Riviera, Texas is by Baffin Bay, south of Corpus Christi. It was a 4 hour drive from Spring Branch. The landscape changed from live oak trees and hills to flat coastal topography with grassland and mesquite trees.
SeaWind RV Resort on the Bay in Riviera, Texas
They are in Riviera, Texas. Its a popular fishing destination. SeaWind RV Resort had 50 amp service, ok wifi, 45 psi water pressure, and sewer. They worked on the water intermittently each day. Spotty Verizon coverage. The power and wifi went out. They had a very large book exchange, activities, and a skeet range. The ant and mosquito populations were healthy and after numerous complaints by the seasonals, they sprayed. Most of the people at SeaWind were Texans.
Northern Crested Caracara
First time we have seen one. Its a bird of prey, although mostly a scavenger. It is also called a Mexican Eagle. The Caracara lives in South America, Central America, Mexico, and southern USA. We saw these big birds daily.
Snowy Egret
We watched this Egret chase fish until it finally caught one, very entertaining.
American White Pelican
They migrate to the Gulf Coast for winter. American White Pelicans have the second largest wingspan of any North American Bird, after the California Condor.
Snow Geese
They summer and breed above timberline in Canada and Alaska, then migrate south for warmer weather. We came across a huge flock. There were hundreds of them. Snow Geese populations have been steadily increasing.
Great Blue Heron
We have consistently seen these large herons during our travels. They are found in wetland habitats throughout North America.
Baffin Bay Seafood
There were not many restaurants in the area. Baffin Bay Seafood is on the water with nice views. It was a local crowd. We had their catfish, redfish, chicken fried steak, and black drum ribs. All were good, but their cooking style is breaded and fried.
King Ranch
The King Ranch Museum was well done with numerous artifacts and history. It is the largest ranch in Texas, approximately 825,000 acres, and was founded by Captan Richard King in 1835. He was a river pilot turned land owner-rancher during the Mexican-American and Civil Wars. The family was a part of the myth and mystique of Texas. Today, King Ranch is in the agribusiness with interests in cattle ranching, farming (citrus, cotton, grain, sugar cane, and turfgrass), luxury retail goods, and recreational hunting. Ford makes a King Ranch option for their pickup trucks.
We enjoyed being near the ocean again.
