SURF CAMP #2 SUMMER SOLSTICE JUNE 20 2008

Leisure Learning Unlimited and my 15th year in business together. This trip though I had cancelled, after sinking the "Sea Cow" this past winter, I lost all of my accumulated equipment of 18 years, but Ted the owner at LLU encouraged me to keep at it. So this surf camp has made a large enough booking to run. First days of summer with the solstice friday nite. And my birthday, I am 9, nine years without any booze or illegal substances. I celebrated with my summer home AA group on the island thursday nite before my surf camp began. I got 3 surf sessions in Thursday, the day i arrived down here, waves were tiny. Friday set up camp and surf 3 sessions, waves are tiny, but good for practice, I am having problems with right shoulder. Later in the morning Carol Blackwell arrives with her birtday boy, her son Chris, he is 20, I help Chris with his first surf session, Carol is going to organized a Women's Club surf camp, so she is inspecting and learing about Tide Guide"s surf camp. Shawn Shultze and a business client of his Chris Gurecky arrive about sundown friday nite. Shawn's 4th season, and he had me build him his own custom Tide Guide surfboard, identical to the one i use, it's beautiful. Later in the nite Jean calls and she and Ted where not able to leave the office early enough to begin the drive down and are tired, so they will arrive tomorrow morning. Real comfortable evening, nice breeze, sounds of the surf. Shawn and Chris stay up late under the stars, sitting in the beach chairs. In the Morning Jean and Ted arrive, but no hurry's here, we occupy the beach chairs and i let this drag on for a long time before surf lessons. Nothing like island time, course i talk the surf lingo, no politics or religion,barf barf barf. We find out important things like, are you a "goofy foot or regular foot", i teach them how to wax the boards i got down for them. Ted is a flight engineer at NASA, and Jean will be entering a hospital in houston as a Surgeon. Chris Gurecky operates a family owned machine shop and is a major supplier for Haliburton, Shawn operates his family owned Airconditioning business. Me I'm retarded, I mean retired, I mean i am the professor of surfing. Yesterday I walked down to Morgan Faulkners surf camp. He operates monday thru friday, and he mostly teaches the young crowd 8 - 16 year olds, Morgan and I get along and its good for the profession that guys like he and i know and respect each other, also i signed another contract with Nueces County this being my ninth year running a surf camp. The gulf is kinda glassy, but some little peaks are consistently rolling in, this is actually fantastic for the beginners, water is ssssoooooo warm and refreshing I love it, during the second session i lead all of us across the glassy surface and we make our way to the outside, probably 500 yards offshore. On a gentle day like this I'll take beginners out here just to sit. It is quite an experience for them, but as a group it makes you feel more confident. It is quiet, I suggest they get off their boards, dangle their legs, put their arms across the deck of the board, rest their chin on the deck, and as a famous surf term states "hang out". Now i do this all the time, but remember, Ted sits all day long in a flight control center and Jean, well she "heals" people, so this jumping off their board at my suggestion must be quite an experience. Out here is where i'll ride big surf i hope this season, this is where the 10 - 15 foot bombs peak up and roar thru. We can see Shawn and Chris 200 yards away, hanging out and its so quiet we can hear them talk. Back Ashore and after watermelon Ted is napping in the shade, on his cot, in the breeze, Jean is next to him studying human anatomy i suppose. Ya know i really could just guide napping camps, Carols son napped for 3 hours yesterday. Waves are nothing to brag about, except for a beginner, so before dinner we all get in another session, I believe everyone has stood up, Chris Gurecky has shared with us that over the past year he has lost a wopping 95 lbs. He is now up and riding in pretty good form, the famous surfboard of mine, I aptly named years ago, the "U.S.S. COUCH POTATO" i built this board especially for waves like today it is 11 feet in lenght, so Chris now is a surfer.
Dinner is new this season, Shiskabobs, i have a butcher friend cut up the meat for me, And guest Chris Gurecky is a home gardener and he has brought this years harvest of red potatoes, okra, onion, tomato. Dinner is great and we all stay up for awhile, but not to late.
Saturday is glassy and beautiful, the eleven foot "U.S.S COUCH POTATO" board is shared by all of us and from camp it appears that the surfer is walking on water, the small waves are just great and easy to catch. This was a GGGRRREEEAAATTT camp............

U.T.S.A. School Kayak Camp Shell Bar May 2008

Kevin, Pat, Kenza, Ruti, and Carlos and Me.

