Still thinking of the flock of pink spoon bill landing on the marsh, the Tortuga headed east North on 124 toward the Interstate. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do and traveling on interstates is one of those things, not well suited for a Tortuga.  Ah if it were not the 1980s, the Tortuga could have traveled all the way to the park on Highway 87, but now, much to the Tortuga’s chagrin, a big detour through Winnie is in order.  Hurricanes have washed out 87 to Port Author, now the old 87 highway runs right into the MaFadden Natural Wild life Refuge. The McFadden folks don’t take kindly to wondering on to the refuge and sends out people with guns and give you tickets when you do, but what that was not this trip, I digress. 

H10 or is that Hwy 87, to Port Author. It did not take long to find our way south on Hwy 82.  Following along the Sabine water way, there is an overwhelming amount of industry.  Ships from around the world servicing the Petrochemical manufacturing Industry, many at berth no more than 100 feet from the edge of the road.  At one point it appeared that we had taken a wrong turn to find the Tortuga in the middle of a refinery.  Huge pipe lines laying on the ground snorting out steam would reach the edge of the road and then abruptly make a 90 degree bend to the sky to create just enough room for the Tortuga to travel under. The pipes would then cross of the road way and come back to earth just on the other side. 

If the Tortuga checked once, The Tortuga must of check thousand times, are we on the right path to Sea Rim, Lead on Google Maps.

With the steaming refinery to our backs the road turns to Hwy 87, that had not been destroyed by Hurricanes and started to cross beautiful marsh the coast appeared to our left, and there it was a brown state park sign appeared in the distance, the Tortuga was not lost.

From Sea Rim web site

Sea Rim State Park is a 4,141-acre state park in southeast Texas. The park is located on the Gulf of Mexico in southern Jefferson County, south of Port Arthur and just west of Sabine Pass. 

you can camp, go birding and beach combing, paddle in a canoe or kayak, swim, fish, hunt (in season) and walk. Stroll along the Gambusia Nature Trail, a boardwalk through the marsh.

Stay at one of 15 campsites with utilities or in our cabin. We also offer primitive camping on the beach.

Fish in the surf or in the marsh areas. You do not need a license to fish from shore in a state park. We also have a boat ramp. Download Sea Rim’s Fishing Tip Sheet.

Paddle one of our trails, from the 1.79-mile easy trail to the 9.59-mile advanced trail. Experience the coast from a kayak or canoe. Bring your own or rent one at the park. Take a virtual tour with our Interactive Trails Map.

Oh Yeah! Don’t miss!

• Alligators live in the park; read our Alligator Safety Tips

The camp sites with utilities were all booked, as with most of the Texas State Parks, But that was not the goal! Primitive Camping on the Beach was the ticket.  The Tortuga has to pause for a moment to think about the term “Primitive Camping”.  Is it ever, Primitive Camping when you’re in the Tortuga? 

No time for side bars, It time to get on the beach.

Through the camp site and take a left, said the Ranger, and you can go in either direction for about 2 miles. Once on the beach the Tortuga looks for people and goes the other way, but this time there was no one to avoid. Turning right on the beach and a half mile down, the entire beach was ours so we thought.  The winds from the north hit the side of the truck and on the gulf side there was a perfect pocket of calm air.  Calm air where the last million misquotes could survive the last few days of their season.  They were a grey clouds hovering right outside the window.  The Tortuga thought we were safe.  The cabin door was facing north, no bugs there in the cold northerly winds, there were no bugs when away from the wind barrier that the Tortuga Truck created. It was safe, until. Late that night without thought an unscreened window was opened.  Almost immediately the mosquitos version of Flight of the Bumble Bee was dancing around your ears.  The volume increased to the point that sleep would be availed, something had to be done. SHOCK, when the light came on, the ceiling and the walls were cover with mosquitos. Hundreds of them, for the dramatic purposes of the  story, let’s say, MILLIONS of them had taken up residences inside the cabin.  It was time to evict.  A fly swatter was place into action.  Now these are lethargic winter mosquitos, there were just looking for their last warm place and something to eat.  The Fly swatter had a field day.  We could not notch the handle of the fly swatter with the kills it had that night, because if we did we would not have a handle.  Carnage cover the ceiling and most of the walls. Not only were they slow but some were full, only to make the walls look like a horror film. After 30 minutes of “wing to swatter combat was over the hoards had been defeated and the carnage would be cleaned up in the Morning. 

Do not take this wrong,  Sea Rim Park and camping on the beach is awesome and the decision was made to stay another day to enjoy the winter beach, but just sometime you have to take the situation in hand and solve it, this time it was a fly swatter in hand that save the day.