§ All Aboard! Ferry Crossing

Isn't the English language something? Confusing to those trying to learn to speak English to say the least. So, the other day, playing my Scrabble game on the phone while waiting for the echo on the carotid [neck] arteries, I had some letters N M U R, two I's and a C...well, there was a B on the board. I thought of playing the word NUMB. With the R, though, perhaps NUMBER if only I had an E instead of the I. Got me to thinking. You have NUMB. Is there NUMBER, AND NUMBEST?  The B would be silent, right?  Then, I was called in for the examination. "No looking it up online now, I'm busy". When I got home I checked our collegiate dictionary from the bookshelf [I almost forgot about it]. Sure 'nough, there is a NUMB NUMBER and NUMBEST! So, you have NUMBER as in numerical digits, i.e. 1-3-20-100, with the B pronounced. Then, you have NUMBER, the B is silent, as in without feeling. Now, first off, once you're numb, can you get number? Either you are, or you're not numb. Even tho I've been speaking English all my life once I started talking, I just don't see getting number. Then again, the percentage numBer of me getting NUMbER typing this is getting higher!  I just may be the NUMbEST yet!!  How 'bout you? .

check for yourself

- - -

Our Tax Dollars at Work...The Ferries crossing the ship channel from Port A to Aransas Pass, Tx. [or visa versa] - Digital Signage on both sides of the two towns told me/other drivers there would be a 15 minute wait to get aboard. By the time I left, an hour later, there was a line of traffic for the ferry at LEAST three miles long! Probably more like a 30 minute wait time when I was getting ready to head back to Corpus...without crossing the ferry.

The pylons at the ferry docks were lined with pelicans and seagulls


- - -

Father's Day was a quiet day....Bud heard from both of our kids first thing in the morning. He had his day planned to do 'nothing' he said! Saturday he helped me with cleaning the house, so he deserved his quiet day. He has a project going on with wood and the making of a Native American 'gadget' in the works, he worked a little bit on that while I walked the Robert Point Park in Port Aransas. It's a nice shady park, with water, marina, grasses, benches, AND SHADE!!! I sat and watched our Tax Dollars at Work for a while, enjoying the sea breeze and all the activities. I walked another couple of parks, with no birds, and then drove to the ARK [rehabilitation facility for injured birds] near the Magee Beach before heading home to prepare Bud's choice for dinner...

...lasagna

With Tossed Salad, Tiger Bread [with fresh garlic], red wine, and for dessert frozen yogurt.

We then watched the movie "The Big Year".

§ Adventures on a Ferry Ride...

Heading over Harbor Bridge to our first stop on the itinerary...which is Indian Point. Altho, for the 2nd time this winter, a brown booby [it's a bird - I know, I  know...odd name for a bird, but what the hey?] was reported at this area, we saw none. I really wasn't expecting to find it...they are more or less 'stay on the water' birds...rarely coming ashore. But, we got some walking in, along all the fresh water ponds and the bay's shoreline. Our next stop would be Ingleside and the Aransas Pass area. Both, small towns along the coast. Not much there but it was a nice drive. Eventually, heading toward PORT Aransas [not the same as Aransas Pass, Texas]. And in order to get from Aransas Pass to Port Aransas, you must board the Ferry Boats and cross the massive ship channel. I happened to be driving on this day instead of Bud. And I will say right now...I don't like the idea of crossing water. Deep water...I have a strong phobia. The digital display signage about a mile outside the area informed us drivers that there is a 15 minute wait to board. So, we arrived in line...something like the fourth vehicle from the front we were. I watched in fear the semi-truck loading on a special ferry boat. Thinking of the weight of the truck, and nothing but a 'sinking' feeling crossed my mind. No it didn't sink. But I just couldn't help myself. Finally, we were directed to drive aboard and park, and wait in the car for other vehicles to load...wait, wait, wait. Thing is, by the time I drove aboard...our car ended up being in the FRONT on the 2nd row of cars/trucks. In the front mind you...a scary thought. I really hadn't planned on taking photos, but since we were in the lead and the view on the other side was without any other interference of vehicles ahead of me on the ferry, I asked Bud to hand me the camera from the back seat. Now, we've utilized this ferry service many-a-times, but the frequency never makes it easier on my nerves..

Quiet inside our car as we waited some more while the guides directed others to drive aboard. They primed our car to steady it once the ferry began to cross....then, after what seemed an eternity, the ferry started to move. Another dreaded feeling came over me...but I persevered....hung tough. And snapped a few photos:

[take note of the heart shaped cutout on the metal barricade]

...we moved slowly over the channel, coming in closer and closer to the other side. Finally, all secured and the gate came down. Thank goodness, the patrolling guide pointed at ME and I WAS THE FIRST VEHICLE OFF that nasty contraption!!! Phew...what a ride. Literally.

