carceneaux
10/21/2013 3:05 PM
It was Kim Head's first HASK self-supportive overnighter (as in primitive camping)trip and Bill Oshie's second. The rest were a bunch of old hands. And boy can they can sure get grouchy (not really) We had a very good trip. Everyone was at the boat ramp in plenty of time for the put in, as usual I was the last one to hit the water.
The 4.5 mile to the base camp took no time at all. Since the tide was very high we tried a few short cuts across the grass flats. The wood frame the Boy Scouts erected was still there at the base camp since our last visit two years ago but a bit weathered and a little closer to the bay. After we set up camp, 2/3'ds of the group went exploring by kayak, the rest of us wanted to see if the fish were biting in front of the camp. They were not.
Pat made his famous guacamole and George heated up his true Texas chili. Then it was off to the campfire for fireworks and wine. It was a little warm, Bill had a fan and that made his night in the tent more comfortable. Saturday morning gave us a light breeze as most of us headed across the bay for a 12.5 mile circumnavigation around Mud Island. Despite its name, the shoreline around the island was a hard sand. We took two breaks to lunch and stretch our legs. There is an interesting compound on San Jose Island that looks impressive from the bay and from Google Earth.
The channel crossing was a challenge that I have to say the training and the preparation the club and its leadership encourages everyone to take advantage of made it possible without any capsizes and rescue. The long fetch of the SE Winds coupled with an outgoing tide made some fairly tall rollers in the deeper sections of the bay. I had to point the bow a little to the SW to straddle the rollers instead of moving through them parallel. We were all back in camp for nice soak in the shallows followed by dinner and a campfire.
By mid morning Sunday we were packed and headed back to the take out. A light shower greeted us midway. I think we were dry by the time we made it back to the marina. For you birders: Four ospreys were fishing near camp, a lone frigate bird was pestering the gulls, the gulls were bothering the pelicans and the two roseate spoonbills behind camp were oblivious to it all. We heard a few shy clapper rails in the marsh. A large tern was fishing with smaller terns. Maybe it was a Royal or Foster's Tern. Thanks to everyone who made this trip what it was. Here are a few photos. I will ask the others to post some of their favorites. Chris