Corpusfishing.com

[Towboat Trash]

"Well, when the war started they ran everybody off except me, and, of course, they had Coast Guard stations set up every so many miles on the Island. They patrolled the beach at night. They finally let people come over, but they couldn't stay after dark. They had to be off the Island before dark. And people got to where they---they just shied off from coming over. Or they'd come over and stay on the upper end, but as far as coming way down, it was just too much of a trip.

They couldn't be caught there during the night, because they had these patrols with dogs. And these guys would carry these .45 automatic rifles and, hell, they were scared of their shadow. They shot stumps and everything else. You didn't want to be out on the beach. The let me stay, but I didn't try to fish at night at all. They'd holler out, "Who's there!" and if no one answered, they turned that big dog loose. I just fished during the day."

-Louis Rawalt, 1978 interview regarding the WW2 years on Island

"30 days afloat Colin...30 long days and nights...and the sharks...those...[long pause] I barely remember it all now, it was just a dream.[long pause] Just a dream.....just a dream....like it didn't even happen...."

-Ralph Wade; WW2 hero,surf fisherman, and friend-telling his story of spending 30 days afloat in the Pacific after a kamikaze attack, 2006

"Those dogblasted Japanese! Look at those TAILLIGHTS son, tell me they didn't design those things to look like slanted eyes just looking back at you!!

-My WW2 vet grandfather in '95, the first time he saw a Kia in his life

"Endlessly facing the cold concrete floor
Four cold grey walls, and no doors
I barely remember the last forty days
Or just what they're holdin' me for
So far away, they tell me:
"Boy, You're here to stay; win, lose or draw"

-The Allman Brothers, 1975


Howdy everybody, hope August finds everyone happy and well! The Allman Brothers-greatest band of all time since my daddy let me hear the Fillmore East version of "Whipping Post," years ago. Where did music like that go? Been a little bit hot eh? Been paying a little bit of attention lately, and I can't find for the life of me find a reason for all of the rioting, anger, division, strife, and most of all-the emergence of some ridiculous posse of nincompoops that call themselves ICICLE or some kinda nonsense. But if there's one thing I do know, the old timers like my granddaddy and Ralph would know what and how to handle some of these problems out there in the world today. Every fiber in my being just KNOWS that we've all had it so easy for just so long...the vast majority of this generation of mine have NEVER had it hard, have NEVER gone through what those old timers did. Have NEVER been hungry. Have NEVER gone without. Have NEVER belonged to something bigger than themselves. I just don't know some days how I ended up in this timeframe when I look around me. Turned on the radio the other day and all my generation has to offer is some women singing a song about a man's big "Anaconda," or a bunch of guys that call themselves the Mumford Sons and play banjos while wearing some really really tight pants and dress up like Robin Hood. And why in the world is everyone a victim anymore?! Those WWI and WWII fellas never claimed that! They came home, joined a doggone church, got married, and went to their graves knowing how blessed this young country truly is, one and all.

Solace just may come from the knowledge that the right here, the right now--isn't all there is. That this tiny timeframe of our lives is only that-a tiny snapshot of the bigger picture. With that thought in mind, I've spent the last week bouncing from place to place just studying old history, and of course, ANYTHING relating to dear old Padre.

And ended up on base...




Just looking and looking...


And in an old WW2 All Hands newsletter I read firsthand reports of what it was really like for my grandfathers and their fellow Americans overseas during that time...and for some reason, it all REALLY hit home for me that day...the stark reality of it all...


And a few more pages into the newsletter I found the story of these great Americans....and in disbelief I stared shocked at the two men on the left and right...their malnourishment plainly obvious. And it hit me...the Japs did this to Lt. Generals??? To high ranking officers?


