AT THE LIBRARY

We have found that the Dr. Clotilde P. Garcia Library in Corpus Christi is the best bet for using public computers.  It’s not the closest library but they allow visitors 3 blocks of two hours each per day of computer/Internet access.  There is a 15 minute wait between blocks.  Those who try to login early get penalized an extra 5 minutes.

Visitors who want computer access need to register with the front desk.  We were given a temporary non-resident card good for 6 months.  The staff at the Garcia library has been friendly and helpful … thanks!!!

Garcia Library

5930 Brockhampton St.

Corpus Christi, Texas

Directions:

Leaving Padre Island via JFK Causeway exit SPID (South Padre Island Drive) at Rodd Field Rd.  Then, turn left and go under SPID on Rodd Field.  Rodd Field is a good road without tons of traffic.  Drive south towards Saratoga Blvd. and on your right take the elbow from Rodd Field onto Saratoga.  Continue west on Saratoga thru the traffic light at Airline and take a left at the next traffic light at Cimarron Blvd.  Then, at the second light down the road take a right at Brockhampton St.  A little way past the bend and 3 speed bumps you'll see the Garcia Library on your right.

Leaving Padre Island
Via JFK Causeway

Looking Back At Padre Island

From JFK Causeway

TO ROXANE

Thomas and Didymus liked Rob’s blue Mustang so well they decided to get one for themselves.  That’s not all, when they saw the camouflaged motorcycle they couldn’t resist … it’s also theirs.

Cruising Padre Island

Now you know why we are waiting until at least the end of the first week in December to cross the border into Mexico … finances … we were set back with unexpected expenses.  Two growing boys aren’t cheap!

Furthermore, Thomas and Didymus have arranged with the local helicopter cargo transport to fly them and their stuff down to Mexico to meet their relatives should everyone get there before we do.

Helicopter Lands At Campsite

 

Roxane In Cocoa Beach

VEHICLE BREAKDOWN

We guess you can call it a breakdown when our vehicle would not start Friday morning, November 11, 2011.  It was a cold night here on N. Padre Island and we hoped it would start when it warmed up.  No such luck.

Towards evening a couple of guys in their 4-wheel drive Jeep honked as they drove past us waving as they headed south down the beach.  The driver, Jeff, was a weekend regular and had honked several times before but had never stopped.  On their way north Dana motioned for them to stop to see if they would give us a jump.  They did, but the jump didn't work.  It was determined that the batteries were fine and had lots of juice.

Jeff in his nice clean clothes crawled under the vehicle and thought it might be the cable going to the starter or even the starter.  They, Jeff and his friend Glenn, stayed around for several hours discussing our booming headache.  Before leaving Jeff said he would bring a can of Coke-a-cola with him tomorrow to clean the starter cable.

During the night we discussed possibilities and none looked good.

New Friends Try To Help

In the morning a little red truck came to the rescue.  The driver, Brandon, stopped while Dana was doing the morning dishes at the rear of the van.  Brandon wanted a cigarette … but we don’t smoke.  In the process Dana learned Brandon was a moonlighting mechanic who offered to take a look at our vehicle.  So, we approached Dad who was sitting in his office, the driver’s seat, and mentioned that Brandon was a mechanic.

When Dana asked Brandon how to hot-wire the van by-passing the ignition switch Brandon knew how to do it.  With the key turned to the run position (not the start position) Brandon took a screwdriver and touched both points on the solenoid and “baroooom” the engine started.  We were going to make it after all.

Brandon then agreed to stop by on Sunday with ignition switch parts to do the repair.

Brandon At Work

It is interesting to note that people who bless the seed of Abraham (help, etc.) get blessed by GOD.  Whereas, those who curse the seed of Abraham (cheat, steal from, or otherwise “drink their blood”) … can expect to be cursed by GOD (Genesis 12:3).  People are eventually going to get what they ask for (Jeremiah 17:10; 25:14; 32:19; 50:29; Isaiah 3:10-11; Ezekiel 24:14).  So, who is the seed of Abraham?

Remember, GOD promised Abraham, He would multiply Abraham’s seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea shore (Genesis 22:17; 17:2).

IT'S A BOOK!

A friend we met on the beach here on North Padre Island delivered the shipment of books to our campsite Monday afternoon, 7 November 2011.  Thanks Jay!

When we opened the two boxes we were delighted to see that the publisher in Florida (BlueNoteBooks.com) had done a really good job.

