between Jesse's/Spanky's and the Island Day Spa near the bridge.

Joe the Barber now has online appointment making available. Just go to BarberJoeSexton.com and click on the appointment page and pick a day and time. You can even pay online. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday 8 am – 5 pm. Joe is located inside the Padre Island Mail Plus at 15037 Park Road 22. You can also call 500-8955 to make an appointment and he also takes walk-ins.

The Pelican lounge strip mall has two units for lease. One is 3500-5000 square feet and the other is the small building near the street that has 525 square feet of space. There have been lots of inquiries but “no one has put their money where their mouth is.” Call owner Irfan at 9601001 for more info.

First Friday at the Port Aransas Art Center will be on June 6th 5:30-7 p.m. at the center located at 323 N. Alister in Port Aransas. The June event will feature photography from local artists and is called As the Shutter Clicks. It will be a group show. Refreshments and live music are on tap. For more information call 361749-7334.

Port A Glass Studio

North Padre

mkay512@aol.com

The Padre Island Dog Group will be meeting at the Port Aransas Community Dog Park (located on Clark Parkway) on Saturday, June 14th at 11 am. If you would like to caravan, meet at the American Bank parking lot at Park Rd 22 & Hwy 361 at 10:30 am. Bring a leash, water for your dog and you, poop bags, etc. The group meets monthly for dog and owner activities, training and education.

To join visit padreislanddogpark.com or contact Bev (bevhoffman@aol.com) or Lyn (lyn.edler@gmail.com).

15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250

Port Aransas

by Mary Craft

Candlewood Suites in Flour Bluff is opening June 19th.

The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher.

Total circulation is 10,000 copies. Distribution includes delivery to 4,000 Island homes, free distribution of 3,000 copies in over 50 Padre Island businesses and condos, as well as 600 copies distributed in Flour Bluff, 1,400 copies on Mustang Island and Port Aransas businesses.

Did Ya Hear?

Scott Joseph Marco, or Marco as known by his wife Sally and many of his friends, was born on November 26, 1957 in Worthington, MN to his lucky parents, Mark and Betty Marco. They resided in Ocheyedan, IA on their family farm with brothers, Rocky, Joel and Duke. He was the second oldest son. He attended Sibley, IA schools and graduated from Sibley High School in 1976.

continued his welding career while Sally opened her gift shop, Gratitude in 2003.

Marco attended Sheldon Community College during High School studying welding and received his BA from Big Sky Bible College in Lewiston, MT in 1982.

His daughter, Jasmine was born in 1981.

After attending Bible College, he became a Pastor serving in Colorado and Sibley, IA. He graduated from Tulsa Welding School in 1986.

He resumed his welding career doing both welding, tube welding and also as a welding inspector. He traveled throughout the United States, including Deadhorse, Alaska , to the Virgin Islands and to Aruba with his welding career.

Marco loved people, had a quick wit and great sense of humor. He could tell stories!

He liked to ride his motorcycle, enjoyed hunting in Montana, and liked to garden, especially growing his tomato plants. He also continued to study the Bible and share with others.

Marco became a Christian in 1977. This was a life changing event. One week later he was in a construction accident where he spent six months regaining his health. During this time he spent many days studying the Bible. Marco continued to spread the Gospel during his work in the Church and during his welding career. Carl Manitz, a fellow welder, played a big part in Marco’s salvation.

Marco dated Sally McDermott in High School. After High School they went their separate ways. Both were married and had families. (Marco has a daughter, Jasmine, and Sally has a daughter, Jasmine and a son, Jordache.)

Twenty two years later they reconnected. They believe God brought them back together. They were married in Eureka Springs, AR in 1998 on Easter and in 1999 relocated to Port Aransas, TX. They were married on Easter, as this was a new beginning, and continued to celebrate their anniversary on Easter each year. Marco

They have lived a full life together. They liked to travel to new places, such as New Orleans, Key West, Eureka Springs, the Bahamas, Puerto Vallarta, Las Vegas and Costa Rica.

However, they often agreed that living in Port Aransas by the beach is like being on vacation!

When Marco was in the hospital earlier this year and the Doctor shared with him that he had Pancreatic Cancer, the nurse said to him that he probably felt like he had been hit by a hurricane. Marco told him no, that he was fine as he is a Christian and knows where he is going.

Marco crossed the doorway to heaven on June 1 to be with Jesus Christ. He is survived by his wife, Sally, children, Jasmine Marco Lansdowne, Jasmine Johnson (Dylan), and Jordache Johnson, and grandchildren, Jacie Lansdowne and Jaxson Lansdowne. He is also survived by his father, Mark, brothers Rocky (Lois), Joel (Connie), and Duke (Stacy), and 10 nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his Mother, Betty and his Grandparents.

A memorial service will be held on June 7th at 1:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Port Aransas, TX followed by a Celebration at Roberts Point Park(Small Pavilion) in Port Aransas, TX from 3:00-5:00 p.m. (BYOCBring your own chair!) In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to: Welding Program Scholarships, Craft Training Center of the Coastal Bend, Attn: Marta Castaneda, 7433 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, TX 78409

The 2014 Parade of Homes will be held two weekends starting Friday, June 20th.

There will be 15 homes and the one on the Island is located on Tesoro Drive at the corner of Cobo de Bara. Tickets are $5 to view all the homes.

Free Birding 101 classes for ages 7 – 16 will be held at the Suter Wildlife Refuge on Ennis Joslin on Thursday, June 12th 9-11 am. The classes are free but they ask that you bring binoculars because they have eight to loan out.

Nustar Casting for a Cause Fishing Tournament will be held at Robert’s Point Park in Port A on Friday, June 20th.

They will have more than $10,000 in raffles and door prizes. Check out their web site to register.

The Crazy Cart Crawl in Port A is a scavenger hunt for golf carts scheduled for this Saturday, June 7 that will include prizes, fun and getting to know Port Aransas. The cost is $10 per car; the number of participants per cart is determined by you and the size of your cart. Register at 10am in the Community Park, 700 Clark Pkwy, off Ross Avenue.

