St. Josephs Island

It was a spontaneous and surprising Valentines weekend when my husband suggested a trip to St. Joseph's Island, better known as San Jose Island. A 21 mile barrier island on the Texas coast in it's most natural state. The only way to get on or off the Island is by passenger ferry/jetty boat, which means no cars are allowed on the island either.  The last ferry pick up time is at 6:10 pm and you DO not want to miss the last ride back to Port Aransas. There is NOTHING on this Island (not even a port-a-potty).

When we reached the island, there was just one small dock that lead to a cement/rock pier. The cement portion of the pier had a stamp date about every 20 feet of 8-21-35. When we got off the ferry all I could see was sand dunes filled with plant life. As we walked the pier I finally got to see a beautiful beach area, as the pier continued off into the Gulf filled with fishermen.

When we finally set up our area, I noticed two things. We were the only ones with a beach umbrella, and I was the ONLY person that went into the water (as far as I could see). The temperature outside was in the low 80's and the temperature of the water was in the mid 60's. It felt refreshing, kind of like early June on the beaches of the northeast coast.  My husband spent his time on the pier fishing, and not catching anything but the rays of the sun. We also went for a long walk as I hunted for seashells, and coming back to our area to have a picnic lunch. It was also pretty cool sitting on the pier and watching the dolphins swim.

This was my very first time visiting St. Josephs Island, and even in it's natural state and beauty, the human species has touched this island in the most negative way. Trash. I watched one couple that road the ferry with us, set up their area, then take a large black trash bag and went for a short walk. When they came back, the garbage bag was filled. The garbage isn't just left behind by people, it's washed up to shore. Plastic bottles everywhere, plastic buckets, plastic caps from different bottles, plastic bags.......uuuuggghhh this is what I found as I walked. It's sad. I think that it every person that visits the Island really should fill a trash bag and bring it back on the ferry to be disposed of properly. From now on, I will be bringing my own trash bag on every trip I take to the coast.

This is the trash that the couple collected upon arriving to the island.