And someone asked me of I was okay, but truth be told I wasn't. How have we forgotten? How have we disintegrated to the point where we have allowed the fighting and bickering to diminish our great history? Look at this photo and tell me you don't feel something...all you folks that've been rioting in the name of stealing rims out the rip shop the last few weeks want to see a victim?? HERE'S A VICTIM FOR YOU. General MacArthur on the left after the Japanese surrender...and as I read on my stomach turned as I read the firsthand accounts of the Japanese giving the "bit treatment" to our soldiers, consisting of putting steel bits in their mouths, like livestock. Humiliating them, leading them around with the bit, and then putting them in the sun for a few days with no water, the "sun treatment." The firsthand original copy of these events completely shellshocked me...and everything my Irish grandfather ever said about Japan began to make sense for me in those few quiet moments of realization....



And that would take me to the next stop, where answers to it all were laying right under my nose, right there in beautiful Port A.


This is one of two 155mm guns on "Panama Mounts." These two fortifications were built during WWII as part of the Coast Guard Beach Patrol to watch for and deter the German U-boat threat. And when one of our boys from NAS Corpus spotted an unidentified submarine 13 miles off Port A, this threat became very very real for those here before us...


It would have looked just like this. The Coast Artillery had two of these to protect the Pass at Port A, and stations every so many miles down Island each with a soldier and a dog to patrol the coastline at night for German spies coming ashore.






And of course, one of my dear Coast and Geodetic Survey stations.




I stood up there all alone, my truck and my life behind me and endless water in front of me, and I got goosebumps. God Bless those who stood up for what freedoms I have today and for those passed and gone-one and all-we all salute you for what you gave up for those who you would never know that weren't born yet.


And I'm sorry for posting all that, but it was on my heart after several days of reading those old articles and publications...so with a window opening up for some fishing, and hopeful for another August hammerhead-I took off for dear old Padre.





And there I was, alone with the sun rising on another trip down Island. Thoughts of the storm brewing in the Gulf named Invest 97 were on my mind, but I was hoping the predictions for it to fizzle out would be true.


As always, lol.


With several stops to scare up some bigger fish along the way...


And before long, the rumors began to seem true, as I saw an offshore tug and work barge dismantling the 5mm platform.


And I supposed that would be the end of an era.




And with the bird migration starting, the birds were present again for me to see.


Little did I know how much of an omen these pelicans would be, but that would come later.













Roll, gypsy, roll...





And the driving remained great.


So I followed the water temps, letting them lead me on...


And the Island was empty, the Indians were all inland hunting Bison that roam the great plains before the drought brought the mesquite.


So some herons took their places. See his expression? He's wondering if my "new" lower unit is gonna work, since the old one got bashed in by just riding on the trailer this past year. Thus the big float!


Ready to head offshore for some bigger fish!


Clear water!











Bottom! 1st bar!











And the snapper were so thick they were hitting lures!








And I got back in just in time for some lunch.







And I got a little surprise stashed away for me! That's how I know I been livin' right doggonit! Hard to find a good woman like that!


So I went ahead and rigged up some baits after fooling around for a little while longer offshore.






And out they went.


And then readied some grub!


And around 4am, the wind shifted, and the surf sounded off. And I knew--get up--move the truck-it's here. With 24 hours since a current weather forecast, that's all anything tropical, or just anticyclonic needs to develop and act a fool! Get ready, storm acoming!! As I jumped off the rack around 0400 hours the water was already ankle deep.








After several hours of dealing with breakoffs that occurred throughout the night, I had my gear hauled back and all my lost gear recovered. Coffee time!




But it was all good!


What a view.


I'll forever remember taking the time to enjoy these moments...





But I did turn around and enjoy watching the birds migrating back up Island...


And wow, was the Railroad Vine thick! The other is called Gulf Croton I believe. Holds down the backbeach from the winds!


And it was time to retie all the night's breakoffs.




And the water just kept right on rising....and I was starting to get concerned.












And the birds started disappearing, and the clouds took on strange formations...


You tell me...I had been the only soul on Island past the 10 for going on two days, the last folks I saw were Jeff, Billy, Kevin, and Oz the day before. And I KNEW Oz wasn't coming back down island, especially after I had done a cannonball outta the boat right into the ocean over the top of his fishing hole. Sorry bud. Lol.





