Our Last Day in Rockport/Fulton

Taken at Rockport Beach - flocks of black skimmers, gulls and terns of all kinds in a frenzy!

Part of Rockport's downtown area

The bird convention moved to one of the fishing piers (taken along the Beach Road)

This morning was 66F (19C) cloudy, windy and humid but turned into a really beautiful sunny day with a high of 84F (29C) and a beautiful bright blue sky (an Ottawa summer sky). This morning and early afternoon I got the laundry done then we drove around Rockport taking photos. Gordon had a request from a web designer in the area for some photos so he was trying to comply.

Gordon went out again for sunset but I decided to stay behind and enjoy what was left of the beautiful day!

I made a reservation for tomorrow night at Beaumont, Texas at the Gulf Coast RV Resort. They have free cable and wifi so we won’t have to hook up any of the satellite dishes. It will make for a faster escape on Monday morning.

Around the Area

This morning was 64F (18C), cloudy and humid with some small patches of rain. After breakfast, I went out to get groceries and look around Bealls for the last time on this trip. I saw a pretty little electric blue suit but other than weddings, can’t imagine where I’d wear it with this lifestyle. It had some bling on the collar and around the bottom of the skirt and it was on sale. In a former life I probably would have bought it. On to Walmart for groceries, then home for lunch.

This is the horse I see almost every morning on my walk

This afternoon we took a drive to Bayside via our sandhill crane route but only saw three sandhills and not much else. When we came back we stopped at Rockport Harbor and walked around there taking some photos then on to Fulton Harbor where I took some photos of the oyster boats unloading their booty and the Skimmer arriving back from its Whooping Crane Tour. We stopped at Driftwood RV Haven on the way back to see what it was like but the roads are too narrow and the sites are too small.

Sandhill cranes

Great Egret under the dock at Rockport Harbor

Live oak trees along the Beach Road in Rockport - this is where some of the birds sleep at night

We both have mixed feelings about leaving Rockport. I think we’d both be content to stay for another month but Florida calls so tomorrow we’ll be getting things ready to leave on Sunday.

Fulton Mansion & Other Things

The day started out foggy and damp again but 62F (17C). I didn’t take my camera with me as I took enough fog photos yesterday. Lo and behold when I got to the ranch down the street there was the steer and the burro. I haven’t seen them for two weeks and the one time I don’t have my camera….. So back to the RV, got my camera and walked back but with the fog the photos aren’t that good and also because she had her butt facing us.

We relaxed for the morning and this afternoon went to see Fulton Mansion which was on our list of things to do in the area. George Fulton was a big cattle baron in the late 1800’s and his home is now a museum. I posted photos of the mansion a couple of weeks ago. It was interesting to see the furniture and items but history is not my thing. After that we drove to Goose Island State Park and St. Charles Bay just going to see our favorite sites as it won’t be long before we’re leaving the area.

This is Fulton Mansion from the back garden

This great blue heron had just caught his dinner and he did eat it - taken at the fishing pier at Goose Island State Park

Back to Corpus Christi

We had some rain again overnight and this morning was damp and foggy but 62F (17C). When I got back from my walk the back of my hair was damp from the heavy fog.

I took this photo of the fog in the trees this morning

We spent most of the day around the RV, Gordon went out once as the fog was burning off to get some photos but I stayed around and read both inside and out.

Late this afternoon we headed back to Corpus Christi to take our photos of downtown and get some twilight photos as well. We also had dinner at Joe’s Crab Shack on one of the T-Heads in the Corpus Christi Marina. A T-Head is basically a street that runs off the Shoreline Drive and runs between the slips for the boats ending on the far side of the slips. There are some restaurants there which is where Joe’s Crab Shack is located. We sat on “Joe’s Big Deck” and enjoyed being outside on the water. I had crawfish etouffe which was excellent. Gordon said his burger was excellent as well and I don’t hear that too often about burgers. His usual comment is that they aren’t 100% beef. This one passed the ‘where’s the beef’ test!

This is me in the Historic District

We came across a couple of beautiful rose trees in the Historic District

This is me sitting on the promenade that runs all along Corpus Christi Bay and the marina

This is where we had dinner and below is the Joe's Big Deck sign

This is my little red purse I bought this week. It's really cute and little but still holds everything I need. I've never had a red purse!

Once the fog burned off it was a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze and our high was 83F (28C).

Nothing Doing Today!

These dogs are sitting outside someone's park model here at Fulton Oaks

We had some rain overnight but I woke up to 62F (17C) and mostly cloudy. Today Gordon went with me on my walk so we did the usual walk around Farmers Circle and up to the end of Lone Star’s paved road as well as around the park.

The day was mostly cloudy with some sunny breaks with a high of 73F (23C). I sat outside and read a bit, then moved inside, read some more and napped. I’ve read almost a whole book today as of writing this blog. I went for another walk around the park this afternoon where I photographed the turkey vulture below sitting on top of the swing by the pond in the park.

Maybe tomorrow we’ll do something interesting, then again, maybe not!

We Visit the Texas State Aquarium

It was much warmer this morning 58F (14C) and sunny but not the bright sun that we’ve had the last few days. It was 63F (17F) by the time I returned to the RV about 35 minutes later.

Hmmm what to do today? Lots of choices. We still want to walk by the Bay in the downtown area and photograph some live oak trees where the great blue herons sleep at night and photograph the Corpus Christi skyline and the downtown lights.

Gordon outside the Aquarium

Well the choice was made to go to Corpus Christi but to go to the Texas State Aquarium. We arrived there around 12:30 p.m. and got our tickets. The dolphin show was set for 1:00 p.m. so we got our seats. It was 72F (22C) but windy so was fairly cool. As expected, the dolphin show was really good. They had four dolphins performing. After the show we did a tour of the rest of the aquarium skipping the snakes. We both hate snakes! They had some birds there as well as fish, snakes, alligators, stingrays and frogs. Check out the pictures.

The Dolphin Show

Other Fish Tanks & Stuff

Sea Horse

Royal Gramma or Fairy Basslet

Miscellaneous Fish

Sea Nettle

We arrived home via Ingleside, TX (not very picturesque) at around 3:30 p.m. deciding not to stay for the evening as Gordon’s photo cards were full. We’ll have to go back another day or another time.

Nice Day Today!

Although it was only 47F (8C) when I went for my walk this morning it was sunny and bright and you could feel the warm sun unlike other days when it's just been sunny but cold. When I got back to the RV it was already 51F (11C).

After breakfast I decided it was time to sit outside and enjoy it so I sat out and read for a while.

I was to call both of my sisters today but since I couldn't get a cell signal at the RV park (we're in a dead zone) and I had to go out for some groceries anyway I stopped on my way to the store and called both of them but got no answer so on to HEB and then to Walmart. When I came out from Walmart I managed to reach my younger sister and spoke to her and Danica, her daughter for a bit and got their news. I had hoped that my nephew, Nick would be at his Mom's today but his wife was sick so they didn't go over.

We went to Goose Island State Park for sunset and also so I could call my older sister. This time I was able to reach her. We're making arrangements to start our trek to Fort Myers to see them next Sunday. While we were at the park there was a glorious sunset, photo above!