When I park in Texas:
When I parked in Tucson:
Nuff said.
Author Archives
Erin
Coddiwompling through life, guided by my love of nature and insatiable curiosity.Macroalgae
Sargassum, Mustang Island, Texas August 2019
My beach strolls have been less interesting of late (though no less fun). I presume it has to do with lack of stormy weather, we have been woefully dry here along the Coastal Bend. Tempests usually stir up the water and deposit all manner of random items on the sand.
A while back I read that it might be possible to find small seahorses (or other fascinating creatures) tangled in sargassum. So, I usually stop and peer through the clumps of seaweed. I haven’t had any luck thus far but I remain optimistic.
Thankfully, there hasn’t been as much sargassum washing ashore here as one might think based on the discovery of the largest documented sargassum bloom in the Atlantic Ocean. As with most things, some sargassum is good but too much can be problematic. Out in the open ocean it serves as a safe haven for many of the smaller marine creatures. In thick mats, like those spotted recently in satellite images, however, it can trap sea turtles and damage coral.
Rockport Strong
This weekend Rockport hosted the second annual Harvey Encore Block Party. The event was conceived as a way to honor the resilience of the local population after Hurricane Harvey devastated the community in August 2017. Harvey was not only the costliest hurricane to hit Texas but also the deadliest, killing 103 people. In the months that I’ve been here I’ve been impressed by the amount of construction, with new homes and businesses going up all around.
Sadly, there are still so many that haven’t been able to rebuild. Apparently, some property owners didn’t know that in addition to Homeowners they needed to buy separate Flood and Wind Storm policies. It’s a hell of a way to discover they didn’t have the right kind of insurance. Echoing local sentiment, one of the pubs called their celebration the F*$k Harvey Party.
Perspective
I don’t recall how Traveling Light by Brian Andreas ended up in my possession. A gift from a friend? Or a fantastic flea market find? The important part is that it found its way to me. The colorful book is full of quirky illustrations and short snippets that pack a punch. One that often pops into my head is called Perfect Ending:
“I’m not sure how it’s going to turn out, except I’ll die in the end,” she said. “So, really, what could go wrong?”
View from Rockport Beach, Texas July 2019
Yes, Let’s!
I love this t-shirt! It reminds me of a line from the conniving and arrogant Prince Humperdinck in my all-time favorite movie, The Princess Bride, “Unless I’m wrong, and I am never wrong…”*
The best part? The t-shirt was only 99 cents! Squeee!
*Note: To clarify, I know I am not always right and I am capable of admitting it (usually).
The Underside
Horace Caldwell Fishing Pier, Port Aransas, Texas August 2019
The waves were mellow that day but the area around this pier is quite popular with surfers. They make it look so easy, I hope to learn someday. My eye was drawn to that light blue square…
Imagine
Sand Art, Rockport Beach, Texas July 2019
My daily beach strolls are often punctuated by unique discoveries. I’ve seen hundreds (if not thousands) of sand castles but I most admire the other random bits of art that people leave behind. I especially enjoyed this piece with its creative incorporation of sea grass. For some reason, it reminds me of John Lennon.
Lucky Me
Moon Jelly, Rockport Beach, Texas August 2019
I found a marine version of a four-leaf clover on the beach yesterday, a Moon Jelly (Aurelia aurita). While this is not a traditional symbol of good luck the pretty pink loops look enough like a clover to me. Though perhaps this is an entirely different kind of luck as the loops are actually part of the reproductive system (wink, wink).
A recent study found that the swarms of Moon Jellies we find beached are actually correlated to the lunar cycle. The masses typically peak a week after a full moon, though no explanation was provided. These brainless blobs have been undulating around the world’s oceans for over 500 million years. Clearly, they are tough little survivors.
Just Beachy…
I met this great group of ladies in a yoga class a few months ago. This past Friday, Pat, Lindy, Jillian, and I took the ferry over to Mustang Island and whiled away a gorgeous afternoon. Cody, our token male for the day, supervised our impromptu yoga session. Any day with our toes in the sand is a good day!
Down and Up
When I pop wide awake at 5:30 in the morning I might as well grab my camera and head to the beach. I am not an early bird so my opportunities to catch sunrises are few and far between.
This past Thursday morning I was hoping to catch the sun peeking over the Gulf at Rockport Beach. However, a thick bank of clouds sitting on the water interfered with my plans. Instead, the full moon put on a show for me.
The first two photos are of the moon playing tag with clouds that morning as it slowly slid toward the horizon. The others I snapped later that night from the beach on Mustang Island, as the bright orb floated up over the water. What a great way to bookend a day!
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