Christmas and New Years was spent with friends from Pennsylvania who
live part time at Padre Island. New Years found thy self in bed by
2100hrs and not even interested watching the ball drop in Times
Square, New York at midnight.
The Padre Island National Seashore is at the very end of the road with
the Gulf of Mexico the next stop. Knowing just how long I was going to
be here as a volunteer and the thought of sleeping in the back of the
truck without my Black Box of wine at hand, a pop-up trailer with a 50
meter lap pool and 60" plasma TV had crossed my mine. Well with the
million's I made from selling water front property in Afghanistan, the
pop-up trailer became a reality (Facebook). The trailer comes with a
heater, stove, icebox, sink, air conditioning, King and regular beds
with a third bed available but no loo……..who cares when you have the
bucket!
Email is non-existence but the cell does work in the odd pocket area
if you can find it.
My work schedule is still up in the air until the park ranger returns
from holiday leave. The first week was spent on beach cleanup, which
means what you picked up at low tide has no bearing on the same patch
of beach the next day after the high tide.
Padre Island National Seashore is a barrier island that runs 65 miles
south seasoned with deer, coyotes, wild dogs, birds of every
description and marine debris. The seashore is a major turtle-nesting
site for Kemp's ridley, Green and Loggerhead's. The National Park goes
nutso's when the turtles start arriving. They have over 40 ATV's which
in some cases which put on over 8000 miles during a 4-month period.
Of course with Kemp's ridley turtles being the most endangered sea
turtle in the world, money flows with abandonment. The same story with
the Hawaiian Monk Seal in the Pacific.
It is rumored that you do not want to be here during spring break when
the collages are out for 2 weeks. Clothes are optional and there is
one particular store on Padre Island that out sells any store in the
Corpus Christi area in beer, wine, and booze. It is Party Hardy time
and the best place to be is patrolling the beaches as a very concerned
citizen…………..
How a place can go from 31 degrees one day and the next be in the 70's
plus. Wind out of all points of the compass and 40 knots continuous
for days. Being so close to the ocean it is salt in the morning dew,
rain, wind and it covers everything. You wash the truck twice a week
and the camper as well. Vehicles assigned to the National Park last
3-5 years before they are a total rust bucket.
I just spent my last winter storm at the National Park, 30 degrees
plus, rain and wind in the 40 mph area for 3 days running. At night
trying to sleep in the camper was wish full thinking and at the same
time holding onto the ceramic heater for a bit body heat.
Well to make a long story short I moved the camper back to my friend's
house where instead of fight the elements I am stepping through piles
of dog (5) scat and one bloody cat……………ahhhhhhhh piece of mine.
Norm
Greynomad