The crawl starts at 10:30am. It is open to all ages. Bring phone or digital camera for proof and extra points if possible.

The Island Moon ArtWalk will be held on the seawall near the parking lot on Saturday, June 21 at 9 am. It is free to vendors just bring your set up and pick your spot. Email your intentions to editor@islandmoon.com so we have some idea how many are participating.

Kiwanis Club Meeting Schedule The Kiwanis Board has decided to limit Kiwanis luncheon meetings to two per month in June, July and August due to everyone being busy with vacation. For those who pay $45 a month, dues will be invoiced at $22.50 a month for June, July and August.

A4

June 5, 2014

Island Moon

The Trail head to Jesuit Gold

By Captain Sail Offcourse Leonard Skinner and I headed off the beaten path towards the high desert of the Superstition Mountains, we turned north at Queen Valley where the Peralta stones had been found in the ditch. This area was where most of the history of Lost Dutchman hunters had originated. It is very easy to imagine burro trains with Catholic Padres coming out of the past right into the present. The Saguaro Cactus which reaches heights of 40-60 feet tall stretched as far as the eye can see. This part of the Sonora Desert has a unique feel of the past, present and future all wrapped up to give one a sense of awe.

High desert and rough gravel We were making our way into the high desert on a rough gravel road and on the top of one of the hills we had to stop and let the van cool down. We added water from one of the three one gallon milk jugs I had brought from my friend’s house. It was a good thing I had gathered up these jugs as the van was very thirsty and we were miles from any type of services. At the bottom of this hill we came across some concrete beams that crossed the wash that was the road. The concrete was too high and we had to get out piling rocks against them to be able to drive over them. When I turned around there on the side of the hill was a mine. It was obvious that the mine was old because the miners had used torches to excavate it. There were soot stains running out of the mouth and up the face

Rogers Canyon

of the cliff. We inspected it but never went in it, as we did not care to meet whatever could be living in there while on hands and knees! This is where I took Leonard’s picture in front of it.

trail water. I also had bought two slim-jims and two packs of trail mix for me. Leonard said all he needed was the two Budweisers that were in the cooler. I tried to convince him that in this heat that was not a good Idea but let Leonard be Leonard. This chapter was where Leonard signed my book Lynyrd Skynyrd: Remembering the Free Birds of Southern Rock. An autographed book can be purchased from Gene here: http:// geneodom.com/merchandise.html for twenty dollars.

Washed out roads We took off and down the road we came across a warning sign that read “Very Rough Roads are sometimes Washed Out!” From here it was a nervous ride up some of the steepest roughest trail I have ever been on. There were many places a vehicle could plummet down off the cliffs with nothing to stop the fall except the very bottom of the Canyon. The road winds with several hairpins so sharp we had to back up several times just to make the corner. On the way up this steep trail, we had to stop several times because the van was overheating. Here this van was eating up all our water I had for the trail.

I took my pack and gave Leonard the one with the metal detector in it. We both had golf clubs for walking sticks/ snake beaters.

His was a putter and mine was a nine iron.

Kitted out we signed the trail register as headed to White Mountain. I stopped and took a picture of the trail down the Canyon.

In this picture you could plainly zoom in and see the Heart formation at the end of the Canyon. The Heart formation is all intrusive volcanic rock.

We finally made it to Rogers Through trail head at the base of Iron Mountain. Here we set up camp checking out the sights. The trail head is high elevation and was very nice temperature of around ninety degree. I had brought along my tent and a small headsail to cover it with. I set the tent up and tied the sail to trees. I got my things and placed my sleeping bag inside with all the gear.

Thunder God Gathering stones and wood to build a fire in a pit surrounded with stones to cook our dinner.

We got the fire going and cooked ribs with baked beans and potatoes. After eating and the sun setting we turned in.

When darkness approached a thunderstorm rolled in. I now know why the Indians called it the home of the Thunder God, because with every lightning flash the thunder would roll down the canyon to slowly fade away. Each clap of thunder would last about a minute. I have loved thunder storms since I was young and this display of nature was very thrilling to me to hear.

It blew hard enough that I had to move my sleeping bag to the

Julia Thomas - Robert Blair Map 1892 high side of the tent. During the storm I fell asleep happy that my dreams were coming true.

We were less than four miles from the rocks of the Mina Virgon de Guadelupe.

Let Leonard b Leonard The next morning we got up and surveyed our surroundings, got the fire stoked and cooked up some coffee. Breakfast was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Gathering up all our gear to take on the trail I filled two coke bottles for my

After about half a mile down the trail we came across an area that runs under the trail that is shown on the Molina map as the “Old Pipeline” which is either a filled in mine or a culvert that got plugged up. It has large stones on either side that support a large cap stone. We studied this manmade object for some time and then continued on down the trail. After about one mile we came to a spot that thrilled me by the sight. Across the creek and halfway up the other side was a large rock with a “5” carved in it. This confirmed we were on the right trail as the Horse map of the Peralta stones showed that rock.

The path to the mine

June 5, 2014

History continued from A1

On July 28, the Kentucky Gazette published a letter describing the incident. “On yesterday, news came of the capture of three Mexican vessels by a troop of horses – these you will call ‘Horse Marines’ I suppose.” The letter was written by Edward J. Wilson of Kentucky, who had come to Texas to fight in the battle for independence.

horseback emerged from their hiding places to capture them.

Five of the Rangers assumed the uniforms of the captured Mexicans and, accompanied by a dozen compatriots, rowed back to the Watchman.

The crew, thinking the boat contained five of their men and a dozen or so distressed Mexicans, permitted them to come aboard. The ship was seized without a fight.

This tactic turned out to be as fortuitous as it was clever. The Watchman, though Americanowned, was loaded with provisions for the Mexican Army.

Figuring this would not be the last such ship to sail along the Texas coast, Burton and his men waited. The Watchman was still at Copano Bay when two more ships loaded with supplies for the Mexican Army were sighted. The Watchman’s captain was persuaded (gently we’re sure) to lure those ships ashore, where the Horse Marines again captured the crews and seized the ships.

