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The Island Moon The voice of The Island since 1996
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com Regular readers will notice a change in our front page layout this week. It isn’t just change for change’s sake but an attempt to get more news and photos on the front page. We are increasing the number of pages we print to keep up with all the things going on Around The Island, and we are heading into the part of the Island calendar when the number of copies we print also increases. So bear with us and let us know what you think.
Egg Hunt an Enormous Success
Weekly April 24, 2014 Year 17, Issue 523
Inside the Moon...
Local Park Packed With Family Fun
There’s nothing but good news on our little sandbar this week. It’s the big spring beach cleanup on Saturday and weather should be good and flotsam and jetsam supply well stocked. Time to hit the sand.
Fish Stories A4
Island booms
Some information is finally starting to trickle in as to the source of the loud BOOMS residents have been reporting on The Island for the past several months. There is nothing definitive we can report just yet, but some self-culpatory evidence has found it’s way onto the Internet that indicates there is a reason why the BOOMS are louder on the south end of The Island; it is because the part of The Island which lies south of the No Gas Beyond This Point Sign is closest to the ad hoc shooting range that has developed on the land owned by the Texas General Land Office just north of the National Seashore. Stay tuned.
Water, water everywhere
Water seems to be the topic du jour as the Corpus Christi City Council this week took the first solid step down the desalinization road and as The Island looks at transforming its parks with the use of fresh water to be found not far underfoot. In that vein we include a piece in this issue by Dr. Richard Watson explaining how the fresh water got there and how best to get at it.
When you live in the semi-arid Southwest you never have enough fresh water, but fortunately for us we’re walking around on it.
Meet the candidates
Also in the issue; a reminder that the Meet the Candidates Night is next Wednesday, April 30 at Mikel/Mays on Bob Hall Pier. Now’s your chance to let ‘em know what you are thinking. It is also a chance to register to vote in the Primary Runoff Election set for Tuesday, May 27. Early voting in that race begins on April 19. This is the first Meet the Candidates Night that Island United, the Island’s Political Action Committee has ever held so we need a good turnout.
Fourth of July Fireworks
Jerry Watkins reports that while the full amount of money to pay for the second annual Fourth of July fireworks show on The Island is not yet raised there is enough already in hand
Around continued on A3
New PINS Supervisor Comes with a Wealth of Experience
By Brent Rourk Swiftly, seven hundred and fifty hot dogs went from box to grill to wrapping station to hungry families during festivities on Saturday at Don and Sandy Billish Park. Meanwhile, children slipped down the colorful and fun slide while younger tots cautiously explored the thrills of the little tyke merry-go round and other rides. Under perfect skies the park was buzzing with activities while children waited for the 17th Annual Padre Island Easter Egg ‘Hunt’ at noon.
How it gets there and how to get it Editor’s note: In last week’s issue we outlined a plan to improve Billish Park with the use of brackish, but fresh, water located just under the surface to furnish water for a pond there which would in turn supply the water needed to rid the park of its ubiquitous sandbur population. The story produced a reservoir of questions from readers, some wanting to know how to access the water for irrigation of their yards, and others from people who wonder how it is possible to have fresh water so close to the surface on a island surrounded by salt water. Fortunately we have someone who knows the answer. Dr. Richard Watson wrote a report on the subject for the City of Port Aransas in 1998. His report was focused on Mustang Island but the facts also are salient for Padre Island as well. Here are some excerpts from that paper. By Dr. Richard Watson Groundwater in the Mustang Island aquifer, which is the sand body of Mustang Island, is a valuable resource. This aquifer is recharged only from rain falling directly on Mustang
Adopt-A-Beach Spring Beach Clean-up is Saturday This Saturday, April 26, is the Adopt-A-Beach Spring Clean-up on all of our area beaches. The clean-up program is organized statewide by the Texas General Land Office depends on volunteers and each year collects tons of trash and dangerous materials brought in by currents or left by beach goers. Individuals, couples, families, schools, churches and business organizations across the state take part.
By Dale Rankin
The North Padre Island Kiwanis Club will help organize and staff local clean-up efforts next to the Padre Balli Park Office (near Bob Hall Pier). They will also provide hot dogs and water for volunteers, who should report between 8:30 and 9:00 am. Local volunteers can also report to the Padre Island National Seashore Visitor Center.
With barely three months on the job the new Superintendent at Padre Island National Seashore is still learning the ropes.
All volunteers are reminded to wear sunscreen, shoes, sunglasses, and a hat. The locations to volunteer at local beaches are as follows:
“The first thing I have learned here is that the environment is tough on equipment,” Mark Spier said this week. “A piece of heavy equipment that would last you twenty years at a park in Colorado may not last five years in this environment. Everything just rusts away”
North Padre Island Check-in: Padre Balli Park Office, 15820 Park Rd. 22
Spier’s 36 years with the National Park Service has taken him and his wife and daughters to
PINS continued on A7
Contact: Jim Needham—Surfrider Foundation, 361-825-2708 or Todd Dwyer, 361-853-9877, Gladys Choyke, 361-816-1243 Mustang Island State Park Check-in: Park Headquarters Parking Lot, 17047 State
Cleanup continued on A3
Bahamas Columbus Trail A6
Easter continued on A7
Fresh Water Under The Island
By Brent Rourk
PINS Superintendent Mark Spier
From Empty Park to Grand Festival Just a day earlier on Friday afternoon the park was virtually empty except for a few invading shore birds. Within 20 hours white tents, rides, the smell of grilled dogs, a patient Easter Bunny, painted faces, and fields of eggs filled the park, inviting families and children hoping to have fun and collect some valuable eggs at the egg hunt. Together the Padre Island Kiwanis Club and Keller Williams
Cinco de Mayo A9
Festival of Flowers A17 Island and by surface runoff from that rain. The aquifer has a maximum thickness of between 75-150 feet. It is thickest in the vicinity of the dune line, and thins to almost nothing at the boundary with Corpus Christi Bay. Water quality in wells within 1500 to 2000 feet of the Gulf beach should be good, while salinity will increase and quality decrease closer to the bay, and near channels such as channels at Island Moorings and the ship channel.
Water continued on A8
Live Music A18
A little Island history
First Attempt at the Land Cut Fails
Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series taken verbatim from a 1948 issue of Texas Game and Fish Magazine about a journey made in 1928 to explore the area around what is now the Land Cut south of Baffin Bay. The trekkers were armed with a map which showed the land bridge which blocked the lower third of the Laguna Madre to be but five miles long when in fact it was twenty. They are now five days into what was supposed to be a one-day trip. They lost their boat, food, water and guides and were finally rescued by a vaquero from the Kenedy Ranch. The story was sent to us by Islander Richard Watson. By J.G. Burr Meanwhile, the courteous Captain (John Kenedy) had us driven to the station where we boarded a train for Raymondville. From there, on the following morning, we were motored to Redfish Bay where the State boat was waiting, with which we were to complete our trip to Port Isabel. On the first day out as we traveled along I had taken five small vials of salt water
samples as far down as Baffin Bay. These I had kept in my pockets as I traversed the burning waste, and on the trip through the lower Laguna I collected other samples. These, when tested for chloride, gave a fairly complete picture of the saline condition of the Laguna about which there had been much complaint.
Pass at Murdoch Landing As remarked earlier in this narration there had been an insistent clamor for a pass through the island to reduce the salinity of the Laguna
History continued on A6
A 2
Island Moon
April
24,
2014
The Travelling Moon Gets Around
Edward Schiller with Island Moon in Morelia, Mexico
Padre Islander Laura Murphy with the Island Moon at Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sarawak, Borneo.
Pat and Lillian Sorrell took the Moon to Cricket Match between England and West Indies in Antigua
Immaculate! 4 Bedrooms! 2 Boatlifts! Open ßoorplan! 14849 Aquarius
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Hello from the El Camino de Santiago | The Way of St. James in Spain. I had an Island Moon with me but it got lost along the WAY! This is at the Alto de Perdon outside of Pamplona. Ronnie Shea
Crystal and Sam from El Paso had their beach wedding at the Holiday Inn
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Walter Park, son of Moon Monkey Jan Rankin, proposed to his longtime girlfriend Whitney Harper following a skydive onto the beach in Port Aransas on Saturday. An engagement party was held at Lisabella’s restaurant following the surprise proposal. Congratulations Walter & Whitney!
April 24, 2014
Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder
Island Moon
Letters to the Editor
The Easter Egg Hunt was a great success!
Congratulations to Signa Pappas-Prather, Kim Erwin and all the folks we partner with at Keller Williams! Hard work and dedication payed off with a fantastic event! Wooohooo!! Thanks to all our sponsors as well. This was truly a wonderful community event! Thanks to: - Signa Pappas Prather - truly the heart of the Hunt!
Distribution
- Gladys Choyke and Jerry Kaczmarek for loading up Jerry's truck with water, hot dogs, buns, and condiments to literally feed 1,000 people!
