Port Aransas and Padre National Seashore

I am seriously behind in my blogging again.  Too much fun, I guess. But I'll try to start catching up and maybe not get so far behind.

After leaving Bandera, I headed south towards Corpus Christi area.  Besides Max and myself, there were 5 others headed that way, too.  For only $12 you get an annual pass for your vehicle to park (and camp) on the beach in Port Aransas and Corpus Christi.  We chose a beach in Port Aransas.  

Here I am looking out my front window.

And I just took my lawn chair down to the waters edge.  How relaxing!

Max found he like Patti's hammock.

Patti had the ladies out doing line dancing every morning.

Someone decided to decorate the posts.

Fancy always loved the beach.  Usually I could let her run and she would chase the birds and sometimes even end up in the water.

It was the beach and Max was determined to go swimming in the gulf, even if the water was frigid.

We did have a bad rain and I ended up in a lake.

Luckily, I was able to pull out without getting stuck and moved to higher ground down the beach.  They were expecting more rain and I didn't want my lake to get worse.  High and dry in our new location.

I'm not even in the true south, and here I am having my first of many fried bologna sandwiches.

Although Max and I left before it officially started, here were some people getting ready for the annual Sand Festival.  They have people from all over the world come here to build their elaborate sand sculptures. To see this years winners, click here

A fellow traveler, who attended the Bandera Dance Rally, lives in Port Aransas, and had us all over for dinner one afternoon.

He had a beautiful place and this was his view from his deck.

Another day, a group of us headed south to Padre Island National Seashore.

I have now visited over 140 National Park sites and many more that aren't counted with official cancellations.  I have filled up 2 passport books, and now keep track of my visits to National sites using an iphone app called 'passport'.

This was after the rain store and we found lots of beached Portuguese man 'o war lying around.

On the back side of the dunes (away from the beaches) were lots of swampy grounds and salt water marshes.

In another area of the park were a number of people sailboarding.

I always love my stay at the beaches, but it's time to head down the road towards Louisiana and cajun country.