Yesterday we drove to Port Isabell on South Padre Island and took a 3 hour boat ride down the Intercoastal Waterway into the Port of Brownsville. About a 25 mile ride one way. Was absolutely gorgeous weather, was smart this time and had lots of sunblock on and avoided the big burn. Talk 
about desolate - the barrier islands between the intercoastal waterway and the Gulf of Mexico is uninhabited and was barren, very sandy, did not see any wildlife on it. Did see dolphins riding along our bow, ospreys nesting in the range markers, lots of comorants and sea birds. The most educational and very worth our trip was the Port of Brownsville. There are 4 major scrap companies located here, many ships are brought in when they are being scuddled (scrapped out) and we saw ocean freighters, naval ships, barges, and an assortment of ships in various stages of being taken apart. These ships are 100% recycled - nothing goes to waste. This picture shows the captain on the bow of our boat pointing and telling all he knew. In the background behind him is a WWII destroyer in the process of being cut up. The captian of our boat is a 23 year old Tejano (Texan of Mexican descent) and he explained everything that we were looking at - from what types 
of barges were there to how the scrap is taken and recycled. He grew up in this area, a third generation shrimper, his father took him out on the shrimp boat when he was just a small child and since he could run the boats that early, he was able to qualify and get his captains license at a very young age. He also has a special permit to bring charter boats into the Port, since 9/11 the government only allows those with special permits to enter the Port. Part of the tour he took us back to where the shrimp boats were tied up to dock. Many of them shrimpers are out of business now and there are 3 major shrimping companies that run. He said that the foreign shrimpers - from Taiwan, Japan, etc. have really hurt the American shrimp industry. He wanted us to make sure we buy only US shrimp and help our fellow Americans. After the boat ride, the price of the trip included a taco dinner at the restaurant located right at the pier. Pretty tasty - I had grouper tacos and Dave had shrimp. Dave and I want to come back to South Padre Island before we head home because there is a turtle rescue place and it is closed on Monday's - so will make this trip again - and I will make it a point to get us to walk along the beach of the Gulf of Mexico.
about desolate - the barrier islands between the intercoastal waterway and the Gulf of Mexico is uninhabited and was barren, very sandy, did not see any wildlife on it. Did see dolphins riding along our bow, ospreys nesting in the range markers, lots of comorants and sea birds. The most educational and very worth our trip was the Port of Brownsville. There are 4 major scrap companies located here, many ships are brought in when they are being scuddled (scrapped out) and we saw ocean freighters, naval ships, barges, and an assortment of ships in various stages of being taken apart. These ships are 100% recycled - nothing goes to waste. This picture shows the captain on the bow of our boat pointing and telling all he knew. In the background behind him is a WWII destroyer in the process of being cut up. The captian of our boat is a 23 year old Tejano (Texan of Mexican descent) and he explained everything that we were looking at - from what types 
of barges were there to how the scrap is taken and recycled. He grew up in this area, a third generation shrimper, his father took him out on the shrimp boat when he was just a small child and since he could run the boats that early, he was able to qualify and get his captains license at a very young age. He also has a special permit to bring charter boats into the Port, since 9/11 the government only allows those with special permits to enter the Port. Part of the tour he took us back to where the shrimp boats were tied up to dock. Many of them shrimpers are out of business now and there are 3 major shrimping companies that run. He said that the foreign shrimpers - from Taiwan, Japan, etc. have really hurt the American shrimp industry. He wanted us to make sure we buy only US shrimp and help our fellow Americans. After the boat ride, the price of the trip included a taco dinner at the restaurant located right at the pier. Pretty tasty - I had grouper tacos and Dave had shrimp. Dave and I want to come back to South Padre Island before we head home because there is a turtle rescue place and it is closed on Monday's - so will make this trip again - and I will make it a point to get us to walk along the beach of the Gulf of Mexico.
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