Burton’s rangers, the original horse marines, are sometimes referred to as members of the Texas Marine Corps but they were volunteers and not officially part of the corps. They made quite a sight when they sailed with the ships into Velasco with their beloved horses on board, making Wilson’s “Horse Marines” an apt description.

The three captured ships along with supplies valued at $25,000 were later taken to Galveston.

Texas kept the cargo and gave it to the Texas army but all three vessels were owned by Americans and were returned to their owners.

Projects continued from A1 a promise was made to the property owners there. There is nothing more to be gained or learned by delay.”

Smith said a check with leaders of the Surfrider Foundation on Tuesday confirmed there is no opposition to the move from that quarter, and the Beach Access Coalition was involved in writing the current ordinance prior to its enactment.

GLO rules require that any beach less than 150 in width be closed to vehicular traffic for safety reasons, and further, that for each 15 feet of beach closed to vehicles, one parking spot be provided witin one-quarter mile of the vehicle restricted beach. The parking lot on the seawall, in conjunction with the existing city ordinance meets that requirement.

The City Manager also has the ability to restrict driving on any portion of the beach where the presence of vehicles is deemed a safety hazard.

There is no word so far on when the city council will take up the matter.

Park Road 22/SPID Water Exchange Bridge. City planners told the ISAC they are currently waiting on approval on the design of the $8.1 million bridge by the Texas Department of Transportation and expect to be ready for bids by late 2014, with construction to begin in early 2015. Construction is expected to take 9-15 months.

The current design of the bridge calls for a 40-foot wide water passage and two 32-foot pedestrian/cart paths under the SPID roadway.

Boat clearance, under the current design, would be about fourteen feet.

Encantada Bridge. The Padre Island Property Owners Association has received a preliminary design for a culvert/bridge to allow for water passage through the canal under Encantada

Avenue on The Island’s south end. Water flow there will be crucial to water circulation in the Island’s canal system once the SPID bridge opens a passage between the canal system on the west side of SPID to Lake Padre and the Gulf of Mexico on the east side.

Three culverts currently under the Encantada roadway have been plugged by sand for more than a decade and cannot be kept open with regular dredging.

The POA design contains two options; first, A $2 million plan that would place a cement culvert under the roadway that would allow for water but not boat passage, with a clearance of less than three feet above the waterline. A second plan would cost an estimated $3 million and provide a bridge with enough clearance for small boats.

Funding for the project may be part of a bond issue expected to go before voters in November.

New Island Water Line. City engines told the ISAC that construction of and new 18inch water line to The Island to supplement the existing line which has been in place for more than forty years and supplies both North Padre Island the City of Port Aransas, is two months ahead of schedule and should be complete by the end of summer 2014.

Billish Park Improvements. City staff also told the ISAC that $500,000 in planned improvements to Billish Park on The Island include a pond for irrigation water, a grass playground, a basketball court, and the design is currently 60% complete.

Water for the pond would come from fresh ground water which is found less than ten feet below the surface. A test well is expected to be drilled at the site in the next few weeks.

Around continued from A1 the Beach Access Coalition and the Surfrider Foundation, the two groups who most diligently guard public beach access, have both approved the plan which was approved by voters, passed

by City Council, and approved by the Texas General Land Office, and been on the books for six years without being enacted. Beach driving in general is a political hot potato; driving in front of the seawall is not. The inability of our city government to get his done is a microcosm of how The Island often gets treated downtown; that is ignored unless/until we speak loudly enough with a single voice. As we head into the city election cycle this November Island voters will take heed of who helped make something happen and who equivocated and backfilled.

There is power in the ballot when we vote together. As Benjamin Franklin famously said,

“If we do not hang together we shall surely hang separately.”

It is time for our council people to stop coming up with excuses for doing nothing and get this done.

Students will learn: • How to use binoculars • Bird identification with a strong focus on field marks • Eat like a bird • Make a bird feeder and sketch a bird or plant just like the famous ornithologist, James Audubon.

Students are asked to bring their own binoculars if possible but we do have 8 pairs that we can loan out on a first come basis. Please dress for the weather and wear sunscreen, hat etc.

• Ages 7-16 yrs • Classes are Free • Binoculars • Pre-Registration Required

Stuff I Heard on the Island

by Dale Rankin

We’ve all heard it. You’re standing out there looking at all that Sargassum where it’s mounded up in stinking piles along the beach and someone says, “Why doesn’t someone figure out a way to use this stuff.” Well, it turns out “someone’ has; in fact several “someones.”

First of course are fishermen who know that the floating weed, while at sea, is home to small fish which attract big fish, which attract even bigger fishermen, but they are not the only ones.

Rube Goldberg In the past fourteen years I have been writing for the Island Moon there have been many attempts to deal with the ubiquitous weed; the first was always to try and get it off the beach.

A few years ago a fellow came up with a Rube Goldberg contraption which was powered by six snow blower engines. I don’t know about you but I’m pretty leery of anything that is powered by six snow blower engines; even six snow blowers. But this fellow’s plan was to synchronize the six engines and hook them up to a fork which when pushed through the sand would suck up the weed and leave the sand, then with the use of the engines blow the weed up in the air and over the dune line into the grass.

This apparently sounded like a good idea at the planning meeting.

The use of a fork to pick the weed up was a vast improvement over the front-end-loader method which almost always catches a lot of sand with the weed. But flinging it 300 feet over the dunes on a beach full of people became a “you can’t be serious” moment that conjured images of personal attorney ads: “If you’ve been struck in the head by flying seaweed from a seaweed flinger powered by six snow blower engines and are experiencing Restless Leg Syndrome, random bodily leakage, waking up in Mexico and don’t know how you got there, or voting for Libertarian candidates and don’t know why call Dewey, Fleecem and Howe today! We’ll get you justice or $3,416,398 and .68 cents, whichever comes first.”

