§ Coming In....Going Out...

Even tho we have an Arctic front supposedly moving into our area over the Christmas weekend, with sub-freezing temps for a couple of days, I thought I'd go back a week or two, back to my regular day-trippin', when the day was balmy and the sun was shining. I went to Port Aransas to do my CBC [Christmas Bird Count] for the year. After I left the birding center, I drove to the ship channel jetty in hopes of seeing some ships come and perhaps, if lucky, seeing dolphins...

The first one I saw was a pilot boat heading out. Which means that one of the ships anchored out to sea was awaiting coming thru the channel as the now pilot aboard will guide them thru, safely.

Just minutes behind the pilot boat a tanker was leaving, and the pilot boat first seen was returning after dropping off the pilot onboard the tanker coming in...

My anticipating some dolphin action at the ship's bow, I didn't have too long-a-wait to see some once the tanker edged its way closer to where I stood...

When observers [I'm not the only one watching!] await the ship nearing them, it seems painfully slow. That, of course, is a safety measure! Most commercial vessels must maintain a speed of 6 to 8 knots to maintain steerage and they must remain near the center of a narrow channel. And to convert knots to MPH that would equal approximately 9 mph!!  Slow as molasses comes to mind.  

BACKGROUND: The Corpus Christi Ship Channel (CCSC) is a 45-ft deep channel that extends from the Gulf of Mexico 34 miles into the Port of Corpus Christi.

From where I stand on the jetty to watch the ships enter and exit, it's about one mile if that much.

§ Views Around the Jetty...

Granted, my purpose of driving to Port Aransas was a morning outing, enjoying the beautiful weather!!! Finally, a bit of relief from the inferno we've been experiencing since April 2022. The air was dry, the temp in the low to mid 70s. And a comfortable breeze blowing softly. Again, the construction goes on at my birding sanctuary. That was my first stop. And, again...very few birds. I don't think they like the loud machinery and disturbances on their waterfront. I hopped back in the car and drove to the jetty. There were ships galore on the channel. Along with pilot boats, tug boats, and all the action on the channel distracted me from birding. Of course all I saw of birds was the usual, terns, gulls, and pelicans. While I walked the beach, I watched the kiteboarding activities. But, I kept going back to watching the ships instead...

Flagship: Bermuda --Gaslog's Itinerary


Shrimp boat

...As I was following this ship thru the channel, I happened to notice a guy on the ship's exterior ladder!! First time ever! My first thought was "This is crazy! Who in their right mind would climb a ladder?" Then, after thinking and after my initial fright, I realized it was the ship's pilot, readying to be picked up by the pilot boat. Right? I hope so...or else I'll have nightmares!!!

Cyan Nova -tanker  Flagship Liberia


It was coming up on midmorning, I still had a 40 minute drive back home, so I left as the other ships bid me adieu going out to sea...

§ A Ship in the Channel

The other day this past week, I drove to Port Aransas. I stopped at the 'hotspots' for birds, even tho, I was sure there would be only year 'round birds seen. No migrants yet...too early for the Fall Season. Anyway, I stopped at Leonabelle, Paradise Pond, and the ship channel and walked those areas. I then just drove around the Marina and along the road to Charlie's Pasture

Along the ship channel, a different ship was sailing out to the Gulf! Usually, the ships are not all that picturesque...mostly grubby, stinky, rusty, in dire need of a paint-job, and filled with oil. This one I spied was so clean I couldn't believe my eyes. Maybe it's 'cause its run by natural gas?!! Dunno. But, I was really quite impressed...Okay! Wait. I just looked it up:

VERNADSKY PROSPECT (IMO: 9843560) is a Crude Oil Tanker that was built in 2019 (2 years ago) and is sailing under the flag of Liberia. Its carrying capacity is 113310 t DWT [how much tonnage it can carry!] and her current draught is reported to be 9.1 meters. Her length overall (LOA) is 249.99 meters (820 feet) and her width is 44.04 meters (144 feet).

Well duh!! That explains why it's so pristine shape! It's NEW!! Oh, and by the way, it's on its way to the Netherlands and expected arrival is August 1st 0800.
source

Then, out of curiosity, I did some math.
With the stats shown on the ship's website, I see that the DWT [dead weight in tonnage] is just shy of 114,000 tons.
I did some multiplication after seeing that one ton of crude oil is 7.33 barrels!
Multiply that 7.33 barrels by the tonnage [114,000] and you get 835,620 barrels on this ship....
Okay, if that's the case, and when I googled the price of one barrel of crude oil, it was [on that day- it flucuates daily with stock markets, etc.] $74.56 per barrel.
If full, that ship's oil cargo was worth and estimated -rounding off the tonnage- $62,303,827.20!!!!!

