It got into the mid-70s today. With another cold front predicted to roar in, we decided to get a little scooter time. No destination in mind, just going for a ride. It was humid, still and in the 70s when we left. The wind came up while we were out... humid, windy, and in the 70s.
Our ride took us around Port Isabel. First, into the Fingers...
This area was first developed as "Modern Venice" in the 1920s. Canals were dug to allow for homes and businesses to have water access. Today it is an eclectic collection of homes, from well-worn mobile homes to gorgeous million dollar homes. There is a city park at the end of one of the streets, with a boat ramp, trailer parking, and some recently added boat slips. The canals are wider than the ones on our island. Looking down one of those canals...
Port Isabel has changed a lot since we first came here in the mid-90s. Fishing and shrimping were the big employers, but that has dwindled since that time. The tourism that is the life-blood of South Padre Island has grown here. Recreational fishing draws more people than the commercial boats.
SPI has the beach and the high rise hotels and condos. Port Isabel is mostly homes, and better protection from Mother Nature if you have a boat. The canals that run through Port Isabel and Long Island make that possible.
On the east side of town is Port O Call - mostly two canals that were dredged deeper for larger boats...
The places on the far east side here have a view of the Causeway and the Laguna Madre...
There was a marina facility on this spot until a hurricane in the 60s wiped it out. Some swanky homes there now - this compound has 3 residences...
We rode the scoots to South Point Marina. It is the only facility in the area with a travel lift, able to lift boats out of the water to be worked on. There is a small marina facility, but US Customs and Homeland Security have taken over the biggest portion of that.
Heading back to our island, I have written about our swing bridge. It was out when we rolled up...
The middle section of the bridge swings open to allow boat and barge traffic to pass. This is near the end of the Gulf Intra-coastal Waterway and leads to the Brownsville Ship Channel. The bridge opens on the hour for pleasure vessels, on demand for commercial vessels. Other than by boat, it is the only way on and off our island.
We enjoyed riding around town - haven't been through the fingers or around to South Point since we've been home. Sunny and warm right now, but that is supposed to change again this evening, when the next cold front blows in. And the weasels are predicting a blow... 80% chance of rain, winds NNW at 35 to 50 mph!
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