The good news was that when the fellow went to demonstrate the thing the snow blower motors wouldn’t start and he went back to the Rube Goldberg drawing board and his weed flinging days were over.

I’ve always believed the best way to develop a weed collecting system is to offer a cash reward and notify every farm implement dealer from Taft to Uvalde. Some flatland farmer will figure out how to turn a hay bailer into a weed bailer and once it’s bailed there might be a market for it.

Garden in The Bluff Some years ago there was a lady in Flour Bluff who came to The Island and harvested the weed which had been buried in the dunes to get it off the beach. She sought out locations where the weed had been cooking in the sand for about a year and removed it to use for compost in her vegetable garden, which was extensive. After a year in the sand the weed was so hot she had to wear latex gloves to remove it. I went along on one of her gathering expeditions and was surprised at how quickly it broke down when buried. She washed the salt off of it and mixed with potting soil it was a great source of nutrients for her garden.

The Island Moon ArtWalk is on for Saturday, June 21, on the seawall just north of the parking lot. It is free to vendors and the public alike, and if it is successful, may become a more than one-a-month event. For questions contact us at editor@islandmoon.com or on our Facebook page at theislandmoonnewspaper. We’ll see you there.

The brown weed we get on our beaches can be used in producing seaweed meal and extracts for fertilizing gardens. Seaweed fertilizer is rich in nitrogen and potassium but contains only one-third the amount of phosphorus as animal manures. Dung is done! It has the advantage of not containing weed seeds or fungal pathogens.

Seaweed fertilizers also contain plant growth hormones which help regulate plant growth and crop production pathogens.

In the meantime, say hello if you see us Around The Island.

Backyard gardeners are missing out on a good source of fertilizer

Island Moon ArtWalk

Free Birding 101 Classes for Kids Each summer, children 7-16 years discover the joy of birding by participating in the class "Birding 101 for Kids". These introductory classes are designed to teach students the fundamentals of bird identification and at the same time give them a greater understanding of their local environment.

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Island Moon

Class Times and Locations Thursday, June 12, 2014 Location: Hans Suter Park, Ennis Joslin/Nile, Corpus Christi. Meet at park entrance.

9-11 a.m.

Monday, June 16, 2014 Locations: Indian Point Pier, Portland. Meet by the pier off US 181.

9-11 a.m.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014 Location: Rockport Beach Park, Seebreeze Dr., Rockport. Meet in parking lot by the entrance of the Beach Park.

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A second way of cooking Sargassum is fry it quickly then simmer it in water with soy sauce and other ingredients for 30 minutes to two hours or more, depending upon the dish. Other areas of the world mix their Sargassum with oil, salt and green onions and use it as filling in dumplings. It is also often cooked with tofu.

One Fuji dish is to cook it with a fish then let it cool. When it sets it is sliced and eaten as a cold dish.

Indonesians like to drop Sargassum into boiling water and cook it for one minute then eat it with a sauce made with allspice. Or, they eat it with sugar or make it into a relish. Another option is to steam the seaweed. It can also be cooked into a jelly, firmed, and or used as a glue. Larger “leaves” make a chip when deep fried or the entire plant can be coated with a tempura batter, deep fried and served with a dipping sauce Hawaiians had a variety of Sargassums to cook with. They stuffed fish with the leaves, or ate it raw with raw fish or octopus. The leaves can be added to soups and chowders or deep fried in tempura batter. Sun dried leaves can be eaten like chips, or they can be fried and sprinkled with salt.

In Argentina, the brown seaweed Ascophyllum contains alginate, which forms a gel in the presence of calcium. Composted alginate is partially dehydrated and then mixed with other ingredients to use as a soil retainer and conditioner. It is held in place by the gel when sprayed onto slopes.

Around here I’m pretty sure any Sargassum dish would involve a lot of jalapenos. A lot of jalapenos and wine, not cooking wine, drinking wine to wash it down.

So there you have it – the menagerie of Sargassum uses from flinging it through the air to spreading it on toast. I’m thinking next year a Sargassum Festival might be in order. Hey, if Austin can get away with its SPAMARAMA! – watch out for that Moo Goo Gai SPAM – then how far off the beam is a Sargassum Festival?

I’m just saying.

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Some Sargassum dishes are consumed fresh, others cooked in coconut milk or a little vinegar or lemon juice. It is smoked-dried to preserve it.

Sargassum is also eaten by itself or added to fish and meat dishes. If not strong it can be added to salads after washing, or it can be cooked in water like a vegetable. If the Sargassum is strong flavored, as I’m guessing ours is judging by the smell, it can be boiled in two changes of water. Some recipes then call for it to be mixed with brown sugar and used as a filling in steamed buns but it could be eaten as is.

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The most unusual use of the stuff is table food.

Sargassum is, shall we say, an aquired taste as is pretty much everything but sugar. Mostly it’s our Asian friends who have dabbled in the Sargassum smorgasbord.

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June 5, 2014

Island Moon

On the Rocks

Dee-Scoveries

Eat Texas

By Jay Gardner As we sit around and hold our breath (and noses) while the Sargassum owns the beach, the 9-day Federal snapper season is almost over. We actually had a semi-flat day for the opener, and along with plenty of crew, two boats headed out to try our luck. The Donzi had Capt. Bizzy, Zep, Rachel, Zane, and Carson on deck. The Ozsome had Capt. Jason, Pawel, myself, and Kyle. After fuel and tacos we launched at the Packery boat ramps (first time for me) and headed out to the snapper hole on some glassy swells. We met up with the Donzi, and in two short drifts had the boat loaded with the Endangered snapper, and looked around for the next targets. While just drifting around trying to make a decision for a minute and take a little break, I saw a mahi free jump out of the water. I knew we were in for a mahi-palooza, and over the next couple of hours anarchy reigned on the deck, as there were fish being hooked, jumping, flopping on the deck, flopping in the cooler, and blood everywhere. These are the things that make us happy, LOL. Good times were had by all, and there’s plenty of fish to go around. Thanks again to both Captains for running the boats.

