It is January 2020, and we have a pleasant temperature of 77 °F and feel like going to the sea again. And because it is supposed to be so beautiful there: off to Corpus Christi or Padre Island and Mustang Island.
About 3 hours drive, and we are sitting on the beach under palm trees. In Europe, at this time of year, the weather is gray. Here is no trace. OK, swimming in the sea may still be fresh, but feet in the water always go!
THE U.S.S. LEXINGTON
Directly in front of our hotel is the USS Lexington! An aircraft carrier that was in the service of the US Navy from 1941 and was decommissioned in 1991. Fantastic! As TopGun fans, we have to go up there, especially since we had no time in New York for the USS Intripit.
The dimensions are -as of actually everything here in America- unimaginable. With a length of approx. 266m, width of 45, a draught of approx. 9m and a water displacement of 27.000t the boot corresponds to today’s cruise ship. Between 90-100 airplanes fit on it, and 493.248 airplane landings were done. Because the boot has a blue-grey paint and thus was difficult to recognize on the sea, it is also called “Blue Ghost.”
The next morning at 6:20 a.m., a fantastic sunrise awaited us.
OVER THE ISLANDS
We continue to the islands. Padre Island and Mustang Island are sandbank islands off the mainland and nature reserves. Miles of white sandy beach, no people! And because the Texan is also quite comfortable, one drives here with the car directly on the beach.
DOLPHINS WATCH
On the way back, we stop for lunch in Port Aransas. Dolphin Watch Tours was written on the sign at the harbor. Our little daughter didn’t have to be told twice. So we quickly bought tickets and then… the boat was already gone! But thanks to the friendly gentlemen in the store, who radioed the captain and persuaded him to turn back, we were picked up after all. After a few miles of sailing into the bay, the first dolphins jumped around our boat, and the kid was happy!
We go past an island with a lighthouse, cormorants and pelicans, and one of the “smaller” oil platforms.
All in all, a successful start to the year!
