Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 614 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 10:57 am Post subject: PINS 1/5/17, 1/9/17
"Country roads, take me home
to the place I belong...
I hear her voice in the morning hour she calls me
Radio reminds me of my home far away
Driving down the road I get a feeling
that I should have been home yesterday, yesterday
Country roads, take me home..."
--John Denver, "Country Roads," 1971 "Poems, Prayers, and Promises" album
"Captain Hawks. That's Hawks, and he was a slave trader, and he had three ships. And one of them was the Judith. The Jude. Now, they picked up slaves, and they sailed into what is now Vera Cruz. But they had bad...bad...and some of those slaves got over, got off. And they sent another ship out. Course I'm getting ahead of myself. Francis Drake was his nephew, and he was captain. Captain of the Jude. And at that time, he was only 19 years old. And he was captain of the Jude. But he sailed out and all they ever heard from him after he left out was that he landed twice, and one was at Corpus Christi Pass. And at that time, St Augustine Pass was open. So it had to be St. Augustine Pass first. Shows on your maps as...that's right that's what it's called now on your maps. Stopped for supplies there...
...And at that time De La Fuentes, De La Fuentes made a survey. Made a survey for the Spanish government...for the Spanish land grant and all there for the Ballis. Padre Balli. When they got to St. Augustine Pass, there was a big Karankawa camp there. A big camp. That's what they were talking about."
--oral interviews with Louis Rawalt, the Sage of Padre Island, and Bob Whistler (August 2, 1978)
I think we oughtta make John Denver a national monument somewhere, but then again, I'm in favor of Kim Jong In/Dim/Bun/Bin/Ling a ding ding...whatever his name is getting punched in the face too.
But I digress....the following is what's important.
Been researching this area a while now, but first...a snapper run!
On a cold winter day!
59 degrees!
And it began quite shameful! Back little bugger! Back!
And finally.
Not really willing to head out further offshore to the bigger boys in deeper water, I stayed close to the bank and picked out three for dinner and headed to the house.
And came back with a fresh plan! Picked up a used bike for cheap, did some repairs, found a seat...and here we go!
And found the old roads I searched for, and took a ride...
Big Bald Hill area....
Mistakenly thinking I was in the old St Augustine Pass area...I dismounted and took a walk....
But what a cool spot!
I've torn up this whole house looking for the mention I read somewhere about the Spanish anchoring in St Augustine Pass back when it was an open pass/inlet...but I haven't been able to find it anywhere. But the story goes, they went ashore and obtained fresh water and shot a few deer before pulling the hook and sailing again.
But on this morning, all was quiet and there were no Spanish explorers to be found...
Hi there Big Bald Hill!!!!
And while I stood there in the silence, Sandhill cranes flew overhead and in the distances.
And then I realized....this is why they are taking off everywhere! Someone is up to no good!!!!
So I took a ride to a new location to check out nearby.
Snow geese arrived from on their wintering migration!
But the southerly distances called me and off I went.
One of the old water connections? We'll never know!
And I ended up at another well pad from the old active days in this area.
And was happy to see a Golden Monarch still hanging around!
Rollin again!
And a mile later, ended up at another pad.
And just couldn't understand, why the massive cofferdams at these old pad sites? Were there tanks on them?
But the Mother Lagoon was so pretty this day.
And finally another mile later....I was up against the bay at the last pad site of the day. And what a spot.
Gorgeous.
And barb wired off...I suppose they all were when they were built, but why?
And I realized....homeboy, you're looking straight across at Point of Rocks or just south of it in Baffin Bay. And that was one COOL view that day....
But it became time to go, and after awhile, my butt hurt pretty bad!!!
Bike seats aren't anything nice, I tell you that!!!!
Well...I suppose that's a wrap. I suppose maybe eventually I'll find that Spanish anchored ship reference around here somewhere but until then, the images of Hawk's slaver coming ashore in the old inlet at St. Augustine Pass will be enough. Is that story totally factual, as passed through the annals of time? We'll never know, but Rawalt sure thought it was, and that's good enough for me. And as we all know, the Spanish INVENTED paperwork, so if one their ships documented stopping there for water and provisions as well, then it very likely happened! Ya'll be good, and if there really is a purgatory after death, then I'm pretty sure it involves endless sitting on bike seats.
--Colin _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 614 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:57 pm Post subject:
Doug, you're right! I think that's a little not necessary so I removed it! Anyways, hope you're doing well, I was in your neck of the woods the other day and have 40 bucks of Hardy toll road fines to prove it! _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
Doug, you're right! I think that's a little not necessary so I removed it! Anyways, hope you're doing well, I was in your neck of the woods the other day and have 40 bucks of Hardy toll road fines to prove it!
I fixed mine too
Wish I would have known the Hardy is very close to my house. Could of met ya for dinner or something if you had the time.
Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 614 Location: somewhere on 130 miles of beach
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:47 pm Post subject:
I'll give you a holler next time I get that way! Hardy is so nice to drive it mighta been worth the 40 bucks! _________________ Protect Padre at all costs for future generations to use and enjoy and never forget our freedoms aren't free.
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