I’ve weighed in before, but there has been a lot of discussion regarding closing the area in front of the seawall to vehicular traffic lately.

Seems the condo owners on the seawall held up their end of the bargain with providing the required parking lot, however the City Manager has not closed the beach yet (from what I understood of the reading of the regulations at the ISAC meeting). Look for more headlines, meetings, and public “input” regarding this activity. Whether I feel that it should be done or not is a moot point; the wheels have already been put in motion to do so, the parking lot has been purchased and constructed, and the ball is back in the City’s court to make it happen (or not).

What I would bring to folks attention is a couple of results of implementation of closing the beach in front of the seawall. The beach would likely be safer for families with small children, which is undeniable and my most compelling reason to agree. However, I’ve heard either rumors or misspeak about having some driving on the beach and head-in bollarded parking.

That wouldn’t provide the level of safety as it wouldn’t take cars off the beach, and would require about a bazillion extra bollards, beach manipulation, and really wouldn’t work based on fluctuating tide levels, sargassum, etc. It would be a waste and a failure.

Second, do they close the entire seawall to

traffic, or only the sections that don’t meet the 150ft width requirement, i.e., only in front of Island House? This would of course disrupt through-traffic, but would also create a deadend closed area (similar to the area north of Access Rd 3 where it dead ends into the M.I. State Park, and also on the north side of the Fish Pass Jetties south of Access Rd 2). In addition, the bollards would have to be moved north or south depending on beach width conditions season to season. And when a storm comes through, those bollards will be pulled up by the waves and act as battering rams against the seawall.

If they do close the entire seawall, it will focus pressure on adjacent areas, especially during peak holidaze. The Mike Ellis Parking lot will

by Devorah Fox devorahfox.com OK, you couldn’t actually eat Texas. It’s a very big state.

Maybe if you took a nibble here, a nibble there, you could sample all the unique flavors that the Lone State state has to offer.

You can do that at Nibblers, Helen Short’s new store in the Shops at Port A. Nibblers just opened on May 31, 2014 offering snacks, jams, jellies, pickles, nuts, rubs and sauces made in Texas. Ninety percent of what you’ll find at Nibblers is made in Texas and as much of it is grown or prepared close to home. Some items such as the pickles are made locally especially for Nibblers.

And yes, sampling is permitted, even encouraged. Helen will always have samples out for you to taste, especially on weekends.

Need truly special treats for a party or dinner guests, or maybe something to take fishing or to beach, but you’re not sure what? Maybe you’ve got company and they’re looking for unique souvenirs of their visit to South Texas. Just come on in, browse, have a nibble. Helen’s goal is to have unique items for sale. She deliberately doesn’t want to compete with anything else available in Port Aransas.

Helen is new to Port Aransas, having moved from Branch, Texas, just a couple of years ago.

Her husband, David, transferred here for work.

Helen and the family followed. Helen worked for a while at American Bank but from where

Carson with a red snapper be slammed. Holiday Inn’s parking lot will require an attendant. Local beach and other beaches will receive extra pressure. The “local” parking lot next to Island House will become very popular as well. And that middle section south of Holiday Inn will become very quiet, as not many people are going to drag their kids and all their stuff 400 yards south to get a few square feet of open territory. But at least they’ll be safe.

she stood, she could see the growth that was coming to the city and wanted to be part of it.

Although she had never run a store like Nibblers before, she saw a need that she could meet and decided that now was the time to make her move. Her plan was to be up and running and in full swing by summer.

She and her family love their new home. “The school is awesome,” she says. In addition to her husband’s job change, the Port Aransas schools were a big reason that the family decided to relocate. “I have been so accepted by the community,” she adds. “It couldn’t have been a more perfect move.”

Helen works closely with her vendors and they’re kicking around the idea of having Nibblers host events like cooking demonstrations in the future.

For more information contact Helen at 361749-2236. Send an email to nibblersllc@outlook.com or just stop by Suite H at 1023 State Highway 361 in Port Aransas from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Mondays. I'll see you there. http://devorahfox.com.

Devorah Fox, Ph: 361-7494007 Fax: 361-749-4009 Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ DevorahFoxAuthor Visit http://devorahfox. com Find me at about.me/ devorahfox

At the end of the day, you can’t please everyone.

There are pros and cons that abound on both sides of the beach closure fence. I’m content to sit back and see what happens in front of the seawall without lobbying for either side or either way. I don’t use that stretch of beach personally, but I heavily use sections immediately adjacent to the seawall, if you catch my “drift”. Shoot me an email at jaygardner@scientist.com and I’ll see you all out On the Rocks.

Shipwrecks continued from A1 excitement in surveying the sea, but in space there’s no gravity. In the ocean, there’s intense water pressure. Astronomers look at stars through a telescope. We look at the depths of the ocean with remotely-operated vehicles.”

Using remotely operated vehicles tethered to research vessel, scientists and their affiliates, including Texas A&M Galveston, The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University, the Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management investigated the shipwrecks last year after the vessels were located during an oil company survey. The project was coordinated and funded

by NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.

Linked by technology to the research vessel, command center participants like Heathman gathered around tables with laptops, peered at a wall-sized monitor and deliberated about what was being viewed on the floor of the Gulf during the actual exploration of the ships. What they saw were extraordinary creatures, exquisite seascapes and remnants of human history.

Last year, researchers found a tremendous variety of artifacts including navigational equipment, muskets, cannons, hides, tallow and even medicinal supplies like ginger used to treat sea sickness. This year’s expedition discovered an antique clock. Evidence suggests these are

three early 19th Century ships that may have sunk in a storm.

Dr. Frederic Pearl, director of the Maritime Studies Program at Galveston said that the wrecks are very well-preserved from an archaeologist’s viewpoint.

“It was like taking a field trip to the bottom of the Gulf,” he said. “Beyond their visual fascination, students listened in on the exploration team’s conversations, which demonstrated to them the kinds of things scientists find interesting about these wrecks. Students from different disciplines chatted together, one explained biology to the other who explained archaeology in return. It was an enhanced learning experience.”