After making a quick run south at a fast clip of 5 mph, I got parts of a weather forecast and had to make the call to pull the plug. Hammerheads can wait, rising water and high winds for 2 more days couldn't. I made the call to try and roll off.


With what little beach was left.


It was BAD.






Being the only soul on Island at that point, like usually happens, I ended up checking out a few places on my way off.


Um....Puma Gear? Is that worn by Mumford and Sons?


Pepe? So this illegal was named Pepe? Or Pepe made the pants? Both? Eh?


And then it hit me...these pants were WAY to small.... These were either a tiny adult's, or a very small child. I couldn't find a pant size. And it was sad, it really was...to stand there with the wind howling all around me and thinking of the life that someone is living this way. I'm nothing more than a child of immigrants. Staten Island one and all. And I'm proud of it. But they came over properly. For a child to be alone out here in this environment is beyond comprehension. They stand no chance in the South Texas heat...What a day and age we live in....


But later I was able to sneak up on this gal...laid down and waiting for me to leave to she could roam the beach for foraging purposes.











What a moment in time we shared...about a minute worth.


And then she was gone, the moment lost, never to return.


And I was left with something new to check out a little later on...


You too.


And after sinking the truck twice I finally made it almost to the high banks. Both times the old gal went down to the frame and that was that. Unhook the trailer, dig and board the truck out, pull truck down towards the water, drag trailer to truck. What a mess...I've never been truly afraid of losing my rig, but the thought crossed my mind a few times that day, and my behind sure stayed puckered up.

And somewhere in the high banks, I came across this juvenile Brown Pelican.


And something just didn't seem quite right, but I'm not Tony Amos, and I don't know a thing about caring for sick birds.







And he finally tried to waddle away, but couldn't quite walk properly...


Or lift his wings to fly.




And what's when I saw it. A pile of weed following him, which could only be caused by fishing line, and a spoon-stuck to his left leg!!


In fact, a silver spoon stuck to his left leg, and the line wrapped around his winds and torso!


And as I got out of the truck, the fellow took off hopping and flapping down the beach away from me.






And right out into the raging surf, hoping for safety. I tried to belly crawl to him, but it was to no avail. Back out into the water he would go.










Finally, a quarter mile south, I got close enough to get the weed off the fishing line so he wouldn't have to drag that around any more. And the thought crossed my mind...that was probably good enough...you can just take off before you possibly get stuck at dark with a storm coming in. But another one crossed my mind as well. Did my grandfather give up that easily? Did Ralph Wade? Did those brave American soldiers in Japanese prisoner of war camps give up? The articles I read about Japanese atrocities...were they true?? Did the Japs beat our brave soldiers alone until they couldn't talk anymore, and bring them back bloody and dump them back with the rest of the men? Did the Bataan Death March really occur? Did our troops really see bayoneted bodies hung up on the sides of the road on display? Were those who fell out beaten until dead? I would give up on that bird NEVER. I was going to get him and help him. Period. I'm an American, and my HEART beats just as strong as my WILL. That's what makes this country so great!






So I realized, keep him from the water, and you can get him. So get him I did, and I quickly saw what had happened.

Some MASSIVE undeserving piece of human garbage hooked this bird, and because that "individual" was scared...they just cut the line about ten feet or so away from the bird. Ya know...so they "wouldn't get bit." And ya know....seeing that kind of Mustang Island crap on the Isla de Malaguitas just ticked me off! Be a man and fix your mistakes!!


And I thought of something Louis Rawalt said one time about the birds....seems folks have been doing stuff like this forever...


And he fought a little bit, but I was firm and gentle and quickly cut the line binding down his entire upper body with nail clippers. Immediately, his body untensed and relaxed for me and I knew that he knew-I was there to help.


