A fine little voyage

Well, it's done. The first 45 miles, anyhow. Only about 342 to go before I can greet the Louisiana border and hang my salty paddle up for a while.

Our shakedown segment of the trip, from Boca Chica to Port Mansfield, did what I expected it to do: it confirmed a few things, exposed some deficiencies in my planning, and -- importantly -- gave me some confidence for the rest of the trip.

Dean and Ken were great paddling partners and we ended the week better friends than when we headed south March 2. That, I think, is no small accomplishment.

Accomodations on either end of the open water paddling were primo. A big thanks to Melissa Zamora at the South Padre Island CVB, to Yves and Chris de Diesbach at the Brown Pelican Inn and to my old friends Bruce and Shirley Shuler at Getaway Adventures Lodge in Port Mansfield.

For a day-by-day account of the trip (abbreviated, to be sure; I still have to write a magazine article, you know), please visit www.texassportingjournal.com.

Here are a few photos: