Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 615 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 5:01 pm Post subject: PINS 8-3/8-4 and a little shrimpin'
"Well, that fella's name was...Godley, that's it! Godley. Was in charge of finding all the survey markers on Island there. You know, the ones from the Coast Survey office. Well, ole' Godley leased him a Ford tractor and hired four Mexicans from in town, and off they went. He tried to get me to go with him, but I told him, "No way, Jose! Trout bite is HOT right now! HOT! You just stay outta them flats! I don't wanna have to come pull you out later on!" Well, he laughed and went on about his business and that was that until about 2 days later. Those hired hands of his got off into that backside and rode clear off right into those flats back in there. Had that dagblasted old Ford SUNK all the way down to the fender tops in just a few hours of using it! Well, up comes old Godley, "Ralph, ya gotta help us out! You're the only other one down here, and I don't reckon anybody else is gonna be coming along, and them boys ain't gonna last long back there because all they brought to drink was Modelo!" Well, he talked me right plumb into it, but there was just no way to get anywhere near those boys without losing my own truck too. So I drove back on to the beach down to an old shrimp boat wreck there around Yarborough, and tied my Power Wagon to the wire on the deck winch. Got to pulling with all four wheels locked in, and pulled every last bit of that cable from off that drum. You shoulda seen it! I hauled a half mile of cable right on across the Island and back to where those boys were stuck. Told those fellas, "Put down that BEER! That's MY beer NOW, for pulling you boys out, so no use in cutting this old boy short now is there! And while you're at it, take ahold of this wire and drag it to that tractor! ANDALE! I'll be back." And I went and drove off south to the old bombing range down there that the Navy had. See, I knew they had those old metal tracks there that they had left behind, and fishing hadn't been that good that morning, and by golly, I had my mind on getting that big old cooler of cold beer them boys had. So I took those tracks up, took them back, and set my Power Wagon on them. Hooked that big old winch to that there cable, and got to pulling until I had those boys out. And well, I got my beer, and those fellas got covered in mud from that mudflat and fired to boot. But I got that cooler, and the rest is history."
--Ralph Wade, surf fishing legend, story from the 1960's
Stomach cancer. Those two words. They're awful. And the last several months they are all too real for me and mine. My last remaining grandfather, a veteran of World War II, a sailor from the Pacific, a survivor of submarine attacks, of three Kamikaze attacks, father to over 40 foster children, 30 year plus Boy Scout leader, and a godly and gentle man...is dying. And every day that goes by teaches me anew that none of us have any control over anything in this life except the choices we make. Each and every one of you reading this has had your own experiences with death, and we all have our own crosses to bear. And the hardest part is knowing that there's not a thing we can do to reverse death. Nothing. Each and every afternoon breeze over the water, each sunrise, and each sunset carries whispers of sorrow in them lately. And like any common junkie can tell you...shutting down our feelings only leads to a meltdown later. There's just no way around the ups and downs in this life, is there? You've just got to feel to be alive. And it isn't easy and we all feel in our own way.
Those thoughts in mind, I headed to the only place I've ever found the solace that runs deep and runs strong and wide. The ocean. I finally got that old boat I rebuilt out to where it always belonged last week, and I just wanted to share some of the pictures with you all. I picked up a try net, and was off to the races. It's been since I was a kid since I've heard the sound of an old two stroke under load, and saw the world pass me by at 2.5 knots, while birds dived and fish hopped behind the boat. And like most men, we deal with things by staying busy, and ya know...there's just nothing wrong with that I suppose.
And it's been quite a while since these days, but boy did we used to have fun out there....18% of the catch minus fuel, ice, and groceries....
And my net is nothing more than a try net for these big boys, but it's legal and it beats nothing!
Net down, doors out!
First haulback....promising!
White shrimp!
Onwards!
Now we're talking! In the money!
And in the sea stars.
And in the juvenile spadefish.
And in the speckled sand crabs. Fresh from the bottom! Did you know these guys are edible?
And PLENTY of sand dollars.
And an Atlantic moonfish or two. And each haulback just brought back so many memories from when I was still in school and so much younger than today...And each fish just reaffirmed that there is MORE than just this....there's a grand design...a grand Creator....and a grander purpose than just the here and the now that we can see in this life...just look at this wonderful creature, so wonderfully created?!
And some of the freshest lettered olives anyone has ever seen.
And some BEAUTIFUL Shark Eyes! A predatory sea snail, this guy makes his living as a sort of parasite of the bottom.
And one of my favorites! The Calico Crab!!!
They are such gentle creatures. They lie buried on the bottom, and would never pinch, just snuggle in tight and play dead. Fun to hold!
And of course!
Not bad. 15 pounds is nothing to sneeze at.
