Work began Monday morning to trim the larger palm trees. Work also resumed on the concrete for the entrance road.
Fishing this weekend continued to be very poor. I talked to Karen Meador, wildlife biologist in charge of Aransas Bay. She said she is not yet in panic mode, but the bay is having problems. They are in the last week of their fall gill net survey. She will have some data in mid December. I had talked to game wardens on Saturday when they returned from checking oyster boats. Karen confirmed what they told me. The oyster harvest is at historical lows. She says the increased salinity is to blame as well as parasite activity. Normally we see shrimp boats and oyster boats working the bay relentlessly this time of year. Right now, I see very little activity. Curiously, I have not seen seagulls working the water while out in my boat or from shore in the last six months. Karen says she is not buying into the idea that Cedar Bayou is to blame. She said they did a creel survey at Cove Harbor on Sunday and she did see a 28 inch trout, but little else. So far this year she said the trout catch in their gill nets is markedly down. I can attest to the shortage of trout.
It was good to see many owners here for the annual meeting. Everyone thought the improvements to the property looked very good. Paul(505) had a birthday on Sunday. I know he likes chocolate cake and I hear that Christine took one home for him since he could not be here.