Pete Alsop Island Delivery Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin
- Our hotdog cookers: John Vaughn, Tom Criser and Jerry Kaczmarek!
Classifieds
- Our hotdog wrappers: Gladys Choyke, Sandy Muir, Leslie Rice-Hart, Karen Wilson
Arlene Ritley
- Our hotdog hostess - Mona Singleterry
Design/Layout
-Our huge grill provider - Bill Schroeder
Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah
Our bakesale ladies: Jane Angeline - who has finessed bake sale organization! Sandy Muir, Ann Weber, Karen Wilson.
Andy Purvis
-All who provided for the bake table!
Devorah Fox
-Our Easter Bunny! - Bob Paulison
Mary Craft
-Our Photographer - Adam Pugh
Maybeth Christiansen
-Mark Pugh for printing up all the photo tickets, uploading the pictures on Flickr, bringing Nancy's chair and table over in his Miata pickup!
Jay Gardner Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis
- Brent Rourke and the Builders Club for Face Painting!
Ronnie Narmour Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver
-All those who stuffed eggs!
Photographers
I hope I didn't forget anyone...
Miles Merwin
We cooked and wrapped 750 hot dogs! We made $303 at the Bake Sale and $54 in donations to the Easter Bunny Pictures.
Jeff Dolan Mary Craft Office Security/Spillage Control
Everyone had fun! It was a great day on the Island! Karen Wilson
Parrot Heads The Parrot Heads of Port Aransas will sponsor a happy hour at Giggity's in Port Aransas on Thursday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. Let's flock! Deeno and Diana Fabrie
Bag it!
Riley P. Dog Editor/Publisher/Spillage Control Supervisor Dale Rankin About the Island Moon
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. News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.
The Island Moon Newspaper 15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250
Thanks to everyone who replied to the reusable bag order--the response was very positive! I will let you know when bags are ordered, probably in early May. Remember to come to the KPAB/Green Team showing of "The Story of Stuff," an entertaining and thought-provoking look at our consumer society. The movie will air at 7 pm at PACT. There will be a Skip the Plastic meeting prior to the movie, at 6:00 for those who are interested.
Sincerely,
361-949-7700
Julie Findley
Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper
Where to Find The Island Moon Port Aransas Lisabella’s Restaurant Pioneer RV Park Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A
Port A Glass Studio
Felder Gallery
Doc’s Restaurant
Coast Club Moby Dicks Spanky’sLiquor IGA Grocery Store Port A Business Center Carter Pharmacy
Island Italian Ace Hardware Holiday Inn
Back Porch Woody’s Sports Center Shorty’s Place The Flat’s Lounge Giggity’s Stripes @ Cotter & Station
Cleanup continued from A1 Highway 361 Contact: Nina Cardenas 361749-5246 Padre Island National Seashore Check-in: Malaquite Visitor Center, 20420 Park Rd 22 Contact: William "Buzz" Botts, 361-949-8068 Mollie Beattie Coastal Habitat Community Check-in: Parking lot off Hwy 361, on Mustang Island near the Packary Channel. Contact: Teresa Carrillo, Coastal Bays Foundation 361-882-3439 Port Aransas Check-in: Avenue G at the beach Contact: Deno Fabrie, 361-749-0256 St. Jo Island/Port Aransas SITE IS FULL – no longer open for registration. Check-in: 8:00 am, Fisherman's Wharf, 900 Tarpon Street. Contact: Deno Fabrie, 361-749-0256 Baffin Bay, Loyola Beach, Riviera - Kleberg County Check-in: Kaufer-Hubert Park, FM 628 Contact: Susan Ivy, 361-595-8591 Aransas Pass/Redfish Bay Check-in: Lighthouse Lakes Park, 4 miles east of Aransas Pass on Hwy. 361 Contact: Richard Gonzales, 361-779-7351 Rockport - Aransas County Check-in: Rockport Beach Park beachfront pavilion Contact: Kerry Goodall, 361-729-6661
Woody's in the old days
Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers WB Liquor
Flour Bluff H.E.B. Liquid Town Whataburger on Waldron Ethyl Everly Senior Center Fire Station
Gratitude Gift Shop
Police Station
Keepers Pier House
Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID
Business Briefs Park Road 22 Roadwork will have eastbound road closure 7 am – 4pm and westbound closure 8:30 am – 7:30 pm until May 3rd. The “Rock the Dock” in Water Boat Show in Rockport will be held April 26, 27, 28 on Conn Brown Harbor. You will be able to view fishing boats, pleasure boats, offshore boats, and bay boats brought in by nine dealers. There will be tackle, electronics, local artists, nautical jewelry, great food, live music, kid’s casting contest, Jetovator demonstration, and more. This is a free great family outing event. Port Aransas Mayor Keith McMullin will speak to the North Padre Island Kiwanis Club at its lunch meeting at noon Wednesday, May 7th at the Black Sheep Restaurant. Keith is running unopposed for his third term as mayor and will talk about on-going projects in Port Aransas. The public is invited. Aunt Sissy's Kitchen is open for lunch 11 am – 2 pm Monday through Thursday for dine in or carryout. The soup du jour is made fresh daily as is the quiche of the day which comes with spring greens dalad and fresh fruit. California club, classic club, chicken salad, tuna salad, turkey and ham sandwiches are served on whole grain, whole wheat or French bread. She has several ample size salads available some with grilled chicken. Check out her sebsite for the daily dash and dine dinner meal. Ethyl Everly Senior Center in Flour Bluff will host a public meeting to discuss the future of Parker Pool. It is the only public pool in the 78418 zip code. The meeting will be held on Thursday May 1st at 6pm. The newly remodeled Island Fitness Gym offers yoga, pilates, spinning and HIIT classes. They also have a kickboxing and dance class on Saturday mornings at 10:00 am. Personal trainers are available to help you reach your fitness goals. Contact them at 361-949-3298 or go to their website at islandfitnesscc.com. The Island United Political Action Committee will host a Happy Hour/Meet and Greet at Mikel May's on Bob Hall Pier on Wednesday, April 30th 6 – 8:30 pm. Stop by and meet the Precinct 4 County Commissioner candidates and more as you enjoy cocktails and a great view. As we head towards another election on May 27th, (IUPAC) will provide a meet and greet opportunity so that islanders can meet the candidates. The Island’s own Stevie Start will be entertaining with his classic oldies.
The Boathouse Bar & Grill dinner specials this week are broiled stuffed flounder over rice for $21, lamb osso buco for $22 crab cakes over linguine with a roasted red pepper cream sauce for $18 and flounder cannelloni which is fried flounder rolled in around a seafood filling with a spicy alfredo for $21. Come meet Chef Nick and savor his gourmet dishes. Mother's Day Reservations should be made now for this popular dine out day on May 11th. Dragonfly, La Barataria, Boathouse and Scuttlebutt's are now taking reservations. All moms will get free mimosas that day at Scuttlebutts.
Member Padre Island Business Association
Member Padre Island Rotary Club
Jesse’s Liquor Padre Isles Country Club
New Advertisers Corpus Christi Cycle Plaza has the 2014 Ultra 310 hp 3 seater jet ski that is powerful enough to also pull water skiers. They have the largest selection of personal watercraft in all of South Texas. Visit them at 237 SPID or visit www.luvtoride.com.
Flex Fit Gym will be opening a location in Flour Bluff at the Bealls strip mall inside the old Eckerd's store next to Dollar General. There currently is one location on Saratoga.
Texas Star (Shell)
Subway
Duckworth Antiques
Colleen McIntyre
Snoopy’s Pier
Wash Board Laundry Mat
Chamber of Commerce
If smell persists, staff is prepared to flush the lines.
Isle Mail N More
Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant
Public Library
Another cause of a rotten egg or sewage smell in the water is bacteria growing in the water heater. This is most likely to occur if the hot water has been unused for a significant period of time, if the water heater has been turned off for a while, or if the thermostat on the heater is set too low. The bacteria that produce this problem are not a health threat; however, the taste and odor can be very unpleasant. This problem can be solved by heat disinfection of the water heater.
CVS
San Juan’s Taqueria
Port A Parks and Rec
There are two common causes of a sulfurous, decayed, or sewage-like taste or odor in the water: bacteria growing in your drain or bacteria growing in your water heater. By far, the most common cause of this type of problem is the drain. As bacteria accumulate, they produce gases that smell. It is natural to assume the bad odor is coming from the water because you only smell it when you turn the water on. However there is nothing wrong with the water, you just need to disinfect the drain.
North Padre Whataburger
Coffee Waves
mkay512@aol.com
Long answer from water department: The water has a rotten egg, decayed, or sewage-like taste or odor.
Tarpon Ice House
Amano
Did Ya Hear?
by Mary Craft
Wild Horse Saloon
All Stripes Stores
A3
Sally,
to guarantee that the show will go on. POA members kicked in this year and were a great help. The location will be the same as last year, the city-owned land at the end of Whitecap next to the water treatment plant. The first show last year was a great success and so Jerry is taking the attitude that if it works don’t fix it. So get ready for the Mother of All Deck Parties this summer, and in the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.