We stopped to have lunch at a Mexican Restaurant and walked afterward to the first spot to check out the bird activities. Not much, several yellow rumped warblers and one bird that I've only seen ONCE before in our area of Texas. And that was the American Robin. I first heard it before I finally found it. Robins, according to the habitat maps of such birds are only a non-breeding resident...scarce they are. But, its song was a welcome sound! Spring is coming...or probably to some, has arrived!! The very first one I saw, about a decade ago, I didn't have a camera. This time I did!! After walking through this part of Port A, we drove to another of our favorite areas...Leonabelle Turnbull's Refuge. Soras, pelicans, shovelers, and ducks. Now, I've seen Green Teals many times here and other places around Corpus Christi, but one was marked very differently. The colors were rare. You see, Green Teals most often look like this seen here at this link. What I saw on the pond there was this. The Teal had PURPLE instead of the green. I was wondering if it was the light, or perhaps something to do with mating. I did some searching; lo and behold, in the description on ducks dot org, I read that sometimes they do have purple marking/colors!! This I did not know.

Spending maybe about 1 hour there, we turned to leave the observation area, and in amongst the dying reed I spotted this family:

The Coypu, aka River Rat or Nutria.

Their fur continues to be highly sought. But, in most cases, they are destructive and most often, if found, relocated.

One more...

I spotted in the dying reed also...far off the path, in the distance, I noticed this.

Anni: "What do you suppose that is Bud? An alligator nest?"

Bud: "It's probably a coon nest."

Anni: "I bet it's alligator."

There ARE alligators here. Warning signs at the entrance proves it. Bud and I have seen a few now and then. Oh, and searching to compare...yes, I utilized Google again. The nests of alligators I viewed online are similar to what I found!! By the way...did you know that alligators do not hibernate. Some bloggers mentioned a photo I had a few weeks ago with an alligator on the grass....mentioned that it's too cold/too early for them to be out...not so!! They actually brummate. They have been known to be out in winter, and can withstand water temperatures of 40 degrees. If there is warm sun and protection of cold winds, they do come out and soak up the warmth on some of the colder days. Read more...

Linking to Saturday Critters & Camera Critters

§ all aboard! All engines off...everything secure...and we're off----

Click either button to Join

This photo sequence is taken from inside our car with my cellphone...we were first on this time...right in the front row! Crossing the ferry over the ships' channel, it's okay 'til we hit the ships' wakes...then the ferry rocks and sways...I would NOT make a good sailor. I think the waves are rough on this little dinky 'boat'...I can only imagine what a real storm would be like aboard a ship/yacht. Color me green--y'know? Green gills?! Ya, that is me. LOL But most of all...after you see me across the channel...take another look at the photos and check out the sky. Aren't the clouds pretty?








---ahhhhhhhh, dry land ahead! Get me off this rickety ol' thing! Like Bing Crosby once sang:
"Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above [this case, under the cloudy skies above],
Don't fence me in. [Don't strap me in--in the ferry confines that is]
Let me ride [drive!] through the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in."

Good thing about using the ferry tho, it saves about 30 miles of gasoline consumption to get to the 'other side' instead of going around the LONG way.



NOTE: If you have your blog's template/background design using THE CUTEST BLOG ON THE BLOCK...you may have noticed the note attached to your blog recently. Your background choice won't be 'working' any longer because of Photobucket's bandwidth for the templates used there...they will no longer show up as of Friday July 23rd!!

HERE'S A FREE TEMPLATE SITE



POSTED: Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
around midnight

For Friday's Flash Fiction 55, scroll down, or CLICK HERE

Bud and I took a short 'round trip' from Corpus over to Padre Island then, headed north to Mustang Island over to Port A -- from there we took the ferry to Aransas Pass and over to Ingleside, Texas then to Gregory and Portland....back to Corpus Christi. It was only around 70 miles or so from point A and back...but it was a nice drive. Trust me when I tell you I am not too keen on taking the car on the ferry and crossing water. And to top it off, as luck would have it, I was driving and the ferry guides had me park on the END of the ferry!!!! As the ferry jerked and sputtered from the Port A landing...the car jerked too! I thought my life had ended. LOL ---Then, when the ferry got into a good rhythm, I got out and watched the land slowly recede and all water lay before me. This is always something I'm not really fond of, but I survived to tell the story once again.....

Once across and driving through Aransas Pass your cross the causeway [one of many throughout the coastal region] and you can view the NORTH end of Corpus Christi Bay! Here, on the north side, is Ingleside, Texas. I think sometime real soon, if nothing or no one does anything, it will become near a ghost town. Why? Well, there is and soon will be a CLOSED naval station. Ingleside Naval Station. With the Bush era, some of the military bases were given the 'heave-ho'...and given orders that they will close. Ingleside was one of them. Tho, without papers or special privileges, we could NOT go on the grounds. Here is a photo of the minewsweepers. They too will soon be deported to San Diego I believe.

Sometime soon, I will post more photos of the dome on the south side of the Harbor's Ship Channel and a bit of its history. For years I've seen this dome along the Interstate, heading toward San Antonio but never drove to it....the other day, taking this little day trip, I made a special effort to drive off the beaten path and find it. I did, and we got up close and personal with it. Well, as much as we were allowed. Stay tuned....

<><><>



A Friday Meme with fiction...55 words, no more, no less. Try it, it's a fun challenge!!
Join Here

Last night, in the dark
a body was found....
Among the bushes, in the park.
Cops need a witness who was there all 'round.

A mime who was stationed near the spot
may have a clue, or two....
worth a shot!

But, tho the mime was there all day,
THINK! Just what could he say?

Posted: August 7th, 2009
7:00 A.M.