Anticipating Sea Rim
Sea Rim was our first experience in a Texas State Park. It was chosen because it was along our southwest path and near Houston, where we have relatives. The ratings were good and I booked it without thoroughly researching. The day before we were to camp there, I read reviews from several sources. Three things that I read concerned me:
- There were no indoor showers. Only outdoor showers for removing sand.
- Allegators were prominently mentioned in the reviews. Sightings were numerous! Late night treks to the restroom concerned me.
- Mosquitos were mentioned as being vicious. I had naively thought that since we were traveling in the winter, we would not have significant problems with them.
We adopted a stoic attitude, recognizing that not all of the time spent on this trip will be comfortable and there will be challenges. I told my husband I was going to be “pioneer woman”.
Camping at Sea Rim
It actually was not as bad as I feared. Our son told us that when he had been camping with no showers, they used baby wipes. I had stowed some towelettes designed for just that purpose from when my husband was in the hospital so we had a solution for the lack of a shower.
Though it was about 2 p.m. when we arrived, it was amazingly foggy. The sun was shining, but it barely showed through the fog. It looked very “other worldly.” Our campsite was simple as it was for only one night. It is a very long drive into Sea Rim through oil well facilities with little or no commerce and restaurant options were non-existent. My big guy cooked a nice meal for us. It was pleasant and bugs were not bothering us at that time.
We walked over the boardwalk to the beach and it was even foggier there, but it felt good to have the salt air blowing in us. It was so humid that my hair remained damp the entire time we were outside.
We enjoyed our afternoon. We did not see a single alligator, which was fine by me, though my husband would have liked it.
An Evening with Mosquitoes
As soon as it was almost dark, the mosquito army arrived and we were under siege. At least two dozen managed to make it into our cabin and we were killing mosquitoes for at least an hour. I have identified about eight bites and my husband got quite a few too. Most unpleasant!
On the plus side, the temperature was comfortable and were fell asleep to the sounds and smell of the sea. The restroom was close and not bad, though it was what is described as a pit toilet. It was basically a building with a men’s and women’s toilet over a pit about six feet deep. Surprisingly, it did not smell bad. The facility was clean and well-maintained. I did look out for alligators as I made the trek.
After the Fog Lifted
The next morning, most of the fog had lifted and it was a beautiful, sunny day. This remote park was lovely if you don’t consider the mosquitoes. The ranger did say that they were very bad when we arrived.
The next stop is McKinney State Park in Austin and it has showers. Yea!