Thomas Oertling, Texas A&M Galveston instructional assistant professor of Nautical Archaeology, said thousands of ships lie at the bottom of the Gulf.

“Many are found near reefs close to shore,” he said. “So the three vessels we examined were found far from land and so close to each other that they appear to have been traveling together and went to the seafloor at the same time.

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June 5, 2014

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Island Moon

Backwater Adventures

By Joey Farah

Julia Rocks Majesty Outdoors

Farah’s Fishing Adventures The doors blew open last week and our young students broke out on a run. This is an exciting time for the young and young at heart. For many parents it means more time around the kids and cleaning up after them as well as keeping them occupied more so than through the school year. Fade yourself back in time and remember those first few weeks of summer. Every year we would have adventures packed in as tight as we could. The heat didn’t bother us much, and the sun baked our bodies. For a few young anglers we could live on the Laguna Madre’ full time once school was out and that’s just what we did.

We camped out on every spoil Island between the bridge and Baffin Bay, every one of them except Pelican Island, too stinky. We ran sail lines, snorkeled, and fished every day. Times have changed and I can’t imagine letting my 12-year old run amuck out in the bay, but my mom didn’t know about the extent of our travels anyway. Rarely did we sleep the day away, we were blessed to grow up in paradise. Take some time and plan more than a few small adventures for your kids and grandkids. The small things seem so big to small eyes and hearts.

Watch the lunar tables This week I had a chance to take some kids out for the first week of summer, and we caught lots of fish but more important, we had a great adventure. Making note of the lunar feeding

tables will help you plan your day so that you are catching fish when they are hungry and exploring and having fun when the fishing is down. To have a group of kids on the boat or in the truck expecting you to put them on fish is quite stressful. Here are some slam dunk fishing trips for you to get them hooked up this summer.

Pier group Bob Hall and Horace Caldwell Piers are a great place to bring kids. The excitement of walking out over the ocean is awesome. The idea that they might catch a shark is what they all want. Right now is a great time to get out there and catch small sharks. Small tackle is fine as long as you have a heavy monofilament leader or a light wire leader. Use fresh cut bait and shrimp. The small black tip sharks are great eating as well. Be careful small sharks Noa The Bear Gonzales with a great snapper the first day of the bite just like big ones.

There are lots of other fish to be caught off the beach as well. Whiting love small pieces of shrimp, squid, and cut bait on small hooks. They are great to eat fight hard and there is no limit on size or number. The Spanish mackerel are buckets of fun on light tackle and lures. A silver spoon or a bright colored soft plastic worked very fast just under the surface will bring the Spanish macs side slamming the baits. These fish are also great to eat and put up a monster of a fight. The surf can be a great place to bait the small hooks up and fish the first and second gut during high tide, low tide draws bait and fish out farther than one can walk and fish effectively.

On the rocks The jetties in Port A and Packery are also a great place to have a fishing adventure, looking down in the cracks is mystery enough. The rocks were fun just climbing on as a kid, and felt like you were finding your special rock to fish off of. Use corks and floats with long drops to keep lines from tangling in the rocks below. Cast netting live bait fish and using them along the edges of the rocks will bring many a pole bent over in a circle.

Gaftop Gaftop in Corpus Christi Bay may not be what dad considers a trophy fishing trip but when he is out there on the water with a boat load of kids looking for something to pull the line they are great. They are easy to find and catch. Most of the best action is going to be along

School is out!!

by Carolina Skiff

season.

the edges of Corpus Bay and the back side of Mustang Island. Cut bait and shrimp are good as well as squid. Use bottom rigs and fish gas platforms, cement structure, the channels of Shamrock Cove, the docks and piers around Port A, and under the birds out in open water.

There are some old submerged reefs out in CC bay that are in about 8 feet of water. Find these on the GPS or pull up to the many gas wells out there and hold on, the slimers will be there.

Watch out they poke you with their fins. Gaftop cat fish are good to eat and I have eaten them crispy fried and enjoyed them.

Trout bite and black drum

Chatter Weights have helped make some noise and bring bites in my live croaker fishing this week. The added sound especially in stained water brings more sound to the smaller croaker. The season is very late because of the long winter so please don’t be disappointed at the marina, it’s not their fault and they are not just giving you the smallest ones they have.

Marker 37

Thank you for everyone that came out to Marker 37 last Saturday for the seminar expo, I hope you all learned some new tricks and got motivated to bring your fishing to a new level this summer. I would like to thank Mr. Eddie and Marker 37 for all of their support. This has been a great year and their dedication to bringing Marker 37 back to being the gateway to fishing the Lagoon and Baffin just like the old days when Ernie Butler built it has been awesome. New docks, big lighted pier, stocked tackle shop, state of the art bait facility, non-ethanol gas, fish cleaning, 24hour security on our boat lifts, and a newly paved parking lot.

Just makes going fishing much easier. Thank You for a great Island fishing headquarters.

Remember that in a day on the water with the kids sometimes checking out dolphins, exploring islands, dragging a seign net, or just going swimming can be just as fun, or more than the catching. Let the summer season begin!

If you need any help adding fun and adventure to your life on the Island give me a call. Capt.

Joey Farah (361)442-8145

The trout bite has improved with the live croaker getting a bit larger. Live shrimp in the Land Cut is still good as well as drifting over the rocks of Baffin Bay. The flats between Flour Bluff and the ICW are full of black drum and one can find the right area quickly just be running through the maze of commercial fishing lines out in the flats. Seems there is a small battle among local commercial fishermen and out of area commercial guys that come in and put their lines out all over the locals.

Along with this they are running over sport fishermen and blanketing the flats with lines. Local commercial fishermen put out a few lines in different places catching and always looking for other herds of black drum. The out of area guys just follow the other fishermen. So be careful out there and keep a look out for the yellow floats.

The use of Texas Rattler Carson and Allison with a Upper Laguna Madre' trout. Live

bait season is here.

