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By Sea
Big boats and little boats
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Gulf Shrimper
These big shrimpers will be seen coming in or going
out. We caught this one in the ship channel at Port Aransas one evening. The
water was very blue due to the lack of rainfall, and the incoming tide.
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Bay Shrimper
These smaller bay boats work mainly in the
protected waters behind the barrier islands. We encountered them pulling their nets
right down the middle of the channel. Not knowing exactly how the rules of the road
would apply, we moved over. |
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Barge
Barges like this one are frequent sights.
In the open bays, they aren't hard to avoid, (You do want to avoid them) as they tend to
stay upwind. In the cuts, however, It's not so easy. One tip: if you stop in
a cut for lunch, be prepared for a mighty swell when these guys pass. |
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Tugboat
These special tugboats push the barges
along. Sometimes they will be pushing two, three, or even four barges at once.
They may even have one tug in front and one in back. The crewmen will always return
a friendly wave.
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Dredge
Dredges are seldom seen, but are very important
to the very existence of the ICW. They dig up the shell, sand and silt which settles
in the bottom of the channel, then deposit it some distance away often creating artificial
islands from the "spoils". Many of these islands are popular bird nesting
areas. |
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Service boat
Service boats like other deep sea boats, can be
seen crossing the ICW as they head out into the Gulf to service the drilling platforms
offshore.
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Pilot boats
Piloting must be the third oldest profession
(sailoring being second). Ever since boats first sailed into foreign ports, pilots
with local knowledge guided them safely into the harbor. These Pilot boats at Port
O'Connor wait for a call from a tanker or freighter approaching the coast.
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Sailboat
Sailboats are rare sights on the intracoastal
itself. The bays, however, see them more often. Corpus Christi has an active
fleet which besides weekends, makes a good showing on Wednesday nights.
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Runabout
Runabouts full of fishermen are the most common
boats to be seen. They will be dashing of to favorite fishing spots, or
fishing right in the canal. It's funny, some, like these in the picture, will wave
and smile, while others wont even see you.
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Navy Boats
Ingleside Texas is home to Naval Station
Ingleside, 18 miles from Corpus Christi. With 3200 active duty personnel, and 400
civilians, it is home to Mine Countermeasures Squadrons 1 and 2. There are currently
12 mine countermeasures ships and five coastal minehunters, on duty, with eight new
coastal minehunters planned. These ships are frequently seen passing through Port
Aransas on the way to maneuvers in the gulf. |
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On to: Misc.
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