And one butterfly ray. No barb, just a friendly creature here.
And a few brownies!
And the next haul? More big roe shrimp!
And the haul after that? Even better!
And finally, I found em!
And knocked the bottom out of 'em!!
Not a bad day! 80 lbs!
So of course.
And a new day brought me right back to work.
And some dummy got pretty shallow!
But all was well.
When we were kids, we called these "money shrimp!"
And I found em again!
And a rogue Gulf Stone Crab!!! The claws are a delicacy. But back to the deep he would go, we just want to live and let live, right?
Besides, I was in the shrimp!
And mottled purse crabs!!! I love these too. They are the absolute coolest. Again, no death and destruction here, just one cool creature.
And more shrimp!
And all that hard work got pretty hot on an old boy!! No deck hose, so Folgers seawater it would be!
But back at home, well....the pug was hard at work?
And every afternoon when the green Gulf would creep in on the brown, I knew our mineral laden cold water upwelling was soon to be over, was soon to be finished, and my shrimping would soon end...
But not before seeing a live Longhorn Cowfish!!! Super cool!!! Released to swim off of course. Besides, these guys release toxins from their skin when stressed....we don't want any of that!
And it was a good three to four days.
And I got a little radio to help pass the time, and heard a song that explains EVERYTHING about my crew going on and on about this "NAE NAE" dance at work. I TOTALLY get it now fellas....
Apparently even pro football is doing the "NAE NAE."
So heck! I joined in!!!
Five to the pound one day!!
Boom!
Double boom! We used to cook lunches like this on the big trawlers growing up. A little salt, a little old bay if you have it, and a little white vinegar too-and ALWAYS boil them with the heads on!!! That's the secret doggonit!!!
And there ya go.
And the water soon cleared up within a few days. And it was over. With the full moon arrived, everything buried up or moved on, and that was that.
But I got a few good drags in just before.
And ate a few shrimp po' boys.
Sigh. But that's shrimping for ya. That's mother ocean. That's feast or famine.
And what the ocean gives, it also takes away just the same. You said that, didn't ya, Louis Rawalt?
Smashed. Wave threw me right on top of them, and I guess that's just paying dues on this boating thing-on the beach the deck just ain't moving around underneath a man!
But I still had a pretty doggone good time of it.
But soon enough I would have just enough time to take a trip down the Padre's Island before going back to work.
With the mother ocean still dead flat for us all...
And the cold water more or less gone.
I almost stopped and did the "Nae Nae" right there.
I mean heck, if Arnold can do it....!
But one Blue Heron was watching, so I held back out of shame.
And off he went.
And I thought about the past, and all the memories these two remaining platforms, and the old Spinnaker held for so many of us....
And as I drove south, this guy caught my eye, and next thing I knew, I was in one of my favorite places on Island...
And all was still, and the air was pure, and it was only me and my thoughts.
I sure do love it here.
And the site of Louis' first cabin down south of Corpus Pass looked so serene off in the distance...
And I breathed a deep breath of that algal mat.
And watched so many birds...
And spied on a few old timers.
It's amazing how those boats can float in no more than calf deep water.
And I found some sea rocket, aka turtleweed. This plant can help restore electrolytes if eaten in times of extreme heat, it's full of sodium (salt) and potassium. Good to know in south texas!!
And I felt the warm mat on my bare feet. Love it.
And I listened to the breeze blow gently through the flats.
And I sat and thought about life, and about growing older, and about how it is being married now, and having the best partner this life could provide. And how my granddaddy has been through every last bit of this and then some. One big circle, this life is, isn't it? Just one big circle...
And one big mystery sometimes too...
Just like this old gate from the Dunn Ranch from years and years ago.
It's been a little while now for me to visit this spot, and I always wonder about the marks on these timbers.
How exactly must they have had the gate hung?
But off I would go to my destination, and find this. Likely....ordinance from the Navy's bombing range in this area. There's more 50mm Autocannon shells, .30 calibers, shotshells, and ALL type and sizes of dud bombs and even some real deal bombs that they loaded with mini charges or just shotshell charges. Either way, stay the heck away!!!!
This would be the site Ralph spoke of allright....they used to have steel tracks, SeaBee style, out to the range itself across the algal mat.
And this would be Indian Blanket. What a flower. The Navajo drank this as a tea to relive heartburn and nausea while other tribes thought it made them better drummers ingested as a tea. All tribes considered it good luck. Old Kronks......I know you're around....
But my reverie was broken. Some FOOL....MILES from anywhere he was supposed to be....did THIS.
Buried that piece of crap down to the frame. Both axles and the gas tank left marks on the mat even.
RIDICULOUS. WHAT IS IT GONNA TAKE FOR THESE OFF ROADERS TO STOP.
