The Gulf side of Mustang Island has the waves and tides, but the bay channel is often calm and the ferries run pretty much unhindered.
However, amazingly large ships and other things frequently access this waterway to reach the mainland oil refineries and businesses. They can cause upsets to the many fishermen quietly throwing out lines from the shore. And it is not an area for swimmers, as this sign signifies.
The other day we noted five hard chugging tugboats pulling and pushing...
in an effort to move this thing inland toward Corpus Christi.
We recognized this as an oil platform with all the cranes and such.
And, looking closer, we saw some of the workers standing on the helipad, watching and waving to us on the shore. This is their "home" for long periods of time, way out offshore. I'll bet it was exciting for them to see other people and be moving, as well.
Despite the excitement we found in this event, the old heron hardly gives it a glance, as if to say, "I've seen it all before. Show me the fish!"
This huge platform we saw last year at the same place created quite a scene. Reported to be one of the largest in the US, it was headed out to sea to a repair station in New Orleans.
There were plenty of men riding along on it, as well.
It moved very slowly and reminded me of a giant Star Wars creature. There were 6 or 7 tugboats moving and controlling it in the still channel but once out on the open waves it must have been quite the challenging trip!
So, the moral of the story is: keep your eyes open to see new things and don't leave your camera home (or you may have to spend $20 for a junky disposable like I did the day this big rig was being moved along).
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