Sally Romanski
Around continued from A1
The Gaff
Miss K’s Catering & Bistro
Island Woman Boutique
I was wondering if anyone else has noticed the tap water smelling when it's first turned on. Have experienced a funky odor the last few days.
Don't forget about the City Council meeting this coming Thursday at 5 pm. Let's help make a cleaner, more beautiful Port A by supporting a Bag Ban!
Corpus Christi, TX 78418 editor@islandmoon.com
Smelly Water
W illiam a. T hau iii, P.C. “F ormer U.S. N avy L awyer ”
l Divorce and Separation l Child Custody and Support l Adoption/Guardianship l Paternity Cases l Wills and Probate
l Auto Accidents l Personal Injury l DWI l Criminal Justice l Military Law
ConvenienT Flour BluFF loCaTion 9708 S.P.I.D., Suite A-101 s C orPus C hrisTi (361) 937-5513 s T oll F ree 1-877-888-1369 Licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas Former President of the Corpus Christi Family Law Association (1999-2000) Selected as a Texas “Super Lawyer” in November 2003, October 2004 and October 2005 Issues of Texas Monthly
The Rotary Club of Padre Island is always looking for new members seeking to put "service above self". They meet every Tuesday at noon at the Boathouse Bar and Grill (upstairs), 15241 Leeward Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418. However the week of April 29th they will meet on Friday May 2nd downtown for our district luncheon. For more information contact Jacqueline Carlson at 361-331-8618. Real Estate Broker Mary Melick has an immaculate 4 bedroom waterfront home with two boat lifts listed for $529,900 at 14849 Aquarius. Call Mary at 949-7281 to take a look. The Texas GLO Adopt-a-Beach Spring Cleanup will be this Saturday, April 26th at 8:30 am. You can register online and also see all the locations on their website. All volunteers are welcome! Schlitterbahn has started pouring the concrete for the parking lot adjacent to Commodores and according to a park source it should be ready in 2-3 weeks. The park is still scheduled to open some time in June.
Creating Dreams for Island Homeowners since 1987
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Call 774-7043 for estimate www.billgoinhomes.com
A 4
Island Moon
Backwater Adventures
April 24, 2014
Sponsored by Marker 37 Marina
On the Rocks By Jay Gardner The sea water temperature at Bob Hall finally broke 73 degrees the other day, marking the historical upward trend as Spring finally breaks for real at the beach. In addition, the Sargassum has arrived with it’s typical on-slaught, and is very thick down south. Ripcharts and SEAS are showing the same trends, as warmer water pushes in from the south bringing the brown seaweed from offshore. The changing of the currents from north to south to finally south to north will heat up the beach nicely. There have been reports of pompano and Spanish mackerel at the piers and jetties, but what really gives me the signal is the arrival of the ling being caught off the beach and piers as well. These guys migrate through in the spring and fall following warm water and bait. On their heels should be the tarpon as they move through headed south on their migration as well. I may have to try to sneak down the beach and see if there are any lurking around the jetties down south.
Kissadee With the arrival of the sargassum comes literally tons of additional critters that ride in on it. Several species of crabs, sargassum shrimp, and especially sargassum fish can be found clinging on to the brown algae. Find areas where the sargassum is stacked up really deep out into the water (hasn’t come ashore yet). That stuff that is still in the water out in the first gut still has all the creatures in it; you can use a fine mesh dipnet and get the whole thing, or scoop the entire piece into a bucket, and then
shake it out over the bucket of water. You’ll be surprised what you find in there. The sargassum also has its share of hazards. When it gets thick, it hides a variety of dangers, from glass bulbs and bottles to boards with nails in them. Now is the time of year I’ll slip a rake in the back of the truck so I can clear a quick path down to the edge of the water. I have a really great scar on my foot from finding some glass the hard way years ago. In addition, the sargassum itself can pose a serious driving hazard. When it gets piled up, and then gets covered by a layer of sand during the night, it can be very misleading. You can be driving along at the berm on what you think is hard packed sand and then hit a pocket of sargassum 2 feet deep and get buried instantly. There have also been roll-over wrecks by people who are speeding a little and hit these hidden patches of sargassum. Be careful out there loyal readers. The bird migration has also been cranking right along. We predictably got our second wave of larger birds with this round of fallout. As I write this, there’s been rose-breasted grosbeaks sighted all over town, as well as Baltimore Orioles. Capt Billy over in the Bluff even got a picture of a hooded oriole, which is a rare find. I also have my kiskadees, the grey catbirds and hermit thrushes in the yard, along with painted and indigo buntings and a few other specialty birds. The hummers are around in force, and I think there may be a couple that are trying to nest in my yard and adjacent areas. This is the last hurrah for migration birding, get the feeders and oranges out now before the southeast wind cranks up again and blows them all north. Boaters are also getting back on the water, and running into issues out on the lagoon. I ran into our buddy Arthur (used to write On the Hook) and he was towing a fairly new boat back into the ramp, and then was headed down south to pick up another stranded boater. If you haven’t run your boat in several months, make sure to go through it as much as you can before dumping, and also don’t run down to the land cut on your first outing. Stay close until you work the bugs out, and make sure you have Arthur’s number or another tow boat service pre-paid. I slipped out the other day after work and checked out the jetties looking for those tarpon; I think I was just a few days early. Keep your eyes peeled, and you’ll see me On the Rocks.
Under the bridge (next to Snoopy’s)
I'm a long way from the Island today, y'all take care of her while I'm gone!
Pearl with a nice sheepshead from the ICW just south of the bridge.
Me and Leah are in the mountains of New Mexico I'll be back on the water and in the Moon next week!
This nice trout was caught in Rocky Slough. Farah
Redfish are now plentiful out in the flats in the upper lagoon. Shrimp and popping corks and big gold spoons are best.
Lori Anne Luis with her five fish drum limit. Action still good in the land cut and Baffin for keeper drum.
Some giant trout are migrating into our bay system from the south.
Tides of the Week
Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) April 24-30 2014
Day
High /Low
Tide Time
Height in Feet
Sunrise Moon Time Sunset
Moon Visible
Th
24
Low
5:40 AM
0.5
6:55 AM Rise 3:41 AM
33
24
High
12:40 PM
1.5
7:59 PM Set 3:40 PM
24
Low
7:08 PM
0.9
F
25
High
12:13 AM
1.4
6:54 AM Rise 4:22 AM
25
Low
7:05 AM
0.7
7:59 PM Set 4:41 PM
25
High
12:59 PM
1.4
25
Low
7:32 PM
0.7
Sa
26
High
1:47 AM
1.5
6:54 AM Rise 5:03 AM
26
Low
8:23 AM
0.9
8:00 PM Set 5:42 PM
26
High
1:15 PM
1.3
26
Low
8:03 PM
0.4
Su
27
High
3:06 AM
1.7
6:53 AM Rise 5:44 AM
27
Low
9:37 AM
1.0
8:00 PM Set 6:43 PM
27
High
1:28 PM
1.3
27
Low
8:37 PM
0.2
M
28
High
4:14 AM
1.8
6:52 AM Rise 6:26 AM
28
Low
10:50 AM
1.2
8:01 PM Set 7:43 PM
28
High
1:40 PM
1.3
28
Low
9:13 PM
0.1
Tu
29
High
5:15 AM
1.9
6:51 AM Rise 7:10 AM
29
Low
9:49 PM
0.0
8:01 PM Set 8:41 PM
W
30
High
6:12 AM
1.9
6:50 AM Rise 7:55 AM
30
Low
10:26 PM
-0.1
8:02 PM Set 9:38 PM
22
13
7
2
0 0
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April 24, 2014
Island Moon
Senior Moments
Do You Remember? The Great Depression-Part One By Dotson Lewis, dlewis1@stx.rr.com Special to the Island Moon Dotson’s note: I remember many of the occurrences discussed in the following accounts of the “The Great Depression.” I remember vividly watching trenches being dug and livestock clubbed and buried on the South Plains (near Lubbock). I guess we couldn’t afford to shoot them as they did in Nebraska. Panhandler’s knocking on our door was a common happening. I also remember soup lines, bread lines and sand storms.
The Stock Market Crash
because they could at least feed themselves. Unfortunately, during the Great Depression, the Great Plains was hit hard with both a drought and horrendous dust storms, creating what became known as the Dust Bowl. Years and years of overgrazing combined with the effects of a drought caused the grass to disappear. With just topsoil exposed, high winds picked up the loose dirt and whirled it for miles. The dust storms destroyed everything in their paths, leaving farmers without their crops. Small farmers were hit especially hard. Even before the dust storms hit, the invention of the tractor drastically cut the need for manpower on farms. These small farmers were usually already in debt, borrowing money for seed and paying it back when their crops came in. When the dust storms damaged the crops, not only could the small farmer not feed himself and his family, he could not pay back his debt. Banks would then foreclose on the small farms and the farmer's family would be both homeless and unemployed.