UNREAL.
Who in their right MIND would attempt to drive across this???!!! After the rainiest year on Texas record???
And this REALLY ticked me off.
Ya see, they came prepared. They had a winch, PLUS a land anchor. Now tell me this....who in tarnation has a land anchor except off roaders? Another rogue Jeep club like last time????? The whole place had holes from their "land anchor" winching nonsense.
I left that spot and headed to my destination.
And found that for which I sought. 50mm Autocannon shells!
World War II era...
And more Sea Rocket, Turtleweed.
And history....
And something best left the heck alone.
And more history.
How many years have you seen go by? How many storms??
And before I knew it, it was time to go. With the tide dropping out, it was time to leave this place. I could almost hear Ralph's Power Wagon from 1966 in the back of my mind...outta here!
And on the way back, I noticed what I hadn't notice on the way in. Migrating blowsand!!!
Now that the rains have finally stopped, the Island is again migrating westward back into the bay...
The closer I got to the truck, the more of it there was.
And even a crab.
And the old duck boat was still there.
And back on the beach, things were looking good!
Nice!!
Wreck! Wreck!
And there were places I wanted to go, but not today!!!
And the birds were staged up....the menhaden every afternoon were on FIRE on the 2nd bar....no doubt they were ready!!
Boom! That pelican did the "NAE NAE" on those fish!!!!
And the reason for the quick trip was soon unfolded. Ya see, with 12 rays in the deep freeze of eternal sleep, it was time to unleash a few on the deep!
Ray Day!! A Ray-trava-ganza!!!
And out they went, and in came the night.
And all was quiet.
And even the Indians were gone for the summer, back on the mainland hunting and gathering.
And dinner??? Shrimp of course!!!
Boiled.
And grilled! Surf and Turf!!!
And it was so good I actually couldn't finish it all!
And the moon was full and the skies clear.
And at 1230 I woke back up and off and on throughout the rest of the night would wander the beach and the camp, just passing time.
And the morning brought two breakoffs, and two baits still out there.
And a shrimp breakfast!!!!
And the deep dropped baits? Here ya have it. Went out and pulled the floats, and yep, a missed hookset.
And that was a wrap. It was time to pack it in and head back to the house to get ready to go back on that river on Friday. Ya'll take care and I hope your fishing is great for August. Seems I'm a better shrimper than sharker, but heck, we can cure that. Like all things, we'll just put the record on repeat in three weeks, and try try again. In the meantime, nobody around here is complaining, I'll tell ya that!
God Bless and may the waters give you what you seek out there.
--Colin _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
Joined: 11 Mar 2012 Posts: 945 Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 6:37 pm Post subject:
WOW !!!! Awesome like always !!! _________________ Come out & gig some flounder with Straight to The Point Guide Service!! http://floundergiggin.com/ for more info
"While everyone else is asleep, we're out giggin em DEEP"!!
Dang dude I don't even know where to start on this one!!!!
Your grandpa sounds like a hell of a man! Wish I had a way to help him and you.
Those shrimp are monsters! Shrimping is one "outdoory" thing I haven't got to do but always wanted to try. It fascinates me what is down there! Those pictures are awesome!
Now about that Nae Nae..... I had to call my 16 year old daughter in to ask her about it. Thanks to you and her I now know how to do the Nae Nae and the whip and several other.... dances. Lol. Not sure when I'll use them though. Maybe one day I'll break into a dance while I'm directing traffic! Wouldn't that be a sight!!!
Anyway as usual great stuff and I enjoyed every word and picture!
Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 234 Location: SAN ANTONIO
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 9:58 pm Post subject:
Another great story! Gosh I need to get down there. Kayaking the Medina River around Bandera just pacifies me till I can get back to the SALT. _________________ Shallow Sportn' it
Colin - your narrative and use of photos is excellent. You're a gifted storyteller. You should consider arranging some of your work into chapters and into a small book on Createspace.com which will get it on Amazon. And thanks again for allowing us to journey with you thru your words and pictures.
One question: have you as a shrimper always known that the shrimp move up into the upwelling waters because of the nutrient load?
Well i tell ya brother the best trips I've had down that beach have been tagging along with you, and heck you never knew i was even there. Thank you for letting me ride along, I dont know if your living yours but you sure are livin mine
Joined: 30 Oct 2007 Posts: 790 Location: North Padre Island
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2015 3:34 pm Post subject:
Awesome report as always. I actually was reading this this morning in bed and the wife took interest. (she actually read a report on my fishing forum!!) After stealing the computer from me, I hit the shower and when I got out she was still on it. I just now got a chance to read it all. Thanks again for and awesome first hand account.
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You are the man. Thanks for the ride.