And I removed the spoon that wasn't hooked into him, but luckily wrapped around the line that some MASSIVE wimp left attached because they were scared of a BIRD.






And the true reward came when I whispered in his ear, "There you go my friend, go-and live, breathe, eat, sleep-you're free." And he stepped away but stopped and made eye contact with me. And there we were, just one man alone and looking for answers, staring into the black abyss of thousands of years of evolution and existence. And I realized---I'll NEVER be able to fix mankind or stop the atrocities that have occurred and continue to occur-but I CAN make a difference in my own life and the way I choose to live it. And as always, till the day I die I will remain a red blooded American man that will FIGHT for what's right and push back against what's wrong. And with one last look my way, this beautiful creature bid me goodbye and took flight.








And there I sat, with the sweat and the sand and the tears running down my face. With hot breaths coming in and out and only the sound of my heart beating away in my chest. With the angry stormy surf crashing all around me as the sun set behind me. And every one of these things mixing in with one another to form this man typing this message to you now. And my faith was restored once again. Will you find answers? Will you find YOUR peace down the Island? If any of you were to tell me you have all the answers, you understand what you're doing here on this Earth, why things happen the way they do in your life-I'd tell you you're lying. But then again, maybe you wouldn't tell me that after all. Whatever place, whatever experiences, whatever it takes for any of you, I hope you find them.






As for me, just another trip down the old proving ground looking for difficulty, adventure, mystery, and meaning. And finding all of the above. Who needs a miserable Hammerhead anyway? They probably all got tied up in the making of sharkweek or something. And as far as "ICICLE" there...they grossly underestimate us Americans. Those in Washington are NOT representative of those of us blue collars that they're gonna have to deal with if they keep it up. "Win, Lose, or Draw" right? This country is here to stay, love it or leave it! Thanks Duane and Greg Allman for that. And God Bless every last one of you soldiers that gave so much so that we can be here today, free, under an American flag.

Ya'll be safe and take care.

-Colin
_________________
Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.

www.padreislandexpeditions.com

[mansfieldjetties]

Great report! Are you snapper fishing at the turtle hole?
_________________
"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught."

[Rocky in NM]

I always enjoy reading your posts--
I just felt led to share this well know verse

10: but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11: When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12: For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known
_________________
<*)))>< I'd rather be fishing-The wife shopping!! ><(((*>

[shallowsport]

Great report..best 15 mins. I've spent in a while.

[parrot]

Thank you for the report, as always it was an awesome one!

[david weber]

Super interesting report. I save injured wildlife also

[Bigrock]

Well done.

[Bigrock]

Well done.

[deputydawg]

Great report and good job on the bird! I had a similar experience with a little bird awhile back around the 10. It was dark cold and just me and him. He was a bad way with some line and wouldn't have made it. I've shot countless doves, geese, and ducks but it sure felt good to help that little guy out. I think I kind of know what you were feeling. I don't think I will ever forget that little frail thing in my hand and his little black eye staring at me.

I appreciate the thoughts you share here and bringing us along with the pictures. It's been way to long since i've been down there, "life" just keeps getting in the way. Your reports just make the day better! I'm still waiting for your book to come out! Anyway thanks again for the read and I hope to catch you down there again sometime!

[yakman34]

My friend and fellow american let me thank you for the posts that bring joy to the souls of men that wish they had the blessing to see the world as you do. YOU are quickly becoming the legend to many, as the lives that have expired are to you
Thank You

[DamonH]

Great Stuff man...same question about the snapper, where and what?

[OSOMURF]

Excellent post as usual

[troutless]

Well, another awesome, well constructed, and detailed report with photo's . It is hard to tell which pictures I liked the best, probably the Bown Pelican.
Thanks for sharing, I felt like I was riding along with you. Keep the reports coming.

[mbear]

I always enjoy your posts. What size and length boards do you use to get your truck unstuck?

[medic6]

EPIC-as usual. God has blessed us all, and you continue to prove it!
_________________
"I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize what you heard is not what I mean."