Culling the Herds During the early years of the Depression, livestock prices dropped disastrously. Officials with the New Deal believed prices were down because farmers were still producing too many commodities like hogs and cotton. The solution proposed in the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933 was to reduce the supply. After nearly a decade of optimism and prosperity, the United States was thrown into despair on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the day the stock market crashed and the official beginning of the Great Depression. As stock prices plummeted with no hope of recovery, panic struck. Masses and masses of people tried to sell their stock, but no one was buying. The stock market, which had appeared to be the surest way to become rich, quickly became the path to bankruptcy. And yet, the Stock Market Crash was just the beginning. Since many banks had also invested large portions of their clients' savings in the stock market, these banks were forced to close when the stock market crashed. Seeing a few banks close caused another panic across the country. Afraid they would lose their own savings, people rushed to banks that were still open to withdraw their money. This massive withdrawal of cash caused additional banks to close. Since there was no way for a bank's
So, in the late spring of 1933, the federal government carried out "emergency livestock reductions." In Nebraska, the government bought about 470,000 cattle and 438,000 pigs. Nationwide, six million hogs were purchased from desperate farmers. In the South, one million farmers were paid to plow under 10.4 million acres of cotton.
It was a bitter pill for farmers to swallow. They had worked hard to raise those crops and livestock, and they absolutely hated to see them killed and the meat go to waste. Critics charged that the AAA was pushing a "policy of scarcity," killing little pigs simply to increase prices when many people were going hungry.
clients to recover any of their savings once the bank had closed, those who didn't reach the bank in time also became bankrupt.
Agriculture Secretary Henry A. Wallace said that since there was too little demand for pork products, farmers couldn't run an "old folks home for hogs and keep them around indefinitely as pets." But even Wallace relented, recognizing the desperate need in the country. He pledged that
Businesses and industry were also affected. Having lost much of their own capital in either the Stock Market Crash or the bank closures, many businesses started cutting back their workers' hours or wages. In turn, consumers began to curb their spending, refraining from purchasing such things as luxury goods. This lack of consumer spending caused additional businesses to cut back wages or, more drastically, to lay off some of their workers. Some businesses couldn't stay open even with these cuts and soon closed their doors, leaving all their workers unemployed.
The Dust Bowl In previous depressions, farmers were usually safe from the severe effects of a depression
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the government would purchase agricultural products "from those who have too much in order to give to those who have too little." The AAA was amended to set up the Federal Surplus Relief Corporation (FSRC), which distributed agricultural products such as canned beef, apples, beans and pork products to relief organizations. Yet the basic governmental approach of supporting farm prices by reducing supplies continues to this day. To be continued… Dotson’s note: What do you remember of the Great Depression? Please share your memories with us. Questions and/or comments are welcome. Please snail mail or Email The Island Moon or call Dotson at 361-949-768 or 530748-8475 or Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com
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Stuff I Heard on the Island by Dale Rankin
Columnist Arlan Andrews writes this time about how the problem with writers is not too much writer’s block, it is that there is always more to say than space to say it because topics are everywhere; he is right. Here’s how things work.
bunch of wires and gadgets which the boys intended to turn into yard art if they couldn’t sell it for scrap. The Frenchmen claimed ownership but the spider boys pointed out that Texas law says you own it until it hits soil, whether the soil is dry or submerged, and this was legally harvested beach find.
Spider bites and jumper cables
Flour Bluff America
Arlan is writing about spider bites on The Island and about ten years ago Mike Ellis introduced me to two fellows who, as he said, personify the independent personalities that we often encounter on our sandbar. For reasons I never understood both of these fellows had recently been bitten by Brown Recluse spiders and neither had health insurance so they were looking for, shall we say, homeopathic remedies. They had run through an array of salves and ointments and nothing was working until an auto-mechanic friend suggested a “cure” he had heard somewhere or maybe tried, or maybe was just yanking their chain.
The conversation took several twists and turns which probably would have made a great Saturday Night Live skit but the spider boys drove a hard bargain. By their line of reason $2000 wouldn’t cut the mustard for the simple reason that it wasn’t the nosecone from a blown-up French rocketship anymore, it was a hot tub; their hot tub, with lawn chair seats and buttocks-warming streams of water and its replacement value was more in the $4500 range. The Frenchmen talked it over in the way that only the French can do, and came to the conclusion that paying out $4500 was a lot better solution than retuning to their supervisors and trying to explain how cutting-edge French technology had turned the nosecone of the pride of the French rocketship fleet into a hot tub in a hole in the ground behind a trailer house in Flour Bluff America.
But these fellows, desperate as they were, thought it would be a fine idea to clamp a set of jumper cables on either side of the bite wound and clamp the opposite ends into a power source. So that’s what they did. I am not in any way suggesting you try this, in fact I strongly suggest you don’t, but according to these guys when they ran the power through the lines and subsequently through their now swollen bite sites it blew the infection out and cauterized the wounds, healing them immediately for the price of few volts of electricity. I can’t say I saw the power exchange actually take place, but I did view the wounds after the fact and they appeared to be healing. I’m not exactly sure what I believe but with these fellows the jumper cable solution was not out of the question.
French rocketship These are the same guys who Mike said, a few years earlier were driving down the beach when they encountered a conical-shaped metal object big enough they had to get a flatbed trailer to haul it off and they took it home. They didn’t know what it was but they thought it was cool so they took it. A few days later Mike got a call at the Moon office from a fellow with a heavy French accent asking for the price of a full-page ad. The purpose of the ad was to help the French space program – who knew?!- locate the nosecone from a rocket they had launched recently which had exploded during liftoff (insert French joke here). There was a $2000 reward for its return since the nosecone contained the “black box” that might tell the Frenchmen why their rocket exploded and they believed the prevailing currents should have deposited it somewhere on the beaches in the Coastal Bend.
Mother of invention
The hogs and cattle were simply killed. In Nebraska, thousands were shot and buried in deep pits. Farmers hated to sell their herds, but they had no choice. The federal buy-out saved many farmers from bankruptcy, and AAA payments became the chief source of income for many that year.
When Mike saw the photo he recognized it as the same hunk of jetsam the spider-bitten boys had hauled off the beach a week back. The Frenchmen flew into town and sure enough, it was their nosecone. They found it behind the boys’ trailer in The Bluff where they had dug a hole and turned their hunk of space junk into a makeshift hot tub complete with lawn chair seats and buttocks-warming streams of water. The Frenchmen freaked. Where is the stuff that was inside the cone? Where is the black box? What has become of our nosecone!? “The guts are over there,” they pointed, and sure enough there was the “black box” and a
The hot tub was delivered and the nosecone turned over to the French who stuffed the guts back into it and hauled it off the same way the spider-boys had brought it there. So the story went, as the Frenchmen drove away with their rocket nosecone/hot tub, one of the spider boys summed up the situation thusly: “’We’re all going to die, but not everyone is going to live,” and the spider boys were indeed living large as they sat in their new $4500 hot tub behind their trailer in Flour Bluff America.
Now you see what Arlan means when he says ideas just seem to flow, one to the next. How else could there be only three degrees of separation between a Brown Recluse Spider, a set of jumper cables, the nosecone from a blown-up French rocketship, and a hot tub behind a trailer house in Flour Bluff America? And so it goes.
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April Brings Attention to Autism and Child Abuse By Todd Hunter, District 32
National Autism Awareness Month
Some of you may or may not know that April is National Autism Awareness Month. Awareness months are helpful because they help to bring public attention to issues facing many of our friends and families. Autism is no different. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the medical term for Autism is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which is described as a group of developmental disabilities which can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.
The National Institute of Mental Health further characterizes ASD as:
• Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts;
• Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities;
• Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (typically recognized in the first two years of life); and
• Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
It is important to note that individuals diagnosed with ASD differ greatly in their learning, thinking and problem-solving abilities. Those abilities can range from gifted to significantly disabling. Since the 1960's, the number of children diagnosed with ASD has increased. However, it's unknown for certain whether this is due to an increased number of cases or to the increased awareness of ASD among the medical community and the general public as a whole.
There are a variety of organizations that provide helpful resources and information regarding ASD. One such organization is the Autism Society which was founded in 1965 by Bernard Rimland, Ph. D whose own son was diagnosed with ASD. Since its formation the Autism Society has grown from a handful of parents to more than 120,000 members and supporters of whom are connected through a working network of more than 115 affiliates nationwide. The Autism Society is dedicated to its role of increasing public awareness about ASD which includes the day to day challenges faced by individuals, families and professionals affected by ASD. If you would like to learn more about the Autism Society you can go to www.autism-
society.org. Another organization that serves as a resource for ASD is Autism Now. You can go to their website at www.autismnow.org to learn more. Other additional resources include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which can be found at www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/ autism/index.html and the National Institute of Mental Health which can be located at www. nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1AUT_CHILD.shtml.
National Child Abuse Prevention Month The month of April is also the National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Tragically, hundreds of thousands of young Americans face abuse and neglect in their daily lives. It is important that we identify and work to prevent this type of abuse. We need to work to try and create a more safe and secure society. As a community, it is essential that we bring awareness to this issue and work to improve this generation by eradicating violent actions against our youth. The types of abuse and neglectful situations will often times result in the decline of school performance and grades. One of the initiatives that have been put in place to help diminish the abuse of children is the Administration for Children & Families, which is a division of the United States Department of Health & Human Services. This was created to encourage healthy and strong communities of people to work to create a positive impact on both the development of children and their quality of life. Additionally, the Administration for Children & Families works to create partnerships with the various stakeholders to provide front-line services to those affected. They also work to address there vulnerabilities of the public as well as those who have developmental disabilities. If you would like to learn more about this organization, additional information can be found on their website at: http://www.acf.hhs. gov/ If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part) County. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
History continued from A1 and promote the entrance of fish from the Gulf. Mr. Tucker (Burr’s traveling companion) and I had always doubted the feasibility of the plan. But two or three years ago the Commission, responding to the pressure of coastal citizens, authorized its coastal director to purchase an eight-inch dredge. With this, several improvements of passes were made. Also a pass was cut through Padre Island at Murdoch Landing. Theories were now put to practical test. The pass, when cut, continued to close and was reopened two or three times. A letter from the marine biologist, Gordon Gunter, adds perhaps the final conclusions on the matter: “I have recently submitted a report to Mr. Arnold recommending that the pass cutting be abandoned because it is a useless expenditure. I proved by both a priori arguments and definite findings that (1) the pass would not stay open when cut and (2) that it would not modify the salinity of (Laguna Madre) if it did.” Reference has been made to the strong southerly wind that we had to face. This wind, according to those thoroughly familiar with the region, blows the water from the sand flats during July and August, to the upper Laguna, leaving the sand flats exposed, but never dry enough to cross from the island to the mainland except in two places. During the other months, or most of them, the flats are covered by water. It is said the Captain King, founder of the King Ranch, ran a stage coach along the Gulf beach of the island and in the summer, made use of the two crossings. We use the term sand flats but the soil is muddy rather than sandy, indicating drainage from the muddy slough.
Corpus Christi Island Padre Island was called Corpus Christi Island in the original titles. In 1828 a priest called Padre Nicolas Balli bequeathed to his nieces and nephews the lower half of Padre Island. This may have had something to do with the name Padre Island (father island) which seems to go well with the Laguna Madre (mother lake).
Maps
Due to some uncertainty as to title records the legislature in 1848 sent two commissioners, Miller and Bourland, to investigate and obtain evidence or verification of the titles on Padre Island. The evidence was gathered, by a storm wrecked the steamer Anson on which the commissioners traveled, and all the title records that had been gathered were lost. But a verbal statement was made to the legislature which adopted the report. This information is contained in the evidence and the State record which was used before the Texas Supreme Court when, in a recent opinion, it ruled on the validity of the original titles. The records were lost in November, 1850, says the court, in an unfortunate wreck of the steamer Anson when on her passage from the Brazos Santiago.
April 24, 2014
Following the Columbus Trail Through the Bahamas Crooked Island to Plana Cays Editor’s note: This week Captain Sail Offcourse continues his journey along the trail of Christopher Columbus in the Bahamas. By Captain Sail Offcourse The next morning in Little Harbor the wind was up to 20-30 knots and we discussed taking off to Landrail Point, Crooked Island. I was decided that as a group we would be fine and we left the harbor. I headed out with my GPS heading so I was going straight there with a course over ground reading. The other two yachts zoomed to the north not wanting to go slow as I was pointing close to the wind so my speed was only 3.5 knots speed over ground.
Bird Rock Lighthouse
free. That night it was a very strong surge and I could not sleep, so I got up and raised my sails and took off on my own for another harbor. Sailing all night I made for Atwood Harbor on the north Acklins coast just short of “Hells Gate.” Hell’s Gate is so named because it is difficult to sail past because of the currents and the trade winds are against the sailor trying to head south and east. After the all night sail I pulled into Atwood harbor and anchored in six feet of water surrounded by a semi-circle beach that surrounds the harbor. This left only two miles to Hell’s Gate for the next leg to Plana Cays.
Sailboat graveyard
The other two yachts were moving fast but when they reached the horizon and tacked back they went behind me, so even going slow I was making good ground and not stressing my rig. The Catamaran went way south and found a good line to landrail point. Our new arrivals decided that it was easier to stick with me than try and race a fast Cat, so they fell in with me and we made for Bird Rock Lighthouse which stands 112 feet above sea level and is situated on a cay just off Pittstown Point. The lighthouse construction started in 1866, and it became operational in 1876. We could see the lighthouse at about halfway across. This lighthouse marks the reef that was Columbus’s second stop in the new world. At the south side of this light is a deep channel inside the reef to Portland Harbor that Columbus liked very much and the Crooked Island inside passage. Visitors are welcome but you have to have your own boat and the current surrounding Bird Rock is very strong and there really isn't a good landing spot. Here the prevailing winds carry the scents that Columbus said the scents of native herbs were carried to his ship and he named them the Fragrant Islands.
From Fragrant Islands to Hell’s Gate We arrived at the anchorage between Pittstown Point and Landrail Point and The Catamaran was already anchored there, so we found spot close and anchored. In town at the store was a large Spanish anchor that had been found close to where we were anchored. I wondered if that had been one of Columbus’s ships as they did not know the reefs here and without a trip line on your anchor you could well have to cut it
Nicaragua and Don Pedre Many wrecks have strewn the Gulf shore in that area. The Nicaragua in 1914 went aground below Murdoch Landing and a portion of the ruin still projects above the water. Legend is rich in the accounts of the sea disasters in that area. There is a story of the Don Pedro, a three masted schooner, and another shop which was said to be filled with Spanish gold (doubloons worth $8 each). This is called the money hill, and some have claimed to have found some of this money washed ashore. There is even the story the Jean Lafitte, the buccaneer, was on one of these legendary wrecks, which is not impossible in view of his piracy record after he left Galveston in 1821, banished by the American government. But Yoakum, the historian, believed, on fairly good evidence, that Lafitte died of fever and was buried in Yucatan in 1826.
This was opening day for Lobster season so I decided to try my luck and see what I could find. I gathered up my gear and swam out to the entrance and found several sailboats had come to grief on the reef there as the guides all said to take a course of 180 degrees to enter the harbor. I looked and found the clear way into the harbor was at 150 degrees on the light pole on the rock to avoid the reef just outside the harbor. So be careful entering this remote harbor. I swam back inside the harbor and went to the west reef and there I found what I was looking for, a giant lobster. I collected it and later that day when the other yachts showed up we had a feast. It almost did not fit in the three-gallon pot I had to boil it. It was as large as my generator with the antenna folded back. Here is a picture of it.
Sailing with the whales
The next morning we set out for Plana cays. It was a beautiful day and we traveled with Whales spouting around us. It took quite some effort to clear Hell’s Gate but we made it around the northeast point and the reef that extends five miles offshore. Late that afternoon we pulled up to the southwest beach to anchor right where Columbus had anchored at West Plana Cay. Securing all gear and sails I stood and looked to the west, sure enough it was just as Columbus had described, it appeared as though there was a chain of islands to the west on the far horizon. Theses were the tops of the hills of Acklins Island. On the beach it was just as he described it a small steep beach circular in shape with reef on the sides of it. Going ashore in the dingy and standing on the hill here there are Indian ruins was an experience I will never forget. Even though the Bahamas has renamed Watling Island to the San Salvador as Christopher Columbus renamed Guanahani. Plana Cays resembles Guanahani much better and to me is the actual landing point. In my cruises I have visited all the islands in this area and this island group is the only one that matches the logs of Christobal Colon.
Editor’s note: Mr. Burr’s adventure ended with a great story to tell, but his conclusion that a pass between the Upper and Lower Laguna Madre would never stay open turned out to be wrong. The 26-mile cut was dug thru the King and Kennedy ranches in the 1940's during the digging of the Intracoastal Waterway and remains a favorite spot for anglers to this day.
https://www.google.com/maps/search/Murdock's+Channel+laguna+madr...