Departed the barn at 3:30 a.m.. Zero traffic practically all the way to the beach. Much better on my nerves, don't have to drive as fast. UTSA are all down there since last night, Eliot Assistant Director of O-REC likes them to mellow into this Tide Guide outing. Karen has roused the campers at about dawn, "No Camping Allowed", Kevin trip leader answers, but Bill said it was O.K.. Oh he did, well he always thinks he can do it his way........ha ha, i already had called Neal her husband on Tuesday, letting him know that we were coming, so its Neal's fault. Excellent weather, and i am relieved since i haven't guided since i sunk my "Sea Cow" this past winter. Eliot is the power behind this trip, helping me to get back on that horse!!!!
We are going primitive kayaking, self propelled. Light S.E. winds, and after one hour on the trail we pull into the sea grass shoreline for lunch. Migratory Wildlife are vacant, no ducks on the wing, now the marine life will begin migrating into the back bays, since water temps are rising. We take our time traveling to Shell Bar, and stop in the middle of Shoalwater bay a couple of times. Either myself or Kevin stand in the shallow water and resemble an anchor, holding on to every ones kayak so the wind wont blow them off, and we talk and rest. Finally ashore at Shell Bar things are inviting. Camp is easily pitched for the next three days, some exploring is done and then "We all settle under the shade canopy and take a wonderful 2 hour nap" wind blowing and just pleasant. I had explained to Eliot that nobody would be raving about the food we ate since i don't have the Sea Cow and the decadent amenities that went down with her. So at dinner just before sunset food is O.K.. Ruti is quiet interested in the celestial kingdom, and tonite the stars are dazzling, and with our nap we stay up, Kevin bought "so mores", you know the camp fire staple. Marsh mellows, chocolate, gram crackers sandwich, I sit quietly just out of the firelight, but Kevin is very thoughtful and feeds me this ritualistic concoction, gag, i don't refuse, but don't ask for seconds. Real enjoyable watching stars and not t.v.
Very pleasant morning S.E. winds light and cool. Basic breakfast, no coffee, since it brings on dehydration. Beach combing in the late morning with Ruti, Kenza, Pat and Myself, walked up the Santo Espiritu Bay front. We found Ruti a Straw hat. The girls picked up to loads of plastic trash, as their environmental contribution. I found two more oyster shell castles i call them, bleached and pretty, i keep a growing collection in my office.
Early afternoon paddling trip, turns into a circumnavigation of Grass Island. This Island is home to one of the pairs of Whooping Cranes during the winter. We stayed on the leeward shore for an hour or more, then Kevin went out through a pass into San Antonio Bay. He played in the small wind swell, then came back and suggested that we go outside and return on this side of Grass Island, it was safe, with winds onshore, so I agreeded to this change in course. He is trip leader for the University and this was a good call, this allowed the students to get some additional experience in the kayaks. Once back safely ashore on Shell Bar, another long nap for all of us under the shade and in the breeze.
Sunday morning we depart Shell Bar very early with a 15 knot starboard aft wind, and it is a cinch to cover the 5 miles back to Welders, I waved at him as he stood on his dock. Thanks UTSA for getting Tide Guide out on the bay again......

University of Texas at Surf Camp #1 2008

Never say Never, I gave up guiding after sinking the Sea Cow this winter. However Eliot Howard Associate Director of Outdoor Pursuits at the University encouraged me to continue. So we had a fabulous weekend of surfing. 10 students came down, Allen being trip leader, his second or third year at surf camp, he wore cut off jeans for surf pants, and you know he is a native texan. Friday before students arrived, I surfed some 12 foot bombs, didnt go out alone but surfed with a friend Vern from Hawaii. During the weekend we had superb weather and fine waves for the students on the inshore break, nice reliable sets of 3 to 4 feet, water temp 72. I changed the Saturday night menu, i could not eat any more vegetables and sausage, so now it is Shiskabobs, boiled corn on the cob, new potatoes boiled in sea water, and spanish rice. I signed a contract with Nueces County Park after 8 years of getting by. So hope things continue well this season as Tide Guide is Booked solid......

