Pelican saved

Last Saturday there was a wonderful beach mercy near Horace Caldwell Pier. While walking the beach early Saturday morning, I came upon a large brown pelican that allowed me to get closer than I have ever been to a brown pelican. I soon saw why. He was tangled in monofilament, and a huge hook was down over his bill, keeping it closed.

Immediately, the thought in my head was to call Tony Amos at the ARK, but without a cell phone or his number, I was not able. Since I am a nurturer, I decided to stay with the entangled bird until more help arrived. Soon three helpers walked up. No one had a pocket knife to cut the line, but one brave man removed the hook while holding the pelican's bill closed; I rolled up the monofilament, and still another man untangled the rest of the line wrapped around the bird's wings and feet. He was free!

After what must have seemed to be an eternity to the untangled bird, he rested and then flew off to do his pelican "thing."

Thanks to the quick thinking and courage of "the man in the white tank top," another brown pelican is safe and free. This was truly a Saturday morning beach mercy.

Pricilla Terry Port Aransas and Hamilton

Praise for Rachel

As a weekend resident of Port Aransas for 25 years, I have always looked forward to reading the South Jetty upon arrival. Many of the pieces are in my "Articles I Couldn't Throw Away" file, especially those from Tony Amos, Cactus Pryor and Dr. John Fucik.

My favorites of all time are the writings of Rachel Pearson. Very rarely does a reader have the opportunity to follow the life of a teenager as they progress through those blossoming stages of life. I have been enchanted by Rachel's year in Spain, her Mexico experiences, her musings about Port Aransas and her life as a student at the University of Texas. The latest update was a keeper, "Cross country bus ride", as she left Port Aransas and traveled to New York City to pursue her master's degree at Columbia.

Rachel is a truly gifted writer, able to paint a word picture of sights and feelings in a manner that is fresh and entertaining.

I will be first in line for an autographed copy when her first book is published!

Betty Whitt Corpus Christi

Great day

When the smoke finally falls on the slick hot water on a dog August day, it reminds the few some things have not changed. When kings hit the docks and the tarpon hit the air, in this book nothing has changed. This morning I got hit so hard I wrote this page - with true dedication to the few who read to let them out of the cage.

Just when you see tractors on the beach or the Jetty Boat outrun its own wake, just remember it's Port Aransas, and it's another great day.

Bo Gibbs Port Aransas