The Gulf Coast

We arrived in Rockport, a picturesque resort, artists' colony and one of the major birding areas of the country. Whooping cranes and other sea birds winter here on many small sandbar islands that are part of the Padre Island system which separates the mainland from the Gulf itself. We found a nice campground on the bay and began exploring the area.

Birds are often the subject of many artists, and the Rockport Art Association sparked a restoration of the rundown downtown area by converting old buildings into art studios and galleries. Today there are shops and restaurants along Austin Street, along with the galleries.

This is also an active oyster harvesting community, and we hope to partake of the local seafood delights over the weekend, while attending a local Marde Gras festival. Many small ports and marinas line the bays, providing interesting photos for Bernie's taking.

Yesterday we drove to Mustang Island, named for the horses that once roamed there, but the highlight was being able to drive on the beach along the Gulf of Mexico!

It's raining here today, and Texas is grateful for whatever relief from drought it can get! And it's allowing us to catch up on housekeeping and posting!