December 9 10 11 Shell Bar Kayak Tour 2007

People do kayak tour in December. I had been corresponding for weeks with Judy Alson and she has hitched a ride from Houston with Danny Petkevich and his young eight year old son Cole, and they arrive on time, 9:30 a.m. Will Ellis has been here for a while and earlier he and I had a chance to talk. At fifteen to ten a sort of light roar is heard and as we look to the sky the noise pollution is the ruffle of no less than 6,000 arriving migratory waterfowl. The "V's" are so vast and the sounds growing more voluming that the birds are not aware of us down here and they blanket the sky and horizon as they wing past, this is just an awesome sight. I explain briefly that this is more or less the destination and end of the Central Flyway and this huge flock is finding this wildlife refuge a place to rest and feed. Dolphins appear in the water in front of us, the weather looks quite stable and i speculate that it will last past Sunday. I'm already wearing surfing pants. Boats are assigned and packed and instruction given. You all are now Captain of your own ship for the next 3 days I announce. Cole is riding aboard the Sea Cow with me and he thinks that is great. Danny and Will Shove off and then Judy. Judy makes it out from shore a ways and then begins going in circles, then she is blown off course and then ends up under the fish cleaning table, we get her untangled then she goes in circles again, and bumps into Welders dock, Cole and I render assistance, and Judy comes aboard with us on the Cow, she is just fine with that, we tow her boat. At Buffalo Pass as we putt along on this fine morning I shout, "Look at the Crabs". There on the sand shoreline are 6,000 crabs. These are the feed the Whooping Cranes gorge on all winter. There is another sort of light roar and these one inch crab move in mass through the salt grass. We all go ashore and this to is just awesome, Cole is stuffing them into his life jacket pockets, Danny is taking videos with his cell phone, this is just really facinating and interesting and we watch them for 15 minutes. A very nice two hour tour down to Shell Bar. With these short days, i hustle to get camp up, we all pitch in to prepare our vegetable soup and then put on the fresh sausage to cook. Dolphins are in the Tidal Pass and it is just astonishing to see them. Nice night to sit around the hot fire in the beach chairs and talk until the late hour of about eight thirty. Next day is opening of duck season and air boats lug past early and plenty of shooting later as we have cowboy coffee, and breakfast. Fishing is on the docket today, and we all take a nature walk and bring the fish net and minnow bucket. Bait is not plentiful so we have to walk quite aways. I cover a school and Cole loads about 10 mullet into the bucket, then we keep going and circumnavigate Shell Bar on foot, and it is a fine day out. After a lunch of Hot Tamales and fresh beans and crackers, Judy, Cole and I take the Cow and Danny paddles his kayak and we are going to circumnavigate Steamboat Island, Will is going to enjoy Shell Bar and a beach chair. I have brought a fish rod given to me by a good customer of mine and I throw a couple times and WWWWhhhhaaaammmm, Cole bring this fish in I say, and he lands a nice trout, and then a little latter a nice redfish. Once back at camp it is pretty warm and nice out and Danny decides now to swim across the tidal pass. Then i get brave and dive in. December 10th and the water isn't that bad, it was fun. Back on Shell Bar we all stand around this tidal pool and I have stocked a couple big blue crabs in it and they and all the minnow's entertain us for a long time, Danny and Cole snag a big one and I cook it for them. After dark Danny brings to our attention that there are lots of spiders here. Will has an L.E.D. so do I so does Danny, and he shows us that spiders eyes glow and he is right, i had no idea spiders eyes glow but if you get down on your hands and knees and follow your light beam sure enough there is a spider. Hot camp fire and Tide Guide Tea and lots of stars and stories, Will tells us about his occupation, he is a horse and large animal massage therapist and does quite well at it, Judy is from Israel and now manages a store in Houston, Danny is an electrical engineer for a computer company. Next morning it is sssssoooooo Sunday and real easy going. Danny gives his son a kayak lesson on the calm bay and also gives Judy a kayak lesson. WE take our time and finally get going about eleven, camp is staying up cause i am coming back to stay for a couple more days. Danny and Will paddle, Cole and Judy are aboard with me. I come to anchor to gas up and when raising anchor i feel the line give, i loose the hook, and cant find it again in the seaweed and mud, WoW how helpless a Captain is without an anchor on a big boat. Cole has been standing on the bow for three days now as we putt along, and today he falls in, Judy grabs him, we are in about 20 inches of water, I say we better go see you Dad, I get a sleeping bag out and Judy wraps him up, she loves it, she has a grown son of her own. Pretty good trip I'd Say......considering its December. All is well....Now I make the return trip to Shell Bar, on deck are duck decoys and brush for a blind...I am a recovered poacher. It's true!!!!! Today I do follow the rules and regulations. Its in my best interest since i know all three game wardens down here, and even know the Chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.....no reason for me to break the rules, but even with the best intentions, I had a once in a lifetime occurence. I got 3 ducks with one shot!!!!! And i was not flock shooting. It just happened and they where birds you can only bag one a day....Sssssooooooo i thought that i'll be here for three days, so i'll just put the gun away, and count the bagged birds at one a day. Best I could do....I've used dynamite to fish with and that's the truth, but not anymore. We were supposed to be blowing stumps out on a ranch in Idaho, but being teenagers and Dick Boyle not at the ranch one day, we fished instead of worked.

