Pandemic Detour - Change of All Plans

We arrived at the volunteer RV village at Marinoff on November 26, 2019. Little did we know at the time we would be living here for the next 16 months. The Coronavirus was just beginning to spread in China. We, like most, had no knowledge or concern about it. During this time we have witnessed fire, a flooding hurricane, a pandemic, a major drought, a historic freeze, and shortages of basic goods such as toilet paper. We kept busy through it all.

Palm Grove Fire, December 1, 2019

The season started off with a fire just across the street from our RV Village. The noise was deafening. It sounded like a jet engine roaring. It was a dangerous site to behold. It quickly burned itself out. The trees now, 16 months later, have recovered fully other than some black highlights on their trunks.

Hurricane Hannah, July 25, 2020

Hannah was the 2020 Atlantic season's first Hurricane. It made landfall along the southern end of Padre Island National Seashore near the gulf coast town of Port Mansfield in Kenedy County at around 5pm Saturday, July 25. It was carrying sustained 90 mph winds with gusts over 100 mph. 

The eye passed about 20 miles north of us as a category 1 Hurricane. This was our first experience of witnessing a hurricane. This is something not to be repeated. We were fortunate not to loose our power during the storm, or sustain any damage or find any leaks. We had 12 inches of driving rain in a 12 hour period.

Tenaza Tree Bit the Dust

Downed trees in our compound kept up busy cleaning up the mess.

Sheltering in Place during the Pandemic Refuge Shutdown

The Refuge shut down all operations for about 5 months. Refuge staff were required to work from home. We were not allowed to go out to check and maintain Lower Rio Grande Valley properties, however, we were allowed to work as long as we contained our activity to inside the five acre fenced area of the Marinoff Compound. Fortunately there was a lot of work to do. 

The fast growing, weak, tepehuaje trees were reaching the end of their life cycle. We witnessed some had fallen during the hurricane. They needed to be removed to prevent them from falling and damaging an RV. We took this opportunity to cut down, remove, and poison many of the tepehuaje and undesirable species of trees from the Compound. 

The grass mowing was a constant challange. Kurt mowed the grass 15 times after the growth surge caused by all the rain from the hurricanes. We had two weed whackers, so we both had the opportunity to keep the landscaping looking good.

Downed Tepehuaje Trees

An example of a neglected Anacua Tree transformed with some trimming.

After the Covid restrictions were lifted, the Santa Ana Fire Department came to the RV Village for a Chain Saw Training Class and  to help us remove some stumps and tree debris from our Lumberjacking Days. 

We drove the stake truck to haul the large logs to a remote site.

All the smaller brush was burned on site.

Border Wall at Marinoff

All summer long we listened to  construction noise from the "Wall" being built, some of it less than 100 yards from our trailer. 

Signature plate used by former President Trump when he visited the "Wall". During his visit (just behind the RV Village), we were required to remove our trailer from the campground for two days, for our security, after the Capital insurrection.

Working on the Properties

Around the first of October, we were permitted to return to the Refuge properties to continue our work. We immediately noticed the new sections of Border Wall constructed and the impact it has made on some of the beautiful and pristine properties in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. 

Arroyo Ramirez During Construction

Las Ruinas New Wall

Rabb Plantation House at the
Sabal Palm Sanctuary

As per usual, we fixed and repaired a lot of fence in the LRGV.

The grass grew very long after Hannah, now due to the drought and the freeze, it is an extreme fire hazard.

Picking up trash is an ongoing  job. 
This small sail boat had to be cut in half to fit in our truck.

One of the changes caused by the pandemic was to limit access to the laundry room. You must sign up and only one family unit at a time. We installed a signup box and placed a hand sanitizer dispenser. 

Boca Chica and SpaceX

Another major change this past year is the impact SpaceX is making on Boca Chica. Highway 4 seems to be closed often (about 8 days per month), whenever there is a test or even plans of a test. On days when Hwy. 4 is open, the traffic is now extremely heavy. Hundreds of construction workers and trucks delivering material make the 15 mile commute across the LRGV land each day. Boca Chica was always a quiet beach and wetlands area, a quiet solitude. We are saddened to see so much encroachment in just the few years we have been volunteering in this area. This is one of our favorite places.

La Sal Del Ray

"The King's Salt", is one of the three naturally occurring salt lakes in South Texas. It is sitting on top of an estimated four million tons of salt. The lake is seven times saltier than the ocean. This is one of the LRGV tracts we have been maintaining regularly. Prior to the pandemic closures, the Refuge staff had been opening the gates monthly so vehicles could drive into the property while visiting. We volunteered one weekend to open the gates and talk with the visitors. After the Covid closures, the gates to the property remained closed to cars. Visitors may now walk the one mile to the observation deck and lake. Our blog, Spring of 2010, shows us building this deck. It is hard to believe it has been 11 years.

An algae bloom in late summer caused the lake to take on a temporary pink cast. 

Holidays - A Year Goes By

Kurt Celebrates His 65th Birthday

Christmas Dinner