Greetings from the island everyone. Hope all of you are doing well and enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend, and Wounded Warriors Tribute. I’ve seen the WW Tribute grow so much the past five years and it will only get larger and more involved as time goes on.

I honestly do not believe that it will ever rain again. Since January 1 I have gotten a mere 1.9 inches of rain out here on the island. Are you kidding me?! For two months now my rain tanks, which supply all my water needs inside the house, have been dry and I’ve had to pump well water into them. I simply run a hose from a well faucet to the rain tanks and slowly pump about 100 gallons at a time into them. Being in ultra conservative mode, this will last me about one week, and then I do the same thing again. I don’t fill them completely because I’m hoping that it will eventually rain and at least partially fill them.

The well water works okay for inside use, but does not compare in quality to fresh clean rain water. I’m hauling water from the mainland each trip to use for coffee, drinking, ice trays, etc., when I would normally use my rain water. I should give thanks, and I do, that my underground well water supply has held up and not gone dry, otherwise I would really be in a bad way. It seems as though when other areas have gotten measurable amounts of rain, I have not gotten any. Okay Lord, I’m ready for some rain now.

If it wasn’t for the well water, my garden, consisting primarily of my passion for growing tomato plants from seed, would have dried up long ago. But my tomatoes have actually done quite well. I have had a problem with blossom end rot this season, which in all probability is due to the extended drought conditions. It doesn’t appear that I’ll grow my goal tomato of three pounds during the Spring tomato season, but I’ll keep trying. I’ve grown nearly a dozen that easily topped one pound though, so I’m happy with that, especially given the very dry conditions.

This begins the time of year that the summer heat, which doesn’t officially arrive for two more weeks, is a big factor here on the island. The early mornings and late evenings are bearable, but from about 11am-5 pm you simply need to find some shade and a cool beverage. Other than something you’ve built yourself, there is nothing to take refuge under out here to escape the blazing sun and heat. I always tell newcomers to the island that fresh water and shade are by far the two most important items required for extended island stays. Period. Some listen and some don’t, the latter of which never return. Mission accomplished.

I was able to gig a few flounder to eat the past month, and caught a few redfish along the way too, using live finger mullet. Always nice to have fresh fish whenever I want it. I’m waiting for the surf to calm and turn its beautiful emerald green so I can go after the trout with my pink Corky.

I want to say farewell to Walter Minatrea Sr., the father of my dear childhood friend, Tommy Minatrea. I would have preferred different circumstances, but it was wonderful to reunite with Tommy and Ben Plummer, the three of us being inseparable during our childhood Seadrift days. You will be missed Walter Sr.

Well that’s it from the island for now. Everyone take care and stay cool during the next few south Texas summer months.