Jan. 24 – Matagorda Island, TX

We're sitting by the fire today with temperatures hovering in the mid 30s, but earlier in the week winter gave us a break and we were able to venture out in our little Jon boat. Monday was a beautiful day and we spent it exploring Matagorda Island, which is the barrier island off of Port O'Connor. The only way to get there is by boat...so we had the Gulf beach to ourselves. We put the boat in at a little fishing center called Froggies Bait Dock and ran up the ICW to Fishermen's Cut into Barroom Bay, then to Big Bayou, Saluria Bayou and out to Pass Cavallo. We stopped at the old Coast Guard station on our way to the beach and did a little beachcombing, but didn’t find much there. We had more luck on the beach…lots of sand dollars, a few pretty shells and one very unique item we think is an old vertebra to a large fish.

It felt wonderful riding around the back bays, having a picnic lunch, walking on the beach and burying my toes in the sand…gave me hope that spring will arrive again! In the meantime we’ll just have to think warm thoughts and make plans for future cruises. We will be returning to The Pearl in the next few weeks to spend a little time in Charleston and then maybe on to Florida for awhile. We are kind of envious of the boats that are in the Keys and the Bahamas right now…maybe next winter!

Froggies Bait Dock 

Quite a few pelicans were hanging around waiting for free hand outs at Froggies. 

A little traffic on the ICW 

Our little boat on the beach at the old Coast Guard station 

I never get tired of watching the pelicans  

and taking pictures of the birds 

and there were a lot of birds out enjoying the beautiful day too. The line of white in the center of the picture is actually several dozen white pelicans. 

Aerial views of Pass Cavallo and the beach we were on. Looking north (Pictures courtesy of the Internet)

Looking south

The unusual item we found on the beach. 

A little artful playing with one of my bird photos...another activity that helps pass a cold day.