Christopher Columbus
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Midle Laguna Madre near Murdock's Channel, the Land Cut is on the left
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April 24, 2014
18 Minutes To Victory
Island Moon
By U.S. Sen. John Cornyn Each year, on March 2, Texans celebrate a uniquely Texan holiday— Texas Independence Day. It marks the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence at the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos. And while March 2 is indeed the day Texans declared their independence, it was in fact the 18-minute battle that occurred several weeks later, on April 21, that cemented that declaration and established the Republic of Texas. This week marks the 178th anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto on the late afternoon of April 21, 1836, when General Sam Houston’s battle-weary soldiers waited, encamped in the woods at the convergence of the San Jacinto River and the Buffalo Bayou, some 1,000 yards away from the Mexican camp. General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, confident he had the Texians outnumbered and cornered, relaxed his defenses, neglected to place sentries outside the camp, and delayed his planned attack by one day. This was just the opening General Houston needed. As recalled by Texian soldier, James Washington Winters, on the afternoon of the 21st, General Houston “passed around among the men gathered at the camp fires and asked if we wanted to fight. We replied with a shout that we were most anxious to do so. Then Houston replied, 'Very well, get your dinners and I will lead you into the fight, and if you whip them every one of you shall be a captain.’" Major George Bernard Erath described the anticipation of the soldiers, who were anxious to avenge the fall of the Alamo and the defeat at Goliad: “We would have fought the whole world then. We had been marched from the Guadalupe in a roundabout, zigzag way through swamps
and bogs; we had lived part of the time on halfspoiled beef… standing guard twenty-four hours out of forty-eight; and not allowed to go to sleep even at the guard fire. General Houston made us a speech at Harrisburg…he promised us that we should have full satisfaction for all we had gone through; and he closed his address by saying let your war cry be ‘Remember the Alamo!’" As described in The Battle of San Jacinto and the San Jacinto Campaign by Louis Wiltz Kemp and Edward W. Kilman, “At the command, ‘Advance’ the patriots, 910 strong, moved quickly out of the woods and over the rise, deploying. Bearded and ragged from forty days in the field, they were a fierce-looking band. But their long rifles were clean and well oiled.” A battle line formed from left to right beginning with General Sidney Sherman’s regiment, followed by Commander Edward Burleson’s regiment, the artillery under Commander George W. Hockley, the infantry under Henry Millard, and the cavalry under Colonel Mirabeau B. Lamar. Led by Sherman’s men, the line advanced on and surprised the much larger Mexican army, yelling “Remember the Alamo! Remember the Goliad!” The attack was so successful that the battle lasted only 18 minutes, and the next day Santa Anna himself was captured. By this victory, Texians won the independence they had declared less than two months earlier. Today, we celebrate the hard-fought victory of Texas’ first generation of veterans under General Sam Houston. I am proud of our state’s rich history of independence and success. And I’m reminded of the powerful words of our state song, “God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong, That you may grow in power and worth, Thro'out the ages long.”
The simple act of creating a raised bed improves drainage in heavy clay soil. Add in some organic matter to further increase drainage and improve the water holding ability for sandy soils. And if your soil is beyond repair or you don’t want to wait, a raised garden allows you to bring in quality soil and create a garden right on top of the existing soil or even paved areas. The quality soil and easy access will allow for dense plantings without pathways. This means greater yields, up to four times more, in raised beds than in-ground gardens.
been used to create raised beds. Consider using materials that are long-lasting and easy to assemble, like Lexington Planter Stone (lexingtonseries.com). These stone sections can be set right on the ground, fit together easily, and can be arranged and stacked to make planters the size, shape and height desired.
Raised beds also help conserve water. You’ll concentrate your growing efforts in smaller areas and that means less water wasted. Increase the benefit by using soaker hoses or drip irrigation in order to concentrate water application to the soil nearest the plants, right where it is needed.
Start a raised bed garden by measuring and marking the desired size and shape. Remove the existing grass and level the area. For taller raised gardens edge the bed, cut the grass short and cover with newspaper or cardboard prior to filling with soil. Be sure to follow directions for the system being installed.
Make your raised bed a comfortable height. Elevating the garden minimizes bending and kneeling. Design raised beds in corners or edges suited for sitting or areas narrow enough to set a garden bench alongside for easy access.
Once the raised bed is complete, fill it with quality soil. Calculate the volume of soil needed by multiplying the length times the width times the height of the raised bed, making sure all measurements are in feet. Convert the cubic feet measurement to cubic yards by dividing it by 27 (the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard). For a 4 x 8 feet raised bed that is 2 feet deep you would multiply 4 x 8 x 2. This equals 64 cubic feet. Divide by 27 and you will need just a bit more than 1 cubic yard of soil. Don’t let the math overwhelm you, most topsoil companies and garden center staff can help you with the calculations. Just be sure to have the raised bed dimensions handy when you order your soil.
Design raised gardens so they are narrow enough for gardeners to easily reach all plants growing within the garden. Or include steppers or pathways if creating larger raised garden areas.
The best part is that this one time investment of time and effort will pay off with years of gardening success.
SPID Work Schedule
Resurfacing Work Moves to JFK-SH 361 on Park Road 22 Project will have to use the PR 22 / SH 361 intersection Crews continue Saturday work; expect for westbound PR 22 access and the westbound intermittent crossover, ramp closures Resurfacing of Park Road 22 will shift to the section of roadway between the JFK Causeway and SH 361 for the week of April 28 – May 3.
A perfect day and enjoy their first egg or prize, while others wildly zoomed from egg to egg. A delightful array of prizes was awarded to many children in each age bracket. Within minutes the hunt was over and parents, prodded by their children, plopped down in a comfortable spot and reviewed the spoils of the hunt.
Behind the Scenes
The slide drew many happy children
Many children and parents were reunited with neighbors and friends during the festivities and the general atmosphere was one of joy. The 17th Annual Easter Egg Festivities seemed once again to bond islanders and families and to create many enduring memories. It is one of the many activities on the island that make it a very exceptional place to live.
Don’t let a sore back, bad knees or lousy soil stop you from gardening. Elevate your garden for easier access and better gardening results.
Select a material suited to your landscape design. Wood, brick and stones have long
Family Activities
smoothly traveled the walking path around the park. The tall and friendly chicken earned surprised looks from children who had never before seen a chicken almost eight feet tall. A cart deftly maneuvered around the park advertising different areas, rides, and activities to families, reminding them to get their photograph taken, take advantage of the free hot dogs and ice cold water, and visit another activity within the park.
A7
Elevate Your Gardening Success
Add a mowing strip around the edge of the raised bed. A narrow strip of mulch or pavers set level with the soil surface keep the area tidy and eliminate the need for hand trimming.
Realty once again proudly produced a bonanza of merriment for islanders of all ages. A flotilla of generous volunteers and sponsors made it all happen like clockwork again this year.
On the Gypsy Street side of the park smaller children enjoyed the rides and the train that
By Melinda Myers
Easter continued from A1
Estimated attendance was 1,000 people and at the height of activities parents stood in line in the pavilion with their children to get their free photograph taken with the lovable and compassionate Easter Bunny. Next to that station families bought delectable baked goods, leaving tell-tale colored frosting streaks on their cheeks. About 150 other faces were painted by the artistic Seashore Middle Academy Builders’ Club face-painting group. Nearby at the boat launch boxes of yellow plastic ducks waited for their race and on the other side of the pavilion countless small children enjoyed testing their ability to defy gravity on the swings and other park equipment.
Both Keller Williams and the North Padre Island Kiwanis Club demonstrated their unwavering commitment to the families on the island, and volunteers from both of those organizations tirelessly donated hundreds of hours of their time to organize and execute the myriad details of this “egg-citing” event. Additional community volunteers cheerfully stepped in where needed.
Other generous sponsors and contributors that donated time, money, and prizes included: Keller Williams Coastal Bend Realty Tammy Good, Stephanie Waterman Farmers Insurance, Starkey Mortgage, Shelly, Ricki, and Jennifer, Fidelity National Home Warranty Bethany Fawkes, Padre Island Baptist Church, Padre Island Muses Arlene Minar, Shane Peace Frito Lay, Keller Williams Rockport Donna Voyles, Padre Island POA, Padre Island Business Association, Island in the Son Methodist Church, Security Title Robin Print, Ramond and Sherry Neff, Port Royal Resort Gabriela Castro, San Jacinto Title Teresa Ranly, Beverly Rogers CPA, Prosperity
The ‘Hunt’ As noon approached, families began to gather along the lines that marked the ‘egg fields’ in anticipation of the hunt. Only a few youngsters had to be reminded to wait to pick up the hidden eggs and prizes. But after all, how can a two year old be expected to remain patient and still when bountiful The train took kids on leisurely rides treasures lay feet away? The line stretched seemingly the length of the park, divided by age group and backed Bank Pete Pruneda and Kathy Pratt, Island by persevering parents. As the countdown Italian Restaurant, Lori and Ryan Ulferts C21, began, most of the children sported unending Frost Bank, Ramona Singleterry, Char Atnip smiles and secretly reviewed egg collection KWCB, Mary Ann McShane CCRG, Elite strategies. About the time the count hit two, Exterminating Debbie Aguirre, American Bank, several anxious egg hunters burst through line, Millie Fraley, Kari Clam, Linda Bemis, Victoria Rogers, JoAnn Issacson, Don Yurgans CAN initiating an egg stampede. Keller Williams, Kim Ralston, Julie Strayer, All of the children had plenty to choose from Mary Spolans, Steve Sampson, Martha Wild, and every hunter left with eggs and prizes. As David Pavelka. Thanks also to The Island Moon is common, some little ones wanted to sit down Newspaper for its coverage of the event.