I think I need to buy a tanker.


...and to continue showcasing my Trolls...

↓ My 23rd Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed Halloween -Grim Reaper circa: 80s?

§ Robert's Point Park...Vertigo, Part II

To continue with Robert's Point Park day tripping, as I walked the perimeter, there were sights and sounds galore. Besides the day being beautiful, the area was busy with activities and the slight breeze made it a very comfortable walk. If you missed the previous post of the view from the high observation tower and lighthouse and pretty views from a whole 'nother perspective, click here.  [warning tho, if you suffer from vertigo, it may not be suitable for you]

 

I will now continue and conclude this trek in photos...

THE MARINA

There is a lot to watch and sometimes when the larger ships come thru at a snails' pace, I tend to find where they are headed once I get home and use the "fleet" website. This one today, the "Seamagic" was going out toward the Caribbean sea.  Its flag ship port, Malta. You can tell it was running empty because the copper colored paint of the hull is showing above water. If it was full, the hull would be below the water surface.   By using the link provided above, you can view its current position daily.
Pelicans, gulls, grackles, and egrets were busy hunting or 'begging' for breakfast. I think I saw a frigatebird in flight over the channel too, but by the time I realized it was perhaps the rarity, the sun made it disappear like magic. And, by then, I was distracted by a couple of fishermen near the granite boulders. They were busy reeling in a large catch! I watched, and asked permission for a photo op....it was granted. The fish is one I had never seen before. Its dorsal fin was very elongated, but yet the head was that of a catfish. I asked them...they informed me it was a gafftospail...if indeed they were correct in IDing. Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. A fisherman, I am not.

...another showcasing of my Troll collection...

↓ My 7th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Coed "SLEEP-OVER" circa: 1970s

§ Spring Break....

For the next two weeks, it's Spring Break here in the Coastal Bend. Of course, for me, that means no day trippin' to the beach until all the college students [and high school] go back home, and it's safe to be out walking on the shore and driving the island highways. So, Thursday, I took my last drive to go birding and get some steps in while I could. It was a beautiful morning!  Just after daybreak, warming sun, mild sea breeze, quietude of the hour, and birdsong and bird calls serenading me while I watched all the activity.

As I drove along I just couldn't help but notice all the brown. Normally this time of year, it's green along the dunes. Even most of the palm trees are lifeless and the fronds are weeping a nice shade of rot. But the one I photographed [above] at the Willows was still in good shape while others were long damaged by the freeze. Sad. I don't think I've EVER witnessed such winter kill before in the South, ever. By the time I arrived at Port Aransas, the wetlands across the highway from the Post Office was full [literally full] of waterfowl! I slowed down, debating to stop there at that time, or go to my favorite refuge first then come back as I leave for home....I stopped then!

There were Roseate Spoonbills, White Ibis, Egrets [both Snowy, and Common Great], herons, White Faced Ibis [dark maroon color with off white speckled heads [non-breeding] and white eye rings in breeding season. They are similar to the Glossy Ibis seen East of the Mississippi River.], gulls, avocets, cormorants, and much more. All were quite active, mostly bathing [and the cormorants were playing...they do LIKE to play in the water!!]. I heard a kingfisher calling but was unable to locate it. The birds preened, flew from one bank to another, fed, and entertained me for a long time. Why, I even spotted a Nutria [aka: coypu; a water rodent] swimming across the pond!!

After taking several photos and enjoying the warming sun, I left for the popular Refuge. I was hoping to see the Whooping Crane Family of Three that has been reported there for several months. Still, for me, no sighting there again. White Pelicans, gulls, and stilts dominated this area. I left and went walking on the beach after a short stop at Paradise Pond. At the beach, still work goes on repairing the jetty. A few ships were waiting near the channel for the 'okay' to enter, while one was leaving the port area. I saw dolphins, but none were guiding the ship out, they were just surfacing for a second and back underwater in the blink of an eye. Gulls and Terns covered the sand as I walked the shore to the pier. I left shortly after and stopped at a residential area just before leaving town. This subdivision juts up on the waterfront. I didn't have to drive INTO the subdivision before I saw the Whooping Crane Family near the access road!!! Needless to say, I pulled off the road, got out and snapped the shutter button. Good!! I saw them before they leave for their breeding grounds way up north, and didn't have to drive the 60 mile one way trip to Goose Island for another popular wintering ground for them. Yay!! My winter birding for South Texas is complete. Now, it'll be Spring Migration. Once the migrating students go back to class. lol

By the way, my first stop? When I headed back to Corpus, the wetlands had emptied out!! I'm glad I stopped there first!