Day 13 Part 2 - Port Isabel, TX to Port Aransas, TX
Taking off from Port Isabel Airport (KPIL), I backtracked a little bit to check out Port Isabel itself.
   
Heading south, I crossed Brownsville Ship Channel again.  This is the entrance where it hits the Gulf.
   
Looking southwest down the channel.
   
At left-center, the Rio Grande reaches the Gulf of Mexico.  I could see no structures or fences of any kind.
   
I made a 180 and proceeded north up the coast, with South Padre island dead ahead.
   
Nice waterfront resort.
   
 They must have run out of money on this one.  Lots of room for expansion though.
   
Civilization soon ended and nothing but deserted beach and surf ahead.  This is what I saw for the next 100 miles.
   
 Continuing north, this is what I saw for the next 100 miles.
   
If you look closely, you can see a little houseboat or something down there.
   
To avoid a bunch of airspace including a TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction)  area I had to turn inland as I approached Corpus Christi.
   
Crossing the top of Nueces Bay.
   
Lots of windmills on the other side.
   

Turning left crosswind at McCampbell Airport (KTFP) in Ingleside, Texas.

My destination for tonight was Mustang Beach, Port Aransas.  I was staying at a aviation-theme hotel called Amelia's Landing owned and operated by an RV-flying couple.  Normally I would have landed right at Mustang Beach Airport -- only a couple of miles from the hotel -- but the airport was closed for maintenance.  The hotel keeps a courtesy car at the airport for pilots flying in like myself to use, and the car was temporarily at McCampbell.

 
   
Now on final into a decent headwind.
   

The courtesy car had a GPS with the hotel address entered.   It me on a big circle around Corpus Christi Bay, over a bridge, past the floating aircraft carrier museum U.S.S. Lexington,  down the west side of Corpus Christi, across a bridge to Mustang Beach island, and then a 20 mile drive to Port Aransas.  Took about an hour.  During that time it gradually dawned on me that there was probably a better way.  When I checked in, I asked a stupid question:  "What's the best way to get here from McCampbell?"  Yes, it turns out there is a little ferry, and that the trip to McCampbell airport should have taken only 20 minutes or so.  But I got to see the area so I actually enjoyed driving the longer route.  I liked seeing the Lexington.  My Bahamas co-pilot Captain Jack's father had been the ship's navigator long ago and the Lex was stationed at Pensacola when I went through training there.

The Amelia's Landing Hotel is owned and operated by Jay and Mary Honeck who are both RV builders and pilots.  I enjoyed talking with them both during my stay.  Every room has a different aviation theme.  It was mid-week and off-season so I had my pick of rooms.  Naturally, I chose the "Vans RV Room".    There were also the Wright Brothers room, Lindbergh Room, Red Baron room, Piper Cub room, Amelia Earhart room, and lots of others.  How cool is that!
   
Normally I don't take pictures of hotel rooms -- you've seen one, you've seen them all -- but I felt I had to this time.
   
All RV-themed art.
   
It's not too often you see a room with an airplane rudder on the wall.  (The workmanship was outstanding!)
   
 
After checking in to the hotel, I checked out the island.  The perimeter road actually goes on the beach.
   
There is something about driving on the beach that has always appealed to me.
   
The Gulf water was warm but rough.  It was windy though.
   
Not a great time to swim or lay out on the beach, but still a good place to hang out.
   
This guy is all set with his nice waterfront residence.
   
I checked out the Mustang Beach airport.  Nice little airport.  It would have been convenient to land here, but I liked McCampbell Airport too.
   
Port Aransas is a summer vacation town.  Lots of restaurants, bars and surf shops.  During the summer it is packed.  But surprisingly, the vacations disappear after Labor Day.  So right now it was pretty quiet.
 
Check out that big shark.
   

Nice sunset at Port Aransas.

The hotel has a DVD collection of every aviation movie ever made so I watched most of the Blue Max before retiring.

 
   
 
   
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