An Incomplete Jetty Walk

Location: Quintana Beach Country Park and RV Campground; Quintana Beach, Texas

Stop #10

I was at this campground about a year ago and figured I wouldn't be back. I was wrong. As I was looking for campgrounds on this trip, this one kept bugging me to come back but I didn't know why. So I re-read my blog post from back then and discovered why it was gnawing at me. You can read it here,
 https://gozatravels.blogspot.com/2019/03/moving-day-tomorrow-and-pictures.html

I guess my mind was telling me to come back to complete the walk along the jetty. I couldn't finish the walk last year due to the waves crashing over the jetty. I had wanted to get to the end but couldn't. I had to turn around. Even with not completing the walk, it was a very special time that remains fresh and alive in my "silent echoes". So, with that in mind, I figured I would stop here for a few days and complete the walk. But as they say, ",,,,the best laid plans of mice and men." The weather forecast was iffy for the three days of my stay here. The wind was the main culprit along with high temperatures in the mid-50's for the first two days. I chose day two to hit the jetty because even though today (Saturday) would be better weather-wise, the weekend would bring tons of people to the park and jetty. A walk along a jetty is OK with people, but it is just much better alone. The windchill was down into the upper 30's for the walk with winds steady at 15 to 20, with gusts near 30. It was not a pleasant day for a walk, but I gave it a shot. Even though I was about midway between high and low tide, the wind was playing heck with the waves. As I got to about the half-way point I could tell I wouldn't make it to the end. The wind was blowing the waves in and across the jetty at the very end. Maybe it is like this all the time except on no-wind, low tide days. I'm a planner, but this walk wasn't important enough to try to coordinate all of those events. So I went as far as I could, AGAIN, and turned around. I will not be back for a third attempt.

This is the beginning of the jetty. The ship channel is on the left which was the wind-ward side today. On the right is a beach and swimming area and the lee-ward side today. Notice the small speck on the horizon just to the left of the jetty. We will get to that later.

This is the swimming area and you can see it is at low tide. 

A little bit farther along the jetty. Lots of large driftwood has blown up on the jetty. Notice the speck on the horizon again.

Looking back to shore. You can really see the difference between the calm area on the left and the whitecaps on the right.

This picture shows how wet it is at the end of the jetty due to waves crashing over it. I was only able to go just a little bit more. I didn't want to take a chance on getting wet with it being so cold outside. The speck has become a ship entering the harbor.

I was rewarded with a plus though. As I was on the jetty, a semi-large tanker came into Freeport harbor. Two tugs met her and escorted her to her berth. I guess it was a half and half walk. I didn't make it to the end of the jetty, butt to the end, but able to see the ship pass close by as I was walking.

It's a tanker. Not a big one, but still a tanker. 

The pilot boat has already passed and I didn't get a picture of it. There are two tugs waiting on the tanker. I was very surprised at the speed she was going. I expected it to be much slower. 

Now she's past with one tug on the starboard side and one following astern. 

 My only purpose of stopping here was the jetty walk. Tomorrow is moving day and I'll be going to one of my favorite places that holds many great memories for me not only in my solo travels, but vacations from long ago with my wife and children.

My campsite. It's the same site I stayed in last time.

I'm putting this picture here as a reminder as to how cold and windy it was. A less hard-headed man may have waited for a better day, but not me. (wait a minute, that doesn't sound right)

Ya'll take care of each other. I'll Cya down the road.