US Southwest Beach trip to PINS Mar 18-21 (Texas coastline)

[overland.productions]

Padre Island National Seashore (PINS) run with camping for two nights. There is a third night of camping on the Bolivar Peninsula Thursday March 18th - see the details below. There will be fishing and exploring. I'm going down to MM 50 to see the SS Nicaragua shipwreck. Several Youtube channels and amateur photographers. Come hang out, see the rigs, meet some fellow overlanders, and breathe some fresh ocean air! 62 miles of shoreline to explore!

View Rally Point

 

[overland.productions]

Rally Point Notes:

We are meeting at Padre Island National Seashore on Friday the 19th for two nights of camping. We will drive home on Sunday the 21st. Everyone's arrival will be different depending on which direction you are originating from. I think we will post up on the beach somewhere and then update social media/text group with our mile marker if we have cell service. One rig does have a cell extender so that may help. I will monitor 146.460 on HAM and my personal cell will be available as well. This is a National Park and entry fee's apply.


There are a couple of rigs leaving North Texas (Dallas area) on Thursday afternoon around lunch time, March 18th. We are going to camp at the Bolivar Flats just across the channel from Galveston. The Galveston Ferry runs 24 hours/day. If you are approaching from East Texas area then you could take State Highway 87 all the way down the Bolivar Peninsula. We should be somewhere around the Bolivar Beach area but uncertain exactly where we will camp. It will be necessary to reach us on COMMS or just look for our rigs. This area requires an annual parking permit for $10.00 ($5.00 through the end of February). Get them here Bolivar Beach Parking Sticker Program or here Pages - BeachStickerSales ... you will need to pick one up at a local store on the peninsula if you can arrive during business hours. This is only for Thursday night on the Bolivar Peninsula. We will then complete the journey to PINS on Friday morning after breakfast.

 

[overland.productions]

The mileage for this trip is based upon how far down the beach we travel. The first 10 miles of beach is mostly full of day trippers and folks visiting the park. From 10-20 miles you will see some people fishing but gets more scarce. There are 60+ miles of beach so I think we will end up somewhere between 10-40 miles depending upon the quality of our base camp.

Driving on the sand does burn more fuel than normal. Be prepared. We have plenty of winch power already so dont worry about getting stuck. You just need a way to communicate. cell service is sketchy. Dont plan to have more than 1 bar. Sometimes you can run up on top of the dunes to get some signal but nothing guaranteed.

I'm on HAM radio. I'll probably bring a GMRS too and will monitor the OB channel (15 i think? i'll look it up).

 

[overland.productions]

A very cool update! @oscarmikeoverland will be joining at the Bolivar beach and then traveling to PINS with us. They support veterans with "adventure therapy" by getting them on the move! Stop by and meet everyone if you're at the beach! Find them on instagram @oscarmikeoverland or www.oscarmikeoverland.org

 

[Raw Xpedition]

Rally Point Notes:

We are meeting at Padre Island National Seashore on Friday the 19th for two nights of camping. We will drive home on Sunday the 21st. Everyone's arrival will be different depending on which direction you are originating from. I think we will post up on the beach somewhere and then update social media/text group with our mile marker if we have cell service. One rig does have a cell extender so that may help. I will monitor 146.460 on HAM and my personal cell will be available as well. This is a National Park and entry fee's apply.
There are a couple of rigs leaving North Texas (Dallas area) on Thursday night, March 18th. We are going to camp at the Bolivar Flats just across the channel from Galveston. The Galveston Ferry runs 24 hours/day. If you are approaching from East Texas area then you could take State Highway 87 all the way down the Bolivar Peninsula. We should be somewhere around the Bolivar Beach area but uncertain exactly where we will camp. It will be necessary to reach us on COMMS or just look for our rigs. This area requires an annual parking permit for $10.00 ($5.00 through the end of February). Get them here Bolivar Beach Parking Sticker Program or here Pages - BeachStickerSales ... you will need to mail in a self addressed stamped envelope or pick one up at a local store if you can arrive during business hours. This is only for Thursday night on the Bolivar Peninsula. We will then complete the journey to PINS on Friday morning after breakfast.

I know its kinda hard to determine when you will be on Bolivar but we may ride out for the day and meet up..ill keep watching the thread.

 

[overland.productions]

Rally Point Notes:

We are meeting at Padre Island National Seashore on Friday the 19th for two nights of camping. We will drive home on Sunday the 21st. Everyone\'s arrival will be different depending on which direction you are originating from. I think we will post up on the beach somewhere and then update social media/text group with our mile marker if we have cell service. One rig does have a cell extender so that may help. I will monitor 146.460 on HAM and my personal cell will be available as well. This is a National Park and entry fee\'s apply.
There are a couple of rigs leaving North Texas (Dallas area) on Thursday night, March 18th. We are going to camp at the Bolivar Flats just across the channel from Galveston. The Galveston Ferry runs 24 hours/day. If you are approaching from East Texas area then you could take State Highway 87 all the way down the Bolivar Peninsula. We should be somewhere around the Bolivar Beach area but uncertain exactly where we will camp. It will be necessary to reach us on COMMS or just look for our rigs. This area requires an annual parking permit for $10.00 ($5.00 through the end of February). Get them here Bolivar Beach Parking Sticker Program or here Pages - BeachStickerSales ... you will need to mail in a self addressed stamped envelope or pick one up at a local store if you can arrive during business hours. This is only for Thursday night on the Bolivar Peninsula. We will then complete the journey to PINS on Friday morning after breakfast.

