Fall Lingers in the Island Mornings
Greetings from the island everyone; hope all of you are doing well and enjoyed your Labor Day weekend.
A mere two tenths of rain has fallen on the island since the last writing, bringing the total to exactly three inches since January. Thank goodness my water well is still producing fresh water for all my needs here on this barrier island.
As I sit here at the small kitchen table Monday morning having my coffee, the brisk cool north breeze flows through the open front door, and brings to mind what early Fall feels like. Oh how wonderful it is. I know that the month of September will still be a scorcher, but the island will now begin to feel the first of the early northers make their way across open Matagorda Bay and bring some relief.
Don’t you just love the way those first few cold fronts feel after a long hot and dry south Texas summer? They are like a breath of fresh air that brings vigor to your parched soul, with the desire to stand in the open breeze and let the coolness envelop your body and creep into the pores of your summer long baked skin. . . okay Clint, let’s tone it down a little. But you gotta admit, it does feel good.
Time on the beach becomes more enjoyable, the tides begin to stay a little lower, revealing an assortment of nature’s seashells and other marine life that would otherwise go unnoticed. I interpret the beginnings of Fall as God’s reward for surviving the hot and sultry summer season, but it would be nice if He would throw in some rain with it.
The beginning of last week finally brought a calm surf to the beach side, a rare occurrence during a very windy summer out here. And a calm surf with emerald green water equals the quest to catch trout, which my fishing buddy, Charles, and I were moderately successful at doing.
There are not many better feelings than wading the surf at the crack of dawn, making that first cast and slowly working that Corky lure and feeling the strike of that trout as it falls victim to the enticing charm of the underwater dance. It’s nice to be able to package some filets in the propane freezer to enjoy during the cold of winter when fishing is tough. It’s also entertaining during the pre-dawn to watch the stream of boat lights coming thru the Pass and heading west, making the trek towards the Darlington to fish.
Of course the sharks and large stingrays are also in abundance in the surf, having seen several rays in the 40-50 lb. range in the clear knee deep surf waters. But what concerns me even more than the sharks and rays, is how Charles has been able to out-fish me lately. I can only attribute it to greater age bringing more wisdom, even at fishing. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
My watermelons and cantaloupes are about done for the summer. They were very good tasting but not quite the quality of last season; I’m guessing the severe drought is the reason. I’ve got fifteen tomato plants I started from seed for my Fall crop, and they will go in the ground this week, being six weeks old.
Well that’s it from the island for now, everyone take care and begin enjoying these first few northers of the season.
