The annual Memorial Day Kids Fishing Tournament, sponsored by the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce, had a great turn out, despite the winds! Approximately 55 kids showed up and gave it their very best! Many were fishing from the pier, and some along the banks of King Fisher beach. Winners for age group 3-5 were Ellie Roben, Most fish, Cora Pohler, Smallest fish, and Everett Kubenka, Biggest fish. Winners for age group 6-8 were Carrigan Pohler Most fish, Carrigan Smallest fish and Edward Lee Kubenka Biggest fish. Winners for age group 9-12 were Crosby Pohler Most fish, Marshall Plummer Smallest fish, and Charles Daily Biggest fish.

A HUGE thanks to Jim and Mary Frances Bauer from 10 th Street Lodge for hosting this tournament and another HUGE thank you to Salty Seafood Shack in Bay City for donating the shrimp for our kids to fish with! To see more pictures, go to our Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce Facebook page!

Along with the Kids Fishing Tournament on the same day was the annual Kite Flying Contest. Again, winds were strong, but couldn’t ask for better conditions for kite flying!! There were all shapes, sizes and colors flying through the skies! Thank you for James and Shirley Harper for again hosting this contest. James and Shirley have been putting this on for many, many years, and we are very thankful for them. Again, for more pics of our kites flying over King Fisher Beach, check out the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce Facebook page!

Seadrift Fire Chief

Cruz Rubio was impressed to become a firefighter at a very young age. He tells the story. “When I was a kid there was a fire down the street from my mom and dad’s house. I saw all the “cool gear”, the flashing lights, the pretty trucks, and I said “Wow!” When I saw the fire being put out I wanted to be a fireman.”

Cruz Rubio became that fireman and today continues the “First Responders’ Legacy” with twenty years of service. Right after graduating from high school he began his career by being a volunteer fireman. He later graduated from Lamar University as a certified fire fighter. For ten years he served as a fireman with the Port Lavaca Fire Department, moving up through the ranks until he retired with the rank of captain.

Now Cruz works at Dow Chemical Plant as an operator and serves with the Dow ERT (Emergency Response Team) and with S.A.V. E. S. (Seadrift Area Volunteer Emergency Services). Speaking of the crew at S.A.V.E.S., Cruz paid them the highest compliment by saying, “The guys and gals give 100 percent. They’re the greatest bunch of people that I have the honor of working side-by-side with!” Cruz also says, “If you want to become a member of a great team, contact me. My number is 361-920-3296.”

Red Glaze

This is Red Glaze, one of the founding members of the Seadrift Fire Department. Red served 48 years as a fireman until his death in 2005. Red worked at the Seadrift Carbide Plant for 38 years, but he thoroughly enjoyed his volunteer service with the fire department. Just like any other dedicated fireman, he selflessly went beyond the call of duty whenever the fire whistle blew!

Our hats off to all Seadrift first responders!
This is the 4th in the Seadrift Legacy series.

Painting by Dorothy Geraldine Wilson

Dear Dolphin Talk,

I was so very disappointed when I heard a movie of the late Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow was shown on television. I didn’t get to see it.

Years ago, my dad, David Archie Williams, was a milk cow herder for the City of Seadrift.

He was riding down the main street on his horse when he did see Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker’s Ford car parked in front of a gas station. Clyde Barrow was putting gas in the Ford and Bonnie Parker was sitting in the front seat with a sawed off shotgun lying across her lap. She was never without her sawed off shotgun. They came to Seadrift to visit her mother who at that time was living on the Guadalupe River.

They did stay in the old Dierlam hotel named “Hotel Lafitte” on the banks of San Antonio Bay.

The Guadalupe River at that time did have “bootleggers” making moonshine whiskey on it.

When my dad was a young boy, he lived with his family in Cheyenne, Oklahoma, and he did go to school with Bonnie Parker and Billie Parker, her sister.

Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker did not rob any banks in Seadrift.

P.S. Am sending this painting I did of the Hotel Laffitte with Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker standing on the bluff and their Ford car.

Dorothy Geraldine (Williams) Wilson, Seadrift
turned 90 years old on November 29, 2018