We’re on
vacation. What do you call it when you’re
retired and you go on a trip? Vacation
doesn’t seem quite right. Every day is a
vacation when you’re retired! Road trip
sounds a little better. I guess it doesn’t
matter. We’re not home, we’re not
volunteering, and we’re not driving between volunteer locations. So, road trip!
One of my favorite
places in Texas is Rockport. I love
being around water.
BR (before retirement)
every year we would spend a week or so at Goose Island State Park in Rockport. Usually we would come down here during the
week of Thanksgiving. Seems like back then we spent all our time bird watching.
We’d go out on Capt. Tommy’s boat, the Skimmer, to see the Whooping Cranes, and hit all the birding hot spots. These days we don’t spend as much time
birding and have enjoyed finding other tourist attractions.
White Pelicans
There is a very small,
but nice, aquarium in town that is only open 1-4pm, 5 days a week. Entrance is free and there are enthusiastic
volunteers waiting to answer questions and give helpful information.
A replica of the
state-record blue marlin was donated to the aquarium last year. It weighs in at 972.2 pounds and is
approximately 11 feet long.
State-record Blue Marlin
This cutie “Marley” is
a Leopard Moray Eel. Marley was donated
to the aquarium after the local restaurant he lived in closed in 2011. He’s about 5 feet long and is hand-fed shrimp
and fish. Every 3 days he gets his favorite
meal, mahi-mahi. Donated by the local
HEB.
Marley
This Orange Filefish
(Aluterus schoepfii) can be found at depths of 3,000 feet. It often drifts in sea grass with its head
pointed down to camouflage itself.
Orange Filefish
The Lookdown fish
(Selene vomer) is capable of making loud grunts with its swim bladder!
Lookdown
The Gulf Toadfish
(Opsanus beta) looks a lot like a rock. The sign says they are not venomous, just
ugly. It is one of just a few fish that
can make sounds loud enough for people to hear.
Gulf Toadfish
Always a favorite of
mine, the Seahorse tank. There are 54
species in the genus Hippocampus (hippos meaning “horse” and kampos meaning “sea
monster”).
Seahorse
Next time - a few more
interesting fish and something you might not know about the Texas state shell!
Teri
Nice aquarium.... Like you, I never know how to describe those times we're doing something "special". Road trip sounds good...
ReplyDeleteHad to chuckle at the vacation or not vacation thought. Have had those conversations with friends around here too.
ReplyDeleteLove aquariums - but not eels! They are too much like snakes that I don't like either.
Serene
Great pictures of the fish, they never seem to come out for me. We spent last week in Victoria and enjoyed Aransas NWR one day. Arrived in Santa Ana just before the rain event. Did you see a whooper?
ReplyDeleteVirginia
Didn't see a whooper. There didn't seem to be a lot of birds. I don't know if it's too early or there is just so much water around (ditches, fields) that they are really spread out right now.
DeleteI think the sea horses would have been my favorite too.
ReplyDelete