Ida Great Time #T

Did I ever tell you about my Aunt Ida's tarpon fishin' fo-ray down to Texas?  Waal, Aunt Ida got hooked on fishin' after her husband die, an' she spend lots a money an' even more time on the sport.  She would travel most anywhere for a good time on the lake, the ocean, or the river.  She dearly love to fish.

When Ida learn about the tarpon fishin' off Mustang Island in Texas, she would not rest easy 'til she had done thet.  So she load her best gear in her Hupmobile an' drive on over to Texas.  Now, the lady never in a hurry, an' it tuk her the better part a three week to get to Port Aransas.  She say she have some "adventures" in Atlanta, 'n more'n em in N'Orleans.  Well, she tuk the ferry over to the island and check herself into The Tarpon Inn.  Then she make her arrangements for her fishin' excursion.

Now mought nigh ever'body goin' out is usin' a Farley boat, boat built right there in thet town, design exac'ly for the sort of fishin' thet was done in them waters.  So what do you think happen the mornin' she arrive at the dock to hit the water?  They was a crowd around this one boat, and a whole crew of men come walkin' down the dock pushin' a man in a wheelchair right down to the boat next to where Ida was standin'.  You won't believe me, but as sure as my name is Jeptha Miller, hit were the President a th' Yew-nited States!  Hit was!  Ida were so excited she let out a screech, an' the man hear her, turn his head her way.  He tol' his fellas to "go fetch the little lady."  An' they did.  Tuk her right over and innerduce her ta Mr. Roosevelt!

Well, sir, Ida were so atwitter that she like to not be able ta walk back over to her boat, an' it tuk her most the mornin' to settle down enough to be able to properly take care of what she go down there for.

But that is not all th' story.  Ida catch two nice tarpon, an' when the boat come in, behol' Mr. Roosevelt's boat was comin' in, too.  As he were taken from the boat, he holler over, "Ida, how was the fishin'?"

"Caught two, Mr. President.  How'd you do?"

"Why," he says, "I caught several!"

They all go up for the weigh-in.  Ida's bigger one go seventy-nine pound.  The President's biggest were seventy-seven pound.  "The Little Lady," he says, flashin' thet big ol' grin, "is the Champeen a th' Day!"   Well, sir, Ida has always felt like the Champeen a th' World ever since thet day.

Aunt Ida sign a scale from her fish and pin it to the wall at the Tarpon Inn, alongside hundreds of others.  If'n you go there today you might find her scale should you look hard enough.  She write, "Ida great time in P.A. Texas."

©2014 David W. Lacy

Final Day in Port A

...and a fun play day it was!

Charlie's Pasture

We had a really nice ride along the water's edge to visit this nature preserve.

Port Aransas developed this area, with new walking trails, board walks over the salt flats, observation tower, and pavilion, as a nature preserve.  The work took place over the last four years.  It is a wonderful excursion, even if the wildlife observed on a given day is limited to woolly bears and dolphins.

The area is almost two square miles of land.  the designation "Charlie's Pasture" is in recognition of early owner Charlie Bujan who
allowed the local residents to graze their cattle on his property.

BBBH is strolling toward the water.  There were a couple of fishermen enjoying the afternoon there, and this is where we watched the dolphins swimming through the pass.

To the Island