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361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com The Island Newspaper since 1996 Facebook : The Island Moon Newspaper
September 4, 2013
The Island where we can never have too much Peace or Ice…
Around The Island
By Dale Rankin editor@islandmoon.com We all breathed a sign of relief on Monday afternoon as we bade farewell to the 2013 Tourist Season. It was a big one and we have started gathering all the numbers to see just how big and hope to have those in the next issue once they are all compiled by the people who compile such things. We think it is safe to say that after this year’s record-busting tourism year we all had a bit of Tourist Fatigue. Judging by the turnout for Edwin’s Post Tourist Season Let Your Hair Down Party at Giggity’s last Monday night it looks like the folks in the service industry, while appreciative of the seasonal business the visitors bring, were ready to push in the clutch for a few months and coast on The Coast. One of the new ways we locals judge the crowd on weekends is by trying to get online on our cell phones. It’s a sociological fact that as passengers in vehicles approach the Packery Bridge heading OTB, everyone including the driver, will be on their phone, sending texts to the folks back home, or trying to get directions to someplace. When they hit the road they use up all the space on the cell towers and provide a snapshot of how bad the traffic is. It’s the New Island Traffic Gauge. If you can get online and stay online for more than about ten minutes at a time then the traffic is about a 4 on a 10 Scale and you can get to the store if you take the back route. If it takes more than ten minutes then it’s best to ride your bike. If you can’t get online at all just go sit by the pool because if you get out on the street you’re just going to be sitting in your car or dodging traffic on your bike.
Next Publication Date: 9/13/2013
La Posada Logo Contest
In a related matter, we’re told that the backups on northbound SPID between Whitecap and Commodores on recent weekend afternoon were caused by a faulty timed light at the Commodores/SPID intersection. It was fixed and then vandalized all in the same weekend and finally is now fixed, hopefully for good; so we got that going for us. We have our Island back and now we get two months of Chamber of Commerce Weather.
Reef on the way The new reef planned for water 73 deep off Packery Channel is close to becoming a reality. Current plans call for the SEA organization to begin bringing the reef out next Tuesday. A crane will begin loading the cement and other material and then begin hauling it to the spot about ten miles northeast of the Packery to deposit on the bottom. We Moon Monkeys are on hot standby waiting for word on when to go. Jay has a ride lined up for us so we can get pictures of the big event. There are two more similar reefs permitted and planned for the near future. These will add new attractions for fisherpersons and divers to enjoy. We send a Moon Attaboy out to the folks at SEA for making this happen.
South Beach Style The good folks over at Port Royal opened their new $4 million pool last week with a party that showed off a little South Beach style right here in South Texas. The pool features outdoor lounges and a newly enlarged swim-up bar. Go check it out.
Look for us in the shallow end. In the meantime say hello if you see us Around The Island.
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Year 16, Issue 490
Paddle for Parkinson’s Fills the Canal
It will be here before you know it! By Brent Rourk The Padre Island Yacht Club is sponsoring a contest to design the official logo for the 2013 La Posada Lighted Boat Parade and events. The winning logo will be used on both the official La Posada T-shirt and the new La Posada Flag as well as other La Posada sponsored events. The winning design must include the Island Symbol (the fish sculpture welcome sign you see when you come to the Island over the JFK). It should also include the words ‘La Posada’ and ‘Toys for Tots’ in the design. Other considerations include lighted boats, houses decorated in festive holiday lights and whatever else your own great imagination can create. The winner of the contest will be awarded a ride for 2 on a boat in the Saturday Night La Posada Lighted Boat Parade. The winner will also be included in all parties where your boat stops during the parade and be recognized in The Island Moon Newspaper as the Logo Contest winner for La Posada 2013. Logo designs must be submitted by October 15, 2013. Please email all designs to the La Posada Committee at 3rdcoastfred@att.net. For more information call Fred Edler (361-9494749) or Brent Rourk (361-244-7603). All profits from flag and t-shirt sales will be donated to the U.S. Marines “Toys for Tots” program. La Posada will be held December 13th and 14th this year so circle and reserve those dates. The annual La Posada Kick-off Party will once again be held at Scuttlebutts on December 3rd. Last year over 4200 toys were donated by those attending and contributing to La Posada events. Those toys, distributed by The United States Marine Corps, found welcome homes in Texas. Your generosity and spirit are what help make La Posada so successful. Good luck on the La Posada Logo Contest.
See you next year!
Photo By Miles Merwin
Casino Night Coming to Port Aransas
By Brent Rourk Get ready to have an amazing evening of fun on Saturday, September 14th at the Port Aransas Community Theatre (PACT) as Casino Night promises to entertain everybody in grand fashion. The doors open at 6:30 P.M. and close at 10:30. You will not want to be late for this one
The 2013 Paddle for Parkinson’s was a huge success again this year raising around ten thousand dollars. The ‘Catch the Cure’ event has contributed over sixty-two thousand dollars to Parkinson’s disease research since 2007. The canals were filled with kayak’s and stand up paddleboard’s this past Saturday for the event. The top winners for the 4th annual event were: Karl Clausewitz for individual kayak male, Ceanne Richter for individual kayak female,
By Joey Farah
How to Pick Your Yak
Farah’s Fishing Adventures
I stood in the surf shop today and ran my fingers over the hand carved boards, imagining just how each one would slide over the sea. I was like a young boy, my eyes moving from one board to another. Each style and length made for a certain style of surfing, and types of waves. The most difficult decision is which one matches your soul. Problem number one is my soul could fall in love with any of them. We must have eight or more at our house but there is always room for one more. From the other side of the store I could hear Frank Floyd and his son Nathan talking to a couple about kayaks. These people were not grossly experienced by far, and I listened as Nathan asked them questions about what kind of uses and experiences they had envisioned themselves using the boat for. Frank joined in after a few minutes and invited the couple to test out a few of the boats that they thought that they might like. A short trip across the street and they could slide one in and doa
Are you a magician? A musician? If you would like to be part of the entertainment during Casino Night, then contact Ashley Knotts at ashknotts@gmail.com. If you are interested in becoming a dealer for the evening, then contact Ken at kwy1962@gmail.com. Sponsored by PACT and the Port Aransas Kiwanis, Casino Night will cost $20.00 in advance or $25.00 at the door. PACT is located at 2327 Hwy 361. Call 361-749-6036 for ticket information or to purchase tickets in advance for $20.00 go to www.brownpapertickets.com or Everything Beach Boutique at 600 Cut off Road, Port Aransas, TX (hours are 10-5)
Island Trivia Question of the Week How much did Padre Balli pay for the developed part of Padre Island when he bought it from the Spanish Crown? For the answer see the end of Greg Smith’s column.
Custom fit your boat to your needs. test paddle. Frank told me that they had at least one rental for every model in the store as well. As I looked up and scanned the surfboard rack I wished that you could have that kind of chance when picking out your next surf board.
Advances in Yak design
On the extensive venue will be Vegas Style Live Entertainment, Belly Dancers, Comedians, Music and a visit from Elvis, all on stage. For those who fancy themselves as card players and lucky at the gambling tables there will also be Texas Hold ‘Em, Red Dog, Blackjack, and Roulette. With admission every entrant will be given a supply of chips to begin their gambling. Food and drink will be available for purchase. Take a chance at winning some terrific raffle items. In addition, a one night stay at a casino will be given away.
Shane Martin for individual tandem kayak male, Katrina Aggelopoulos for individual tandem kayak female, Lee Bonofiglio for individual SUP male, Russell Ohm for individual foot kayak male, Patti Knight for individual foot kayak female, Donna Hohn for team kayak, Belinda Bustamante for team tandem kayak, Tyler Tscwitter for team SUP and last but not least Brandon Schaefer team other Scuttlebutt’s. good job everyone. We’ll see you next year.
Dakota and Austin showed their dads up this afternoon on the Laguna Madre
In the last 15yrs kayaking has boomed to unbelievable proportions, and so has the innovations in design. Fishermen have really fine-tuned these boats to accommodate every need of the angler for fishing in streams, flats, and the open ocean. The first sit on top style ocean kayaks were great and gained immediate recognition with beach life guards and sportsmen alike. The advancement in streamline Backwater continued on A9
A little Island history
The 1916 Storm Wipes Out Island Houses
By Greg Smith Ninety four years ago on September 2 a tropical storm formed far out in the Atlantic that would change the Corpus Christi Pass and Corpus Christi forever. When Pat Dunn arrived on the Island after the 1916 storm he found nothing remained of his headquarters house on the Corpus Pass (now known as the Packery Channel) save a few pilings from the wooden foundation. Almost all other traces of the house Pat Dunn’s Island headquarters in 1913. The and its contents were gone, swept new house was built behind the dunes left of the away by surging water and waves old house. from the Gulf. One small item that was a line of large dunes just east of the old was in the house was found though, not far house and it was six hundred feet from the from the spot of the old home. It was Pat’s channel and behind these dunes he picked to friend, Mr. Blumfields false teeth. At least build his new headquarters. someone had something to smile about after the devastation of the storm. Rebuilding after the storm After seeing the destruction wrought by the hurricane on the exposed channel he decided to rebuild in a more protected area. There
The new house was much smaller, a single bed room, kitchen and living area. A porch History continued on A6