The line of egg collectors stretched almost the length of the park
The anticipated schedule includes Saturday work for the second week in a row. As the project enters this phase, motorists should expect intermittent ramp and crossover closures. Weather permitting, the anticipated work schedule for the week of April 28-May 3, is:
Waldron Road through the JFK Causeway Crews will be doing striping and cleanup work on this newly resurfaced section of roadway with single lane closures eastbound and westbound on Park Road 22. Motorists should expect intermittent ramp closures. To accommodate the majority of commuter traffic, eastbound PR 22 lane closure will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Westbound PR 22 lane closure will be from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
to eastbound turnaround at the JFK bridge for eastbound PR 22 access.
PR 22 / SH 361 intersection
Crews will be doing pavement work and continuing work on left- and right-turn lane improvements on eastbound PR 22.
This work will require single lane closures eastbound and westbound on PR 22; single lane/right lane closure on SH 361 from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and single lane and left-turn lane closure on Commodores Drive from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Police will assist with traffic control at the intersection and motorists should expect delays.
Motorists also should allow for additional travel time, watch for flaggers, police officers and work crews, be patient and proceed with caution through work zones.
JFK Causeway to SH 361 Crews will be resurfacing the roadway and cleaning and sealing bridge joints. This work will require single lane closures eastbound and westbound on Park Road 22 with intermittent ramp and crossover closures. Eastbound lane closure will be 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and westbound lane closure will be from about 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Note: If crossovers are closed, traffic
PINS continued from A1
parks all over the country. He came to PINS from Palo Alto National Historical Park in Brownsville, where he has been superintendent for nine years, and will now be in charge of the management of both national parks. He is a native of Bolder, Colorado, and has served as Chief Ranger at Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, was Acting Superintendent of Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site in Arizona and Area Ranger at Olympic National Park in Washington. He also served in parks in Maryland, Florida and Alabama.
County beach. That plan sparked opposition which led to current negotiations to put the GLO land under control of either Nueces County or Kleberg County. Kleberg County officials have met with the managers of a local trust which would purchase the land and donate it to local managers.
PINS became a national park in 1962 when the land was donated by the Dunn family whose patriarch began ranching the land in the late nineteenth century. PINS generates $22.8 million in local revenue each year and provides 300 jobs and statistically for each dollar spent by visitors to the park another four dollars is spent in the local community.
“We would delineate the park boundary somehow,” he said, “You would know when you enter the park and using bollards is one option.”
“Each American pays $2.56 per year to support the National Park Service,” Spier said. “That’s a pretty good deal.” Spier took office in early February after an eight-month search and said he has made a point of reaching out to people in the area. “I think the park can do a better job of communicating with the people in this area,” he said. “It is something we can improve on.” The new job came with a ready-made controversy over the ownership of 3680 acres of land currently owned by the Texas General Land Office (GLO). Prior to his taking office negotiations were underway between the Texas Nature Conservancy and the GLO for the conservancy to buy the land and donate it to the park. That plan went awry when Spier’s predecessor said if the park took possession of the land, which includes about six miles of beach in Kleberg County, the park boundary would be marked on its new northern end by bollards placed across the beach which would require southbound beach drivers to make a twelve-mile round trip to reach the Kleberg
Spier says he understands that beach access is a hot topic in the Coastal Bend but will not say whether he would follow the plan of his predecessor and divert beach to Park Road 22 by placing the bollards on the beach at the park’s new boundary.
He also said he will maintain the current policy of reducing the speed limit in the park from 25 mph to 15 during the turtle nesting season. That policy has met with harsh criticism from anglers and other park visitors because it increases drive time to Little Shell Beach and points south during the peak summer months.
“That decision was made through a process which included public input,” he said.
Since taking office Spier has met with city officials as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“I want to reach out to the community to achieve out goal of increasing the number of people who come to the park” he said.
Spier said one of the unique challenges to managing PINS is the steady presence of smugglers who take advantage of the park’s open spaces to move contraband north from Mexico.
“We work constantly with the other agencies that patrol the park,” he said. “Our priorities are the safety of our visitors, the safety of our staff, and good management of our resources, in that order. I look forward to engaging the local community as a contributing partner. To support the thousands of people that visit each year will be an honor.”
A 8
Still Waiting for the First Kemp’s Ridley Nest
Island Moon
By Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Chief, Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery National Park Service Padre Island National Seashore e-mail donna_shaver@nps.gov
Kemp’s ridley sea turtles will soon begin crawling ashore to nest here. North Padre Island is the most important nesting beach in the U.S. for this endangered species. Locally, nesting also occurs on Mustang Island and San Jose Island. Kemp’s ridley nests have been recorded in Texas as early as the first week in April. However, nesting is starting later this year, likely due to the cold winter. As of the morning of April 22, no Kemp’s ridley nests have been found in Texas this year, but nesting should begin any day.
Turtle patrols underway Volunteers and staff members from Padre Island National Seashore are patrolling North Padre Island each day to find nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles and their eggs. Animal Rehabilitation Keep (ARK) and City of Corpus Christi are also conducting patrols locally. We want to find the turtles and eggs so they we can document them and protect them from various threats. Eggs from most nests found from North Padre Island northward on the Texas coast are brought to our incubation facility at the National Seashore for protected care and protected release of the hatchlings.
Watch for and report nesting Nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles are only on the beach for about 45 minutes. About half the time they come ashore, lay and bury their eggs, and return to the sea in between passes of our turtle patrollers. Sometimes other people recreating on the beach are first people on scene of nesting. If you go to the beach during the nesting season, please watch for nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles and the tracks that they leave in the sand, and report them immediately to a passing turtle patroller, law enforcement officer, or our telephone nest reporting number. Signs, stickers, and posters distributed locally contain the telephone number to report your observations. The aluminum signs measure 2 feet x 2 feet and are located at most beach access points on Mustang and North Padre Island. Each sign has a photograph of a nesting Kemp’s ridley turtle and the telephone number 1-866-TURTLE-5. This toll-free number is a recorded message that directs callers to the appropriate contact for their geographical area. For example, people wanting to report observations on North Padre Island are instructed to call me at (361) 949-8173, ext. 226. Posters containing a black-and-white photograph of a nesting Kemp’s ridley and the telephone contact number are being displayed at many local stores, restaurants, and hotels. It is vital that you report the nesting turtle or nester tracks as soon as you see them, so that biologists can try to quickly get to the site to
examine and protect the nesting turtle before she re-enters the sea, examine and protect her tracks before they disappear, and locate and protect the nest. In my last column, I described what nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles look like, Kemp’s ridley nesting habits, steps that should be taken if you find a nesting turtle or tracks, and ways to avoid inadvertently harming them. If you did not see that article or want to learn more about those topics, visit the Padre Island National Seashore website at www.nps.gov/pais.
Nest tally updates I am the Texas Coordinator of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network and with the help of staff and volunteers at the National Seashore I maintain the tally of sea turtle nests and stranded sea turtles found in Texas. During the nesting season, the nest tally can change quickly. Frequently, the tally that I report in my Island Moon article becomes out-of-date during the few days between when my article is due and when it is published. One of the best ways to learn the latest information about nesting is to visit the National Seashore website at www.nps.gov/pais. We post the tally of sea turtle nests found in Texas on this website and update numbers within a day or two after nests are found. Another way to learn about nests found is to visit our Facebook page titled Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery.
Hatchling releases Each year, about 30 of our releases of Kemp’s ridley hatchlings at Padre Island National Seashore are open to the public, free-of-charge. This year, the earliest that we might be able to hold a hatchling release is early June. During years when we find nests in early April, the first hatchlings are ready for release in lateMay. However, because nesting did not occur that early this year, it will be impossible for us to hold any releases during May. If nests are found this week, the earliest that we could hold a release would be the first week of June. The longer it goes before we locate the first nests, the later in June that the first releases will be held. We do not know when hatchling releases might be held until nests are found and eggs are transferred to our incubation facility at the National Seashore. A day or two after eggs are placed in our incubation facility, the projected dates when hatchlings from these nests will be released are posted on our website at www. nps.gov/pais. As each release date range draws closer and hatchlings start to emerge from the eggs then, we will provide more specific information about the next upcoming release on our recorded Hatchling Hotline at (361) 9497163 and our Facebook page titled Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery.
Water continued from A1 Subsidence not a problem Subsidence (sinking of the land due to compaction of underlying sediments) has been a major problem in some Texas locations due to withdrawal of groundwater. This will not be a problem at Port Aransas because…there is little clay in the body of Mustang Island to compact, due to de-watering, and the surrounding Gulf and bay will prevent the ground water level being significantly lowered below sea level. Salt water intrusion into the aquifer could become a problem if water withdrawal is excessive. This is most likely to be a problem if there is heavy pumping on only a few wells, rather than lighter pumping on many wells. Since most of the usage is by individual homeowners for landscape watering, the pumping is from many scattered wells, reducing the probability of serious draw down and salt water intrusion. That is more likely to become a problem if the usage is for a major user, such as a golf course. In that case, many wells should be used so as to not draw too much from any single well. For such heavy use, monitoring wells should be installed to track any changes in the level of the water table and stop withdrawing water if the water table is being drawn down to near sea level.
Fifty feet per day Prior to the construction of the two pipelines which bring water from the Corpus Christi regional system, all of the water supply for Port Aransas was from individual wells and a community well field in the dune area. On Mustang Island ground water behaves in the much more normal fashion of flowing between individual grains of sand. Surprisingly this flow rate can be as much as fifty feet per day. The surface of a pond or a lake is the exposed surface of the water table at that location. On Mustang Island, when there is water standing in the roadside ditches for a long time, that is the level of the surface of the water table at that location. However, the actual surface of the water table is not flat. The water table rises under higher topography like the dunes and is lower under areas with lower land surface elevations. You may have noticed areas of cold water when swimming in the surf. Those are cool fresh water springs where the groundwater is flowing into the sea and coming up from the sea floor.
Coastal aquifers Coastal aquifers in isolated sand bodies which are surrounded by seawater, such as Mustang Island, are special in that the fresh water is actually floating on top of the seawater within the sand body. This is very similar to the way that ice floats in water In the case of our coastal aquifer, the fresh water is only a tiny bit lighter than the surrounding salt water so it barely floats on it. In fact, only the top one fortieth of the
fresh water is above the level of the surrounding seawater. Fresh water in the aquifer goes below sea level 40 times the distance that the fresh water exists above sea level.
Best place to drill In a study on Padre Island, Berkebile and Hay found that wells near the dune line had extremely low salinities often lower than 1 part per thousand and not exceeding 3 parts per
April 24, 2014
Island Real Estate
Island Architect Who Understands All the Issues By Mary Lou White marylou@baxterbrooks.com 361-960-9460 My favorite contacts in the business world are people, who are committed AND enthusiastic! I first met Jacqueline Carlson (Jackie) when she called me about participating in the Padre Island Showcase, as a Vendor. Not only did she sign up for a booth, but she provided information that resulted in three or four other booth sales. This past February, she took time once again to support our Island, at the same venue. I often see her attending Island meetings and joining in efforts to improve our Island experience. She is a member of PIBA and Padre Island Rotary, where she serves as Secretary. As a Board member of the Corpus Christi Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, she serves as President-Elect. Over time, I began to realize how closely she is tied to housing issues on Padre Island and within the PIPOA.
Helping Others Achieve Success For Jackie, her commitment to the future, translates into teaching future architects the necessary skills to succeed. She teaches at Del Mar, where local students can complete their first two years of the typical five year architectural program and then transfer to Texas Tech for the remaining years.They are currently working on transfer agreements with other universities throughout the state as well. Jackie’s practice, JMC Architecture, LLC includes residential and small commercial commissions, but re-hab work on The Island and in the older Corpus Christi neighborhoods really calls to her creative side. For those who might want to inquire about their own project, you can visit her website: www. jmcarchitecture.com
From Concept to Construction For Buyers, who want to build on vacant lots, the first step is locating a set of house plans (old school term: Blueprints) that will result in a finished home and that meets all the needs of the client. Options include, hiring an architect, finding a home designer or buying preexisting plans, usually from an online source. Of course, as Jackie pointed out, we have special issues, on The Island, that need to be addressed, such as Windstorm requirements and extremely narrow lot dimensions. Another unique feature when thinking about building within the PIPOA, future homeowners must submit their plans to the PIPOA Architectural Committee for approval BEFORE applying for a building permit from Corpus Christi. In this category, Jackie would be an excellent choice, as an architect, because she would have intimate knowledge of the components needed to comply with Island requirements. Being on the PIPOA Architectural Control Committee, gives her complete insight into what is allowed and hopefully will be approved, in the shortest timeframe possible. We also discussed a realistic timeframe, during the interview, for this article. The best guess seems to be about two months for the design and approval process, then about 6 months of construction time, especially considering the demands on labor in our area currently. That puts the moving van in front of your house in about 8 months and the final price tag will most likely be from $250,000+, depending on lot price, size of home and amenities.
A Family Affair
Padre Island Real Estate Ticker
Commercial Properties For Sale From $150,000 to $4,557,465
2
Multi Family Units For Sale For $325,000 and $334,900
156
Lots and Land on Padre Island For Sale
42
Lots on the Water From $129,000 to $1,200,000
114
Lots not on the Water From $34,000 to $629,500
209
Residences For Sale on Padre Island
103
Attached Homes For Sale From $65,000 to $529,900
77
Detached Homes on the Water From $266,000 to $2,200,000
29
Detached Homes not on the Water From $169,000 to $304,900
380
Total Properties currently Listed For Sale on the MLS System on Padre Island
Mustang Island Real Estate Ticker 15
Commercial Properties For Sale From $310,000 to $3,900,000
0
Multi Family Units For Sale
183
Lots and Land on Mustang Island For Sale From $29,900 to $5,650,000
202
Residences For Sale on Mustang Island
137
Attached Residences For Sale From $82,900 to $1,199,999
65
Detached Residences For Sale From $235,000 to $2,400,000
400
Total Properties currently Listed For Sale on the MLS System on Mustang Island
Like so many others I have interviewed, Jackie has carried on a family tradition, representing the fourth generation tied to the construction/ architecture phase of building. Having grown up in Houston, she broke with family tradition and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree at Texas A & M University in College Station, but returned to the family alma mater to earn a Master’s Degree at Rice. She and her husband Jeff (currently, President of PIPOA Board of Directors) moved to The Island in 2007. After purchasing a waterfront lot, Jackie designed their new home, which they have enjoyed for the past five years. During the Parade of Homes in 2011, Jackie designed the home built by John Pope, of Newcastle Homes, on Whitecap. Not only did the house sell before the Parade opened, but it won numerous awards presented by the Builders Association of Corpus Christi.
13
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thousand salinity. Wells in the center of the island rarely exceeded 5 parts per thousand. Normal seawater salinity is 35 parts per thousand. They found very high salinities on the back of Padre Island near Laguna Madre ranging to a high of 96 parts per thousand. Our experience on Mustang Island is similar. Wells near the dunes and in the higher vegetated parts of the island produce excellent fresh water. Wells further toward the bay, the channels and the flats are of higher salinity and lower quality. The wells in the thinner parts of the aquifer (toward the bay and flats) are also not able to produce large quantities of water without drawing the water table down to salt. The best location for water wells is within 1500 to 2000 feet of the beach.
Conclusions Fresh ground water is continually flowing downward and laterally into the sea and in some cases at rates up to 50 ft. per day. This means that during droughts, we are continually losing our ground water to the sea whether we pump it or not. The natural variations in the level of the ground water on Mustang Island are large. At times, the road ditches and ephemeral ponds and marshes are full. After extended periods of little rain, the water table is lowered by flow into the sea and the marshes and ponds dry up. Groundwater in the Mustang Island aquifer, which is the sand body of Mustang Island, is a valuable resource for the citizens of Port Aransas and Mustang Island. This aquifer is recharged only from rain falling directly on Mustang Island and by surface runoff from that rain. The aquifer has a maximum thickness of between 75-150 feet. It is thickest in the vicinity of the dune line, and thins to almost nothing at the boundary with Corpus Christi Bay. Water quality in wells within 1500 to 2000 feet of the Gulf beach should be good, while salinity will increase and quality decrease closer to the bay, and near channels
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April 24, 2014
Island Moon
A9
First Friday at Port Aransas Art Center Celebrates Cinco de Mayo
The Art Center of Port Aransas will get a jump on Cinco de Mayo with its First Friday on May 2 featuring its Art’e de Mayo Group Show withKay Barnebey-Rockport, Katherine Lein-Santa Fe NM and Port Aransas, Sarah Searight-Austin and Port Aransas, Nancy Thyre-Rockport. The event is May 2nd 5:30-7:30 p.m. and the public is invited for light refreshments, live music, great art and artists at the Port Aransas Art Center 323 N. Alister Port A; phone 361749-7334.remain up for show and sale through the end of May.
Nancy Thyre, pastel,end of the day
Kay Barnebey Fish May Show
Sarah Searight for May Show 2014
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Join us this weekend as we continue our brand new series on Heaven! What is Heaven going to be like? Is it real? How can you get in? Are there rewards in Heaven? Join us as we discover what Heaven is really like.
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Series Continues April 18th - May 4th Join us on Sundays at: 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM & 11:30 AM
Bay Area Fellowship Padre Island Campus 15201 SPID Ste. 200 • Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361.993.5900 • bayareafellowship.com