For those of you who don't know … it's our second book.  We went first class all the way and went with a hard cover.  The book is titled, "The Chief Human Shepherd Under Jesus" and is a sequel to our first book.

Our Second Book

Those of you who want to obtain copies … there's a few left and may be obtained direct from the publisher by tel:  1-800-624-0401 or via BlueNoteBooks.com.  Just so you know in advance, the price is $30. (US).

Both Books

Note:  Our first book titled, "Why Die If You Don't Have To Die?" was also published this year and may also be obtained from BlueNoteBooks.com … price $50 (US).

RECOVERY OF A MYSTERY UNDERWATER PACKAGE

About 4 PM on October 23, 2011 while “playing in our sandbox” we noticed a hefty little unmarked grey tug-like boat pulling a mystery underwater package supported by two flotation bags towards shore.  Strangely, whit miles of open beach the mystery package was dropped directly behind our van.  It appears that somebody was using our van to mark their mysterious drop … What could it be?

Two men jumped overboard and disconnected the tow line from the mystery package and swam to shore landing a little way north down the beach while the sleek boat disappeared to the northeast.  The mystery package remained anchored behind our van.

Later, a white government SUV pulled up alongside the two frogmen followed by a large green US Navy salvage truck with 10 wheels, a flatbed, and a double cab.  As it turned out, it appears that a US Navy salvage team was recovering the controls of a test drone aircraft that had been ditched into the Gulf.

As nightfall was now enveloping Padre Island, the leader of the several Navy Seals now on the scene decided to recover the wreckage the next morning.  The job was finished by noon and provided a rather entertaining interlude.

Two junk pieces washed ashore two days later.  One looks like the vertical wingtip.

Note In A Bottle

On Monday morning (17 October 2011) while taking a stroll on the beach Dana found a bottle with a note in it.  Dana didn't open his exciting find right away but set it on our make-shift table for a few hours.  After curiosity and the pressure of excitement had built Dana opened the bottle and used a pair of tweezers to extract the note.

Humm … flabbergassed … no date, no address, just the words:  "Daniel Loves Leah Forever".

TRAPPED BY STORM TIDES

Sand Castles:  Remember digging castles in the sand as a kid?  We'll the weekend before last we did the same except we built a seawall around our van to stay dry.  And we did it.

Bad News:  On Friday, October 7, 2011, Dana went for his now 6 mile round trip run past the pier and back.  He had seen the Gulf touching the asphalt roadways providing access to the beach.  The exits from the beach leading to the asphalt roadways had become flooded with salt water (only good for 4 wheel drive).  Back at camp, localites who were out for 4 wheel adventure stopped to inquire and allowed us to listen to the National Seashore Weather Report for Friday and the weekend.  Nothing unusual or out of the ordinary was reported.  So, we stayed put as high tide had not overtaken us.  We could see the Gulf of Mexico had become fierce and watched Saturday as high tide kept getting higher and higher.

Nothing To Worry About? 

Taking Precautions:  On Sunday, Dad moved the van up 5 feet and we put two planks under the rear tires and two short boards under the front tires.  Dana also began building a sand & seaweed berm around the rear of the van using a 5 gal. bucket as a precaution.

Battered By The Powerful Gulf Water:  Eventually, our berm was breached by a rogue wave.  Therefore, more sand was hauled in.  Monday afternoon was the worst as we were hit again, and again, and it looked like our berm was going to be washed away.  But, we didn't give up and spend the rest of the day repairing and strengthening our sand wall.  For a while the tide was coming in on all sides and was against the dunes up and down the beach.  Even the hole (12 feet across and 4 feet deep) we had dug to get our supply of sand filled with water with each wave and helped take the pressure off of us.  When nightfall arrived we didn't know what to expect Tuesday morning.  However, the onshore wind had changed and was now blowing a gale out of the north.  Dana, worn out and cold, went right to sleep.  Dad, didn't get much sleep, he kept an eye on the tide.

Keeping An Eye On The Gulf

If It's Not The Tide It's The Fish:  During the night the tide had come up on both sides and had come over the berm only on a small section without damaging it.  As the day progressed we could see the Gulf become less fierce and knew we were now "in the clear".  But, now there are thousands of dead fish on the beach and many more are expected.  Red Tide had moved in stretching at least from Galveston, Texas to somewhere down along the Mexican Gulf coast.

Night Fall

All Clear Again