A Cattle Drive Across the Colorado River

We just happened to be here in time to watch the cattle drive across the Colorado. Each year the ranchers swim their herds across the river and let them graze on the south side of Matagorda Island. After they have calved they swim the herd back north, where they load them into trucks for the trip back to the mainland ranch.
Its a local event and so we joined the others in watching the cattle being herded into the water as cowboys and cowgirls, along with boats, guided them safely across. The drive was scheduled for nine am but the tides were too strong and we waited till almost four pm before it was judged ok to bring them across.

The cattle seemed hesitant at first but a lead cow plunged into the water and soon was swimming the channel. The herd then followed and guided by boats and the yells of cowboys and a cowgirl soon made it to our side and then were gathered into a herd near where  some calves were being held in a horse trailer.
The calves had crossed earlier. on a small barge, and their plaintiff moos were used to draw their mothers across. Anyway it all worked as most of the cattle swam the river, and only a few refused to cross. These made a break for freedom but the cowboys on the other side chased them down and with their lassos swirling above their heads, soon roped and corralled the fugitives.

No gators or sharks bothered the cattle as they swam and It had been a safe crossing, as all the herd survived the ordeal. Still, it was an unusual sight to see a herd crossing a river, deepened by dredging, (the last image was taken after I climbed our fifth wheel ladder. Luckily the cattle were downwind and we were spared that part of the experience).

We have been stopped before, by cattle drives in Wyoming, but this was our first time we have seen such a herd swim a river and was certainly worth the watching. Clear skies.