I know its kinda hard to determine when you will be on Bolivar but we may ride out for the day and meet up..ill keep watching the thread.

We will arrive on Bolivar Thursday afternoon the 18th. Not sure what time yet. The Oscar Mike crew will arrive even sooner-possibly Wednesday night.

 

[overland.productions]

Tides look favorable:

Predicted tides:

18th: Low tide 12:46am, High tide 8:44am

19th: Low tide 1:32am, High tide 10:05am

20th: Low tide 3:28am, High tide 11:30pm

21st: Low tide 3:32am, High tide 12:40pm

 

[ZetRocks]

Looks like a great time! Are yall running the beach down Old 87 from Port Arthur, or coming north through High Island. If you're not already aware and running from PA, there is a cool spot on the beach 29.608734,-94.234621 (you can find it on main map "camping").

Also, friendly advice: leave gas cans at home because the ferry has become strict on not allowing them on vehicles while travelling across ferry. They were fairly passive with us until this last October. They wouldn't let us board with gas cans on/in vehicles (empty or not). We went so far as to even knock on them to explain they were empty. Deaf ears.

I doubt I could make the PINS run but may try to make it out to Bolivar Thursday night. How late are you all expecting to howl at the moon?

 

[Boostpowered]

Looks like a great time! Are yall running the beach down Old 87 from Port Arthur, or coming north through High Island. If you're not already aware and running from PA, there is a cool spot on the beach 29.608734,-94.234621 (you can find it on main map "camping").

Also, friendly advice: leave gas cans at home because the ferry has become strict on not allowing them on vehicles while travelling across ferry. They were fairly passive with us until this last October. They wouldn't let us board with gas cans on/in vehicles (empty or not). We went so far as to even knock on them to explain they were empty. Deaf ears.

I doubt I could make the PINS run but may try to make it out to Bolivar Thursday night. How late are you all expecting to howl at the moon?

Yep they get real anal about propane tanks too. If you have a tank on board you have to have it connected to a burner.

I hid my fuel cans in my kayak theve always been kind of weird about fuel cans even when I was in ball high in Galveston back in late 90s

 

[overland.productions]

Looks like a great time! Are yall running the beach down Old 87 from Port Arthur, or coming north through High Island. If you're not already aware and running from PA, there is a cool spot on the beach 29.608734,-94.234621 (you can find it on main map "camping").

Also, friendly advice: leave gas cans at home because the ferry has become strict on not allowing them on vehicles while travelling across ferry. They were fairly passive with us until this last October. They wouldn't let us board with gas cans on/in vehicles (empty or not). We went so far as to even knock on them to explain they were empty. Deaf ears.

I doubt I could make the PINS run but may try to make it out to Bolivar Thursday night. How late are you all expecting to howl at the moon?

I honestly hadn't even considered the North end of the beach but I love the location. I was sticking close to the ferry since we're headed to PINS the next morning.

Thanks for the tip about fuel cans! That's a game changer for our crew.

The first rig will arrive on Bolivar around noon on Thursday. The second a few hours after, and the rest around 6:30. Should have about an hour before sunset to get camp set up. Nothing crazy since it's a one night stay. I'll have comms on

 

[overland.productions]

Yep they get real anal about propane tanks too. If you have a tank on board you have to have it connected to a burner.

I hid my fuel cans in my kayak theve always been kind of weird about fuel cans even when I was in ball high in Galveston back in late 90s

Thank you! A couple of us carry propane tanks!

 

[ZetRocks]

Looks like a great time! Are yall running the beach down Old 87 from Port Arthur, or coming north through High Island. If you're not already aware and running from PA, there is a cool spot on the beach 29.608734,-94.234621 (you can find it on main map "camping").

Also, friendly advice: leave gas cans at home because the ferry has become strict on not allowing them on vehicles while travelling across ferry. They were fairly passive with us until this last October. They wouldn't let us board with gas cans on/in vehicles (empty or not). We went so far as to even knock on them to explain they were empty. Deaf ears.

I doubt I could make the PINS run but may try to make it out to Bolivar Thursday night. How late are you all expecting to howl at the moon?

I honestly hadn't even considered the North end of the beach but I love the location. I was sticking close to the ferry since we're headed to PINS the next morning.

Thanks for the tip about fuel cans! That's a game changer for our crew.

The first rig will arrive on Bolivar around noon on Thursday. The second a few hours after, and the rest around 6:30. Should have about an hour before sunset to get camp set up. Nothing crazy since it's a one night stay. I'll have comms on

Very cool. I’ll reach out if I’m able to make any part of trip. I attached a photo of that part of beach for your next trip inspiration. Hah. Free, desolate, and reminds me of a mini-PINS.

 

[overland.productions]

Shooting for the 40mm area on PINS.

 

[overland.productions]

Ended up about MM 23, had a blast! Check out my instagram for photos of all the rigs. Just open your phone camera and point it at the QR code below.