Friends of Padre Beach Report 1/19/2017

Via Jennifer Merchant

1-19-17

Air Temp: 70

Water Surface Temp: 62

Wind: 5-10E

Weed:  Sargassum on beach until about the 20 mile marker

Water:  Trout Green.  Clarity was about 7/8 out of 10.  Waves 2-3ft.  Tide still coming up high.

Driving:  2WD up to the 30 mile marker.  Then it's 4WD in some spots.  Lots of sargassum hiding glass bottles so use caution not to run over them and get a flat.

Redfish being caught, pony mullet jumping, and birds diving in second gut.  There was an overcast all day.  I saw lots of wildlife.  A lot of trash washing in with the sargassum.  This would make for the perfect time to do some beach combing.  I found plenty of seaglass and sand dollars. 

The driving is still not that great and the sargassum has actually made it a bit difficult to spot objects like glass and wood or other debris that could damage your tires.  There is still a bit of a washout around the 38 mile marker.  The water looked like it is starting to clear up pretty good.  Let's hope it stays that way.

Birds seen:  Crested Caracara, Cormorant, Curlew, Pelicans, Willet, Blue Heron, Ruddy Turnstone, Royal Tern, Least Tern, Sandwich Tern, Laughing Gull.