St. Charles Bay

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Coordinates: 28°11′27″N 96°56′29″W / 28.190967°N 96.941299°W / 28.190967; -96.941299
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St. Charles Bay
St. Charles Bay is located in Texas
St. Charles Bay
St. Charles Bay
LocationTexas Gulf Coast
Coordinates28°11′27″N 96°56′29″W / 28.190967°N 96.941299°W / 28.190967; -96.941299
River sourcesCavasso Creek
Ocean/sea sourcesGulf of Mexico
Basin countriesUnited States
SettlementsLamar, Texas

St. Charles Bay is an inlet of

birding and fishing. Goose Island State Park and the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
are located along the bay's shores, attracting nature enthusiasts year-round.

The nomadic Karankawa Indians used the bay for hunting before the arrival of Europeans, but no major human settlements were ever established. The unincorporated community of

San Antonio and about 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Corpus Christi
.

History

St. Charles Bay was the domain of the

San Antonio in 1818. It was caught in an Aransas Bay storm that swept the ship into the waters of St. Charles Bay, landing in a creek at its base. Supposedly, the ship was abandoned in the surrounding prairie (Fagan ranch near Tivoli, Texas),[3] and its parts used by area settlers (later determined to be the Fagan family)[3] to build homes.[4]

The first major settlement on St. Charles Bay was

President of Texas the previous year. The settlers aimed to compete with Aransas City on the adjacent Live Oak Peninsula. After a customhouse was moved from Aransas City, at the behest of President Lamar, Aransas City declined and Lamar grew into a prosperous port and salt producer. It was bombarded and destroyed by the Union during the American Civil War, leaving only the ruins of a Catholic chapel and a few homes. Shortly thereafter, the town was rebuilt. By 1915, a post office, school, hotel, ranches and twenty-five homes had been constructed at the site. By 1970, 150 people lived in the town and by 2000, it had 1,600 residents. It remains an unincorporated community of Aransas County.[1]

Features

Map of St. Charles Bay

St. Charles Bay is shaped laterally from south to north, and is located on the

Texas Coastal Plain between the Lamar and Blackjack peninsulas. Its mouth opens into Aransas Bay between Goose Island and Blackjack Point, but is nearly cut off by islands and reefs that stretch across it. North of Blackjack Point to Bird Point is an extension called the East Pocket, which forms an indention at the tip of Blackjack peninsula. Beyond the East Pocket are mudflats that are included in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. North of Bird Point, the shore continues northward, passing the La Punta Windmill. Further north, past a large tidal swamp, Egg Point juts into the bay, above which an inlet forms the Bill Mott Bayou. Past several more swamps, Little Devil Bayou and Big Devil Bayou are formed, separated by Indian Head Point. Past the Mille Dietrich Point, the McHubb Windmill and Bayou are found, as the bay narrows in width. The northernmost point is located slightly to the east and meets at the mouth of the small Twin Creek. A narrow strip of marshland and a dam, separates St. Charles Bay from the similarly shaped Burgentine Lake, which continues to the northeast, and is fed by Burgentine Creek. Past Twin Creek, the shore curves to the southwest to a small opening, that forms the mouth of Salt Creek. Further south, the shore is largely marsh, until reaching the rather large mouth of Cavasso Creek. From there, the shore forms a straight line southeast to the Big Sharp Point, from which a gas well can be seen in the bay. South of Big Sharp Point is Little Sharp Point, which forms on the edge of a swamp. From this point, the shore curves back to the southwest to a swamp, where a lagoon is located further inland. South of this, is the large oak tree known as the "Big Tree", in Goose Island State Park. Further south are several piers which jut into the bay, below which Halls Point is formed. Directly south of Halls Point is Goose Island, back at to the confluence with Aransas Bay.[5]

Ecosystem

Saint Charles Bay serves as a habitat for approximately 300 species of birds. Birders venture to the site between November and March, when the creatures winter near the bay.[6] The endangered whooping crane, the largest bird in North America, is the most highly prized sight as only a few hundred remain,[7] including three families on St. Charles Bay.[1] The bird was near extinction in the early 20th century, as only two flocks between Canada and Texas remained. The population increased following the organization of the Aransas Migratory Waterfowl Refuge in 1937,[7] after the Federal government purchased the land of the St. Charles ranch from San Antonio oilman Leroy G. Denman, using funds from commemorative stamps.[8] The Refuge later became known as the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.[7] Whooping cranes are also protected by Goose Island State Park, which was established by the State of Texas in 1931.[9] Other birds that migrate to the bay include the sandhill crane, American white pelican, brown pelican, roseate spoonbill,[1] great blue heron and Canada goose.[2] The blue crab and other shellfish, help sustain the bird population.[7] Thirty seven species of mammals are found on Blackjack peninsula, including white-tailed deer, nine-banded armadillos and collared peccaries.[8] The spotted seatrout and redfish are the common finfish that reside in the bay. While trout are generally found