SHELL BAR KAYAKING THANKSGIVING 2007

A Arctic front is rushing this way. Tide Guide is at the shoreline early friday morning anyway. Large flights of wigeon out over the marsh, moving across the grey skyline, some shotgun rounds can be heard, probably Ted Dunams young son, Ted stops by riding on his golf car, good to see him and talk hunting and fishing and all. Pamela arrives, she is scheduled to take a kayak tour in the Seattle area this summer,so she wants a Texas Tour with me first. This is my first expedition to Shell Bar as Captain William Bradley "Major" Minor the III. I successfully completed the U.S. Coast Guard licensing program this summer. Cost me a bundle and I guess I learned something, sure had a great instructor Captain Chuck West out of Rockport, what an old salt. Here comes Jeff Mason and his friends, Jeff is a graduate surf camp student of Tide Guides and Davey and Laura from Scotland are with him, they pull me over to the trunk of their automobile and present me with a custom embroidered surf travel bag, it has "TIDE GUIDE" on the top. I'll use it at surf camp, but out here it would get muddy in one day, i don't mind sand on it at surf beach. Next is Lauren from Houston, I got a call earlier from Marjorie, she is scarred of the weather and does not want to come. We get boats assigned and adjusted and loaded, every one now is given the title "Captain of Your Own Ship" for the next 3 days. Sea Cow is Launched and it is great to be aboard and off we go, about a 15 knot north east wind, so the kayakers are sailed down the bays to Shell Bar, very fine day actually. Not cold not hot, i have my waders on so i can get on and off the Cow and not get wet. Nice lunch half way down. I was down 3 weeks ago and cut sunflowers and grass 2 feet high on shell bar, so i look forward to getting everyone there, and there is one less rattle snake out there, i tried to get him with the brush cutter but he kept ducking and got away, had to get my lead poison out finally. Arrival on Shell bar is great, it is such an interesting place, we see a pod of Dolphins feeding in the tidal pass. Camp goes up easily, and no doubt about it the arctic front will be on us after dark. It turns nasty but i have dinner ready with everyone help, we get the heater going in the Casa Grande Tent, turn on the L.E.D.'s and some says , this is cozy. It begins to rain, but dinner is great. About 4 a.m. it is a waterfall we get 7 inches overnight, doesn't stop a duck hunter, unbelievable these boys come by camp in the airboats a half hour before daylight. Camp is dry inside, I wear my duck hunting rain jacket and waders and get hot coffee, tea and strawberry stew going about daybreak, not cold out just windy and rainy not a problem i stay out almost all day long. Although about 3 p.m. Jeff and Davey land a 28 inch red drum and then i go inside after filleting this trophy and just sink into the beach chairs, waders come off and i am comfy. DANGER, DANGER, WARNING, WARNING, oh a disaster, Laren had to go to the "Cow Pie" to go to the bathroom and hollers back into the tent where we all are relaxing and she says, the cow pie tipped over. Oh God, a gust had flipped it where i keep iit on land. I know that it is unsanitary now, so I ask the ladies to use the beach until the storm subsides and i feel like going out and cleaning up, which i did later. Most every one sort of likes the constraints that mother nature has brought our way today. We all are busy people, so books come out, Jeff has a 70 page contract which he tears pages of to give to Davey to put in his shoes to absorb water. We have time to visit, and watch the Dolphins. Fresh Fish Dinner is just fab. But it was such a big fish, i save half of it on ice for Davey and Laura to take home. Our second night is comfortable and we all sleep well. We are prepared to get on the water early tomorrow and with the 7 inches of fresh water on the back bay it will make easy going for the Sea Cow. Next morning i take Laura and Laren aboard the Cow. The other paddlers will make a one mile crossing to the mainland and into a 15 - 20 knot head wind, but once across, they can tour up the shoreline in a wind shadow. Jeff in the lead boat, passes a Pair of majestic Whooping Cranes and not much farther a family of 3 Cranes, the family are bugleing and it is a real treat. It is cold out and Laura and Lauren are cold. But no rain and so we have a pleasant fall trip back to the marina. A great trip every one had a trip of a life time and a real outdoor experience, and for me A trip with weather like this once in a awhile is O.K. but I wouldn't want it to often.........I''ll be back, and I'll be seeing Jeff and Davey and Laura at surf camp in May.....

TRINITY UNIVERSITY (surf camp # 7) 2007

OH, OH, OH....this is tide guides final SURFING camp of 2007, it has been an absolutely terrific season (Professor Minor surfed 40 days down here and rode probably a 1000 waves) this is more than i deserve, but what the hell I'm 55 already. Tonight the Houston Yaught Clubs Annual Regatta is arriving here in Port "A", having departed from Houston, and before dusk billowing sails fill the horizon, I have heard that the "Elisha" a original 150 foot square rigger is part of the regatta. This awesome display is visible from our front row seats in our beach chairs. Trinity has arrived in the School van, ten students Oliver, Jason, Jessica, Stephanie, Daniele, Paul, Jeff, Darren, Christen, Ally, and after introductions we walk in the darkness on the soft sand to the waters edge and chat. Waves are nearly flat tonight, so we can let the tide wash our feet. Next morning a swell has arrived. Tide Guide has eased up on a long standing tradition, i usually cease and desist surfing once the water temp drops below 80. Saturday morning the temp is 72, YYYYYOOOOwwwww, but once in and with this building swell it feels OK. Everybody is having a blast. We do 3 sessions. Sitting around the camp fire after a hardy dinner Saturday night, Stephanie asks a question? WHAT IS THE WORD FOR THE SOUND OF A WAVE. No one could answer her, and i can guarantee nobody gets into Trinity University who is a dummy. But still no answer, so we are working on it, we even decided that it would be OK to coin our own word. Sunday Oliver carries on a Trinity tradition, he had carved a pumpkin last evening while every one ate some-mores. And now he cuts open the bottom and puts it on his head and then goes out for a surf, and he stands up. Waves have bumped up this morning to 10 foot outside, to much for students and i ask them to stay on the inside, Jason and Oliver assume duties in camp while some students are sleeping in, i go out at 8.30 a.m. and get some dynamite waves, big drops, i surf for over an hour, this will be my last surf this year and its a hit.....!!!!!

LEISURE LEARNING UNLIMITED (surf camp # 6) 2007

Jeff Mason, Davey McGaughey, Laura Speirs returned for their second surf camp of this season, Davey with a brand new board of his own, they arrive before sundown, and get in a session and waves are fair, and to quote Mr. Mason "any day at surf camp is better than a day in the office". Derek and Shannon arrive for their second Tide Guide Surf Camp of this season, and I am amazed, they have bought their own surf boards, out for a session they go before sundown. After sundown, Ying Hu and Karen Reeves arrive for their first go at surfing. Troy Donavan arrives for second surf camp of season. Then father daughter James and Jennifer arrive. On saturday we had warm water and fair waves, if you could make it outside there where 6 to 8 foot drops. inside where most everyone surfed the periods where 4 to 5 seconds so quite challenging for the new surfers. Ying Hu on the SandDollar made it outside with me and she was brave and since she is so light she was launched into quite a few waves and stood up on a couple. Jeff, Davey, and Troy are doing great. Laura is having fun on shore cheering on Davey. Just a great day. During mid day in between session 3 and 4 we all walked down to the Fishing Pier to go all the way out to the end for the great view and to talk. We were minding our own business leaning against the railing watching surfers below us. However, above us, on a light post perched a large Pelican. I am wearing my new surf sombrero custom made palm weave. I begin to hear "rain drops", then i hear screams and screeches.......and all of a sudden a aroma or odor. I look up and this Pelican is minding his own business, just sitting there getting some sun, after having squirted out a few minnows. I see Ying Hu running down the deck, bent over holding her mouth. Now i dont want to seem insensitive or unaffected but I am a fisherman and please i dont want to seem like i really enjoy the scent of minnows, but actually i dont mind it, but Ying is gagging, well I am getting a little chukle out of it all, and she and Karen will say I am exagerating but Ying threw up, and then she ran off the pier and jumped in the gulf. Sunday real blown out, and I the big tandem board out, i work with James and he stands up on two short rides, although long enough to join the "30 foot club", Jennifer stood up, but not quite 30 feet. Karen had some fun launches. i had a blast and used the USS COUCH POTATO tide guides 12 foot tandem board on sunday. all you have to do is get it moving, drop it in, all 12 feet of it, bang on the back deck to keep it from pearling and then it will cruise all the way to shore.....!!!!!!!!