|
|
| The
California coast is best known to me by its photogenic wind-twisted Cypress trees.
It is no wonder photos of that scene are memorable since they were made by Edward
Weston and Ansel Adams. Texas also has its photogenic, wind-twisted, Live Oak
trees, written about by the Portland/Gregory Texan, Don Williams. In his song
“Good Ole Boys Like Me” the lyric says, “I can still hear the soft Southern
winds in the live oak trees”. |
"Aransas
Bay rivals the beauty of the shore of Carmel Bay"
Photo by
Ken Rudine, February 2011 |
Aransas
Bay surrounds Rockport/Fulton/Key
Allegro and extends north to Lamar
and south to Estes (flats). (See map
below.) It is protected from the Gulf of Mexico by a barrier island, San Jose
ten miles off shore. I consider this location to be the heart of the Coastal
Bend. The Upper Texas Coast to the east lies in a basic east/west direction
while the Lower Texas Coast to the south lies in a north/south direction. The
prevailing SE wind tends to focus directly on this coastal point.
The
Bay includes more than 300 square miles and averages about ten feet deep making
it very navigable. The water is a little less than half as salty as seawater during
the normal fresh water runoff. These waters provide a wide variety of fish along
with shrimp, oysters and crabs. The Bay is enhanced because sea grass can be found
at numerous locations that act to filter the water and provide a habitat for fish
to spawn. The waters near the LBJ
Causeway are big oyster producers. |
 |
During the late 1800’s
many slaughterhouses were constructed for harvesting cow hides only. With ice
unavailable some meat was fed to pigs while the balance was disposed of in the
Bay. This practice possibly helped to attract fish to the Bay then and consequently
now. But by 1880 ice machines were incorporated in the plants and over 90% of
the Texas beef was processed here and shipped out by railroad.
In 1936 oil was discovered on the Bay shore adding to the local fishing economy.
It is also supported by a prosperous tourism industry for individuals fishing
or sight-seeing. Early resident Connie Hagar helped establish Aransas Bay’s “Little
Bay” as a premier bird watching destination nestled between Rockport
and Key Allegro. Adjacent is Rockport’s
Bluewater Beach, the only beach so designated in Texas.
Roger Tory Peterson, America's best known ornithologist came to Rockport
to assist in the dedication of a bird watching site honoring his friend Connie
Hagar.
Aransas Bay rivals the beauty of the shore of Carmel Bay as shown
here - embellished by the soft light of a full moon, the waters sparkle a
welcome view between mature live oaks only a few miles south of The
Big Tree on Lamar Peninsula. |
 |
1940s
map showing Aransas Bay, Rockport,
Lamar and Estes
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office | |
| Save on Hotels
- Book Here | |
