Padre Island National Seashore, A Beach Day with New Friends

The tide was going out, and so we really didn’t expect much as we set the pole holders, baited up with shrimp and Gulp, and cast out. Still one can always hope but instead of a bite the lines quickly fouled with seaweed.

We had checked the tides, wave heights, and driving conditions before we had headed out. The beach driving was as good as we had seen it and we easily drove past the five-mile sign. After the first few miles, the beaches were deserted and so I picked a spot with a break in the waves

I am not sure that it matters but a break in the waves can be a sign that something is different. What I was hoping for is a location where rip tides form as fish seem to hold in such a break, waiting for bait to follow the strong out going current.

While I cast out poles Renita, Dan, and Barb set out beach chairs and a table and we all waited patiently, well I did anyway, for a fish to bite. The next hour and a half was not good as the lines filled up with seaweeds and we spent all our time reeling in, cleaning off weeds, and then wading out to cast again.

As I groused about the poor fishing, Barb reminded me that any day at the beach is a good day and so I shifted my mental gears. Ten years ago, I would have been trapped in a room without windows, trapped with twenty-eight teenagers all wishing for the end of the school year.

Sitting in the beach chair I joined everyone for lunch and we lazed away the time. It was now slack tide and so the fishing was poor, but I still hoped for some bites as the tide came in. The fog refused to burn off but it was a nice day, temperature and wind wise.

All though we did have several small fish steal a few baits., we never did catch any fish. It was a nice day for a picnic on the beach, a nice day to get acquainted with new friends, who are also full time rvers.

Stopping by a fish monger, on the way home, we bought some mahi-mahi and baked it following a new recipe we had found on the internet. It was a perfect ending for a perfect lazy day on the beach. Clear skies