Texas beach report

[midtown 3346]

Dying to get my kids out of the house and debating a day drive to the beach Thursday.  However reports in the newspaper showed pictures of Port A where you'd be hard pressed to see the sand last weekend.  I get that it was the first wknd of being open.    Anyone have a midweek report?   Is it still wall to wall people?   My plan was to either go to state park or somewhere between Packery and Bob Hall aka white cap beach  I assume if Whitecap is jammed I could just keep driving south and eventually it will thin out. 

[UnivTex34 1763]

PINS. 

 

Drive until you have as much space as you want, park car, have fun. Nearly 70 miles of beach, and even on the most packed days the last few summers, we just drive a little further and usually have no one within 500 yards on either side.

[midtown 3346]

Doesn't that require 4x4?   I have a truck but its 4x2. 

[UnivTex34 1763]

I've driven to MM 15 before in 2WD. Stay near the water, and the sand will be nicely packed. Take a shovel. You will be fine. There will be people in minivans and sports cars that go farther than you.

[SimonBolivar 10958]

1 hour ago, UnivTex34 said:

I've driven to MM 15 before in 2WD. Stay near the water, and the sand will be nicely packed. Take a shovel. You will be fine. There will be people in minivans and sports cars that go farther than you.

[Hank_Hill 18811]

1 hour ago, midtown said:

Dying to get my kids out of the house and debating a day drive to the beach Thursday.  However reports in the newspaper showed pictures of Port A where you'd be hard pressed to see the sand last weekend.  I get that it was the first wknd of being open.    Anyone have a midweek report?   Is it still wall to wall people?   My plan was to either go to state park or somewhere between Packery and Bob Hall aka white cap beach  I assume if Whitecap is jammed I could just keep driving south and eventually it will thin out. 

Well this is comforting 

[midtown 3346]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/It-was-a-jungle-out-there-Port-Aransas-local-15244836.php?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=socialflow#photo-19372191

Edited May 5, 2020 by midtown

[Hank_Hill 18811]

People are smart

 

[Lat22 4014]

When do you plan to start living life again?

[Hank_Hill 18811]

I mean I avoid that on the least pandemicy of days.

[Hank_Hill 18811]

As for living life, I've been doing plenty that doesn't involve unnecessarily interacting with masses such as that.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

3 hours ago, UnivTex34 said:

I've driven to MM 15 before in 2WD. Stay near the water, and the sand will be nicely packed. Take a shovel. You will be fine. There will be people in minivans and sports cars that go farther than you.

I guess my Subaru Forester is good to go?  Besides a shovel what other supplies would you recommend?  I was thinking a peice of 2x6.  

Then how do you handle having to take a shit?  Shit in a bag?  Shit in the dunes and cover it up? 

[conVINCEd 21469]

10 minutes ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

I guess my Subaru Forester is good to go?  Besides a shovel what other supplies would you recommend?  I was thinking a peice of 2x6.  

Then how do you handle having to take a shit?  Shit in a bag?  Shit in the dunes and cover it up? 

The shovel has multiple uses.

[crash_davis 23113]

9 minutes ago, conVINCEd said:

The shovel has multiple uses.

your mother in law is missing too?

[Hate 20108]

I guess my Subaru Forester is good to go?  Besides a shovel what other supplies would you recommend?  I was thinking a peice of 2x6.  
Then how do you handle having to take a shit?  Shit in a bag?  Shit in the dunes and cover it up? 

Shit in the ocean. You don’t even need to wipe.

[midtown 3346]

52 minutes ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Then how do you handle having to take a shit?  Shit in a bag?  Shit in the dunes and cover it up? 

Just shit in the ocean like everyone else

[jimmyjazz 45961]

9 minutes ago, midtown said:

Just shit in the ocean like everyone else

[UnivTex34 1763]

1 hour ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

I guess my Subaru Forester is good to go?  Besides a shovel what other supplies would you recommend?  I was thinking a peice of 2x6.  

Then how do you handle having to take a shit?  Shit in a bag?  Shit in the dunes and cover it up? 

You will have no issues, boards might be helpful if you get in trouble, but you can also let some air out of your tires as well. Shovel can be used to dig a latrine.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Thanks for the info.  Also good to know not to swim downcurrent from any surly members

[luke duke 6413]

Doesn't that require 4x4?   I have a truck but its 4x2. 