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June 5, 2014

Island Moon

Senior Moments

The Untold Brutality of D-Day

By Dotson Lewis, dlewis1@stx.rr.com Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s Note: On the eve of the 70th anniversary of D-Day, I believe that all of us should be reminded of the unimaginable horrors that occurred as our troops fought to free France from the grip of Hitler's most bloodthirsty and fanatical storm troopers. Tragically, war often brings out the worst in mankind, on both sides of a conflict.

ardor, their regimental commander swiftly bent down, pulled a large commando knife from his boot and waved it above his head. 'Before I see the dawn of another day,' he yelled, 'I want to stick this knife into the heart of the meanest, dirtiest, filthiest Nazi in all of Europe.' A baying cheer went up as his men brandished their knives in response.

Soviet propagandists claimed in 1944 that the British and Americans in Normandy were facing only the dregs of the Wehrmacht. 'We know where young and strong Germans are now,' wrote Ilya Ehrenburg in Pravda. 'We have accommodated them in the earth, in sand, in clay.'

The drop in the early hours of June 6 was chaotic. Those paratroopers whose chutes caught in trees presented easy targets. A number were shot as they struggled. Atrocity stories spread among the survivors, with claims that German soldiers had bayoneted them from below or even turned flame-throwers on them.

With revenge on their minds and nerves still taut after the jump, the American paratroopers-blood was up.

A trooper in the 82nd remembered his instructions only too clearly: 'Take no prisoners because they will slow you down.'

Stories about German soldiers mutilating paratroopers inflamed the Americans still further. A soldier in the 101st recounted how after they had come across two dead paratroopers 'with their privates cut off and stuck into their mouths', the captain with them gave the order: 'Don't you guys dare take any prisoners! Shoot the bastards!'

But to claim that western Allies were fighting only second-rate troops was not true. By late June, the British Second Army was up against the largest concentration of SS panzer divisions assembled since their violent offensive against the Red Army in the Kursk salient in Russia the previous summer. Contrary to opinion of many, the fighting in Normandy was even bloodier than on the eastern front.

At the beginning of June 1944, the war was reaching a climax. German troops had been brutalized by the savagery of the ongoing fighting in Russia, where the Red Army was secretly preparing its vast encirclement of the Germans' Army Group Centre.

Some of the Waffen-SS divisions facing the Allies in Normandy were the most fanatical and disciplined of all; soldiers indoctrinated by Hitler's propaganda and bent on revenge for the 'terror bombing' of German cities.

The Allies, meanwhile, had launched the greatest amphibious operation in history, with more than 5,000 ships. And although planning for the cross-Channel phase of Operation Overlord was meticulous, perhaps inevitably the next stage was not so clearly thought through.

Reluctant to accept heavy casualties after so many years of fighting, and almost unchallenged in the skies, the Allies decided to bomb towns and villages in Normandy at key road junctions to block the streets with rubble and hinder German divisions arriving to counter-attack their beachheads. The Norman capital of Caen, just ten miles inland, was included on the list.

In a number of cases, the paratroopers shot prisoners captured by others. A Jewish sergeant and a corporal hauled a captured German officer and noncombatant from a farmyard. Those present heard a burst of automatic fire, and when the sergeant returned 'nobody said a thing'.

Some men appear to have enjoyed the killing.

A paratrooper recalled having come across a member of his company the following morning who appeared to be wearing red gloves instead of the standard issue yellow ones.

In fact, they were the yellow ones, just soaked in blood. 'I asked him where he got the red gloves from, and he reached down in his jump pants and pulled out a whole string of ears. He had been ear hunting all night and had them all sewn on an old boot lace.'

There were cases of brutal looting. The commander of the 101st Airborne's MP platoon came across the body of a German officer and saw that somebody had cut off his finger to take the wedding ring. A sergeant in the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment was horrified when he found that members of his platoon had killed some Germans and then used their bodies for bayonet practice.

On occasions, however, the killing of prisoners was prevented. A handful of paratroopers from

Barnacle Bucks Barnacle Bucks… flashlights and sargassum.

The constant rhythmic sound of the waves crashing over the sands sparks images of coins and jewelry washed up. Mounds of seaweed form a parallel band with the shore giving an indication of high tide. During the day this stretch of beach is teeming with people, but at night the sand crabs rule. Flames from a distant fire dance in the wind as Bob Hall Pier marks the horizon with its shadow. Three miles down the remnants of an old wooden mast peeks out of the sands marking the site of an old ship wreck. After its’ discovery it is said that people scattered tons of nails all around to deter metal detecting enthusiasts from searching the site for lost coins and other treasures which may have been deposited there. As if all the beer cans, tabs and tops were not enough of a deterrent.

Restrictions and red tape seem to be a constant.

Although much of the beach is open game for metal detectors, restrictions and red tape have rendered much of the area a NO METAL DETECTING ZONE… like the National Seashore.

Which side of history The argument against allowing metal detecting in many of these areas is that we are “ripping the pages out of history” by allowing the general public to find lost relics and artifacts. Are we truly tearing the pages out of history or are we actually burying it.

Everything tells a story and how can the story be known if the objects remain buried?

Will archeologists someday excavate the miles and miles of sand to find what is hidden there? If that were the case then why have they not started with that old ship wreck?

Who was on board?

What was it doing there?

What and where is its’ cargo? Were there any survivors? In-fact it is downright STRIKING how few archeological excavations have EVER occurred in the United States.

Creating black market It seems that around every turn in large cities and villages through-out Europe archeological excavations are taking place. Here in the US we have very few and we have also made it illegal to metal detect for coins and artifacts buried in many areas of historical impact. This in effect has perpetuated a black market underground for those who have happened across an old gold coin from a shipwreck for example. This is where the danger and loss occurs, if they cannot try to sell it legally as a gold coin from the 1700’s, then it very likely may be melted down and re-sold as something new… forever losing its’ place in history. A strong signal takes my attention off of these frustrating and sometimes confusing thoughts. As I wave the

wand over the same spot it rings true, now the other way… right there. Signal pinpointed I grab my shovel/scoop and start digging… a few sifts of the sand later I have what seems to be a white puffy penny. Modern day pennies form a bubbly white shell when subjected to saltwater and sand fairly quickly. Pocketing my puffy penny, I fill my hole and continue scanning the sandy surface for the next spot.

Find your Treasure The night lights and moon illuminate this stretch of beach quite well, but we came prepared with flashlights to get a better look if need be. As the waves continue to roll in, I make my way back towards the imaginary line I drew in my head as the spot where I would make my way up to the car. Just as I reach that point and turn back towards the vehicle I get another signal… this one very loud. It is late and we are tired so I figure this may be the last thing we dig up. After pinpointing the spot, I sink my shovel/scoop into the sands and shake out the loose grains to reveal nothing. I scan the freshly made hole again with the coil and it screams. The object is still buried so I sink the shovel/scoop back in for another shot. Once

again it is empty and the object remains buried.

After a few minutes of this I finally come up with it. As I shake out the loose sand I look down to see a shiny round GOLD RING! Wow! Is it really GOLD? Looking up at Baby Bucks I know she is tired and ready to go so I take the scoop up to her and proudly present my find.

Sure enough she reaches in and pulls out what seems to be a wedding band made of GOLD probably worn by a man. Remember folks… find your treasures, take away the trash and fill your holes! Happy Hunting! This is Mama Metal signing out… with one puffy penny and one gold ring.

Sincerely, Mama Metal, Daddy Detector and Baby Bucks.

The relentless bombing of Caen over two days was a tragic blunder. It made nonsense of General Montgomery's plan to take Caen within the first 24 hours of the campaign, turning it into rubble meant it was far harder for the Allies to penetrate the town and provided ideal terrain for its defenders.

In addition, there were hardly any German troops left in the town, since they had all moved north towards their positions closer to the beaches. Instead, the civilians in the town suffered more than 2,000 casualties. In fact, on D-Day, as many French civilians died as Allied soldiers.

This is why many in the know felt that the bombing of Caen was 'close to a war crime'.

The playwright William Douglas-Home, the brother of the future Prime Minister, was cashiered from the Army and served a year's hard labor for his protest over the bombing soon afterwards.

Whatever the case, the terrible fate of Caen was just one part of a campaign of untold brutality in Normandy in which the Allies encountered the worst fighting of what was already a long war, and responded to the savagery of German combat with equal ferocity.

In the early hours of June 6, two divisions of American paratroopers dropped into battle in Normandy fired up to kill 'Krauts'. Some had bought commando knives in London, and several had equipped themselves with cut-throat razors.

They had been instructed how to kill a man silently by slicing through the jugular and the voice box. Before departure, they had all received pep talks from their commanders.

'There was a great feeling in the air; the excitement of battle,' noted one paratrooper.

After a short speech to arouse their martial

the 101st, including a lieutenant and a chaplain, were standing in a farmyard talking to the French inhabitants. They were astonished when around a dozen troopers from the 82nd arrived at the double, herding a group of very young German orderlies.

They ordered them to lie down. The terrified boys pleaded for their lives. The sergeant, who intended to shoot them all, claimed that some of the troopers' buddies caught by their parachutes in trees had been turned into 'Roman candles' by a German soldier with a flame-thrower.

He pulled the bolt back on his Thompson submachine gun. In desperation, the boys grabbed the legs of the lieutenant and the chaplain as they and the French family shouted at the sergeant not to shoot them. Finally, the sergeant was persuaded. The boys were locked in the farm's cellar.

Dotson’s note: I argued with myself for a long time before finally deciding to share this story with you. In the past I have discussed this phase of WWII with many of my friends who were there. Most of those who shared their experiences with me are no longer with us and those who are alive are passing at a rate of about 400 per day. Hopefully if we are all aware of what happened in the past, we will not repeat our mistakes. Please share your thoughts with us. Questions and/or comments are welcome.

Please snail mail or Email The Island Moon or call Dotson at 361-949-768 or 530-748-8475 or Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com

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June 5, 2014

First Friday at Art Center Features Photography First Friday at the Port Aransas Art Center will be Friday, June 6, running from \5:30-7 p.m. at the center located at 323 N. Alister in Port Aransas.

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Island Moon

The June event will feature photography from local artists and is called As the Shutter Clicks.

It will be a group show. Refreshments and live music are on tap. For more information call 361-749-7334.

Skip The Plastic Recognizes Dr. Sylvia Earle as ‘Bag Hero’ The Bag Hero Program is a campaign to educate and encourage the use of reusable shopping bags in the Coastal Bend. We recognize community members who set a positive example by bringing reusable bags when shopping for groceries or other goods.

For the month of June, we are excited to recognize Dr. Sylvia Earle as a Bag Hero!

Anyone who has had the opportunity to hear Dr. Earle speak has no doubt of her passion for the oceans. She warns that the oceans are in crisis, threatened by overfishing and dumping of waste. Still, she remains hopeful that if we act now, we can make changes to save them.

Her advice on shopping bags is, “Do your part -- part ways with plastic shopping bags. Every plastic bag not used is one that will not tangle a turtle, choke a whale or clutter a beach.”

Dr. Earle is an oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer. She is a National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence, has been called a "Living Legend" by the Library of Congress, and first "Hero for the Planet" by Time magazine. She has been the chief scientist of NOAA and is the chair of the Advisory Council of the Harte Research Institute. She has authored more than 190 scientific, technical, and popular publications; lectured in more than 80 countries; and appeared in hundreds of radio and television productions.

Reusable bags Good News...the Skip the Plastic bags have arrived! KPAB members may purchase the bags at our cost of $4. If you put in an order previously, or even if you didn't preorder but would like one or more, please email me at juliefindley@utexas.edu or call 361-947-4343 so I can deliver your bags. We will sell them to the public at a slight mark-up, so be sure to get yours now!

Show your support for a sustainable lifestyle by using our reusable cotton, made-in-the -USA bags!

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Island Moon

June 5, 2014