Matagorda Island Weekend Kayak Camping Trip - July 4, 2005

Leaving from the pier at Port O'Connor. First time taking my camping stuff out in a kayak. Am thinking about bouyancy etc. Heading out - weather forcast good, water is warm. The tide is going out. I learned about using tidal currents to my advantage on this trip.

A dolphin jumped completely out of the water right in front of my kayak. Of course you will just have to imagine that. Also ran into an oyster bed which scraped up the bottom of my boat. The abandoned coast guard station where I was going to camp is washed out I guess since the hurricane and there are too many pelicans.

Looking for a 'secret' beach? ...Sunday Beach, not so secret

After paddling around for 6 fun hours, camp at 'Plan B' beach, what once was Pelican Island, Cavallo cut.

After a rather windy nite, morning "surf" launch on Cavallo cut at high tide. There is no getting past the surf zone in Texas like in Cali. It starts small and it just gets worse with intermittant breaking waves since the shallow bottom goes out forever. Fortunately I am not headed out to sea (at least that is the plan), but going to ride the inflowing tide to P. O'C. Thinking about what the instructor dudes told me...keep a loose upper body, try not to surf, trust the boat.

Sunrise on the shallows on Matagorda Bay

Bubba Gump on the intracoastal

Heading back to the pier at Port O'Connor beach

One of these beachfront lots costs $270k. Seadrift is less expensive. A fun trip, well worth it.
(Note I took these photos with a Pentax Optio WP, which is J8 waterproof and works pretty well)