Your husband’s truck should work.

[Lat22 4014]

I'd want more ground clearance than a Subaru.

[RollLeft 5045]

5 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

I guess my Subaru Forester is good to go?  Besides a shovel what other supplies would you recommend?  I was thinking a peice of 2x6.  

Then how do you handle having to take a shit?  Shit in a bag?  Shit in the dunes and cover it up? 

You're a lesbian?

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

17 minutes ago, RollLeft said:

You're a lesbian?

I wish!!!

 

1 hour ago, Lat22 said:

I'd want more ground clearance than a Subaru.

 

Just looked it up.  It has 8.7 inches, same as 2wd F150s and Grand Cherokees.  I do worry that my hitch sits a little too low 

[Lat22 4014]

Just be careful. The beach beyond the 4x4 sign is different every day. It’s an awesome place. It’s been way too long for me. 

[Hate 20108]

But do make sure if you go past the 4x4 only sign that you stay near the water.  I can't tell you how many cars I've seen go past the 4x4 sign at the Bob Hall Pier and end up stuck.

[UnivTex34 1763]

3 hours ago, Lat22 said:

I'd want more ground clearance than a Subaru.

My brother made it 22 miles in his outback last summer. The deep ruts caused by lifted trucks finally caused him to stop, when the beach got too narrow. That thing was a monster in the soft sand. He could go right next to the dunes when I was in the ruts in my truck and have no issues....

[Lat22 4014]

26 minutes ago, Hate said:

But do make sure if you go past the 4x4 only sign that you stay near the water.  I can't tell you how many cars I've seen go past the 4x4 sign at the Bob Hall Pier and end up stuck.

You can stay near the water but if you look in your rear view and see water in your tracks, don’t stop. I did once (albeit in a heavy Superduty) and I sank to my door frames. Six hours and $1000 later, with the tide just about to swallow my truck, the two tow trucks finally got me out. 

[UnivTex34 1763]

6 minutes ago, Lat22 said:

You can stay near the water but if you look in your rear view and see water in your tracks, don’t stop. I did once (albeit in a heavy Superduty) and I sank to my door frames. Six hours and $1000 later, with the tide just about to swallow my truck, the two tow trucks finally got me out. 

This

[FartingMonk 3607]

I ended up going to Galveston on Monday.  They were packed but people were at least 25 feet away from each other's set ups

[blacklab 11939]

I got these

https://smile.amazon.com/ECOTRIC-Recovery-Boards-Traction-Storage/dp/B07ZX3TMVJ/ref=sr_1_10?crid=OWJPK9FWUTMR&dchild=1&keywords=traction+boards+offroad&qid=1588787484&sprefix=traction+b%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-10

but haven't had to use them.

[PsychMike 1552]

On 5/5/2020 at 1:33 PM, crash_davis said:

your mother in law is missing too?

 

[midtown 3346]

White cap Beach was perfect. Plenty of space. Recon today tells me that the young hot thong wearing ass shows up at 3 when the 40 something dads are packing their kids up.

[WBT 20579]

21 minutes ago, midtown said:

young hot thong wearing ass shows up at 3

that last pic isn't showing up

[midtown 3346]

Tried to get the group but yellow was all I could get. 60 yards. My 13 yr old son was on to me

 

 

[Hate 20108]

Your 13 year old son should understand...what goes to the beach stays at the beach.

[conVINCEd 21469]

2 hours ago, midtown said:

White cap Beach was perfect. Plenty of space. Recon today tells me that the young hot thong wearing ass shows up at 3 when the 40 something dads are packing their kids up.

This story would be a lot better if you weren’t one of the 40-something dads packing their kids up.

[mchookem 16336]

so those pics give me hope... we're headed down in a couple of weeks but will be there sun-fri, hoping weekdays aren't nearly as crowded right now.

[justhookit 4191]

2 hours ago, mchookem said:

so those pics give me hope... we're headed down in a couple of weeks but will be there sun-fri, hoping weekdays aren't nearly as crowded right now.

The beaches aren’t the problem but that same stretch of beach midtown took pictures of will likely be crowded as fuck again this weekend. Like hard to find a spot to park crowded. Even when it’s like that though it’s easy enough to stay away from people if you choose to. The issue is the stores/shops/restaurants. Bring your own supplies to eat and drink and avoid the idiots. You’ll be fine.

[midtown 3346]

I think a weekday right after the first open day for beaches was a key contributor which is why I went Thursday vs Friday where I expect the throngs and thongs to be massive come this wknd.    Just to reiterate where I was.    I was just south of Packery channel.   Same entrance that's you'd use to fish the channel.   It couldn't be more than a 2 mile stretch from the beach entrance to where they have blocked off the beach to further traffic.   I have no idea what the area by Bob Hall south looked like.  And I assume Port A will be jammed again.   The only stores we visited were the Stripes right by the turn into the beach which was very crowded and the drive through at the Whataburger.

[PantsTent 2002]

On 5/8/2020 at 8:32 AM, midtown said:

I think a weekday right after the first open day for beaches was a key contributor which is why I went Thursday vs Friday where I expect the throngs and thongs to be massive come this wknd.    Just to reiterate where I was.    I was just south of Packery channel.   Same entrance that's you'd use to fish the channel.   It couldn't be more than a 2 mile stretch from the beach entrance to where they have blocked off the beach to further traffic.   I have no idea what the area by Bob Hall south looked like.  And I assume Port A will be jammed again.   The only stores we visited were the Stripes right by the turn into the beach which was very crowded and the drive through at the Whataburger.

We like to stay at Gulfstream Condos which is right by where you were. Booked for July and can't wait. Hopefully things calm down by then.

 

[CycleTex87 2970]

Haven’t stayed at the Gulfstream in decades, but it was our go to place in the ‘80’s. How’s the property these days?  

[PantsTent 2002]

3 hours ago, CycleTex87 said:

Haven’t stayed at the Gulfstream in decades, but it was our go to place in the ‘80’s. How’s the property these days?  

It's fine. They do just enough upkeep all around. Then it depends on what room you get and how recently it's been renovated.  But they have pictures of every room online now so you can at least request one that looks good.  

 

[HoustonHorn 1062]

Galveston this morning.

[gmr548 16580]

On 5/5/2020 at 9:20 AM, UnivTex34 said:

PINS. 

 

Drive until you have as much space as you want, park car, have fun. Nearly 70 miles of beach, and even on the most packed days the last few summers, we just drive a little further and usually have no one within 500 yards on either side.

 

At the risk of fucking up my own plan - MF this.The 4x4 only marker is something like five miles down the shore. It should thin out before then, but you can definitely push past it in a 2wd if you syay close to the water. I did it in a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer that theoretically had 4x4 but I am pretty sure did not work, no issues at all. Could've done it in a Malibu.

Beautiful shoreline too.

[Lat22 4014]

Went to a couple of boat up Bar and Grill type places in the Galveston area this weekend. Nary a mask or distancing to be seen. It was fantastic. 

[4th&Five 41557]

The spike will be fantastic as well. 

[elfenix 34251]

On 5/7/2020 at 9:17 PM, midtown said:

Tried to get the group but yellow was all I could get. 60 yards. My 13 yr old son was on to me

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by elfenix

[Hank_Hill 18811]

20 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

The spike will be fantastic as well. 

When do you plan to start living again, bro?

[Ag with kids 581]

On 5/5/2020 at 9:39 PM, Hate said:

But do make sure if you go past the 4x4 only sign that you stay near the water.  I can't tell you how many cars I've seen go past the 4x4 sign at the Bob Hall Pier and end up stuck.

A few weeks ago I ended up pulling about 12 vehicles out of the soft sand around Marker 238 (south of Bob Hall) with my 2 door Wrangler, about half of those were 4x2 trucks...Got a little amusement out of that.

[Brisketexan 105151]

Daughter just spent two days down in Surfside with one friend (calculated risk, but balanced against her building insanity).  They went on the city beach, so closer to town, with vehicle access.  Yesterday, they parked and had nobody around them....then a family of 7 pulled up and parked right next to them.  They were pretty annoyed, but were able to keep their distance.  Today, pretty day, nobody nearby.

I recommended that they go further down, to the county beach -- it's usually an even lighter crowd, but she didn't feel like they needed to.

I'm kinda tempted to do it as a family sometime soon, but then, we'd need to go on a weekend, when I know there would be more crowds, so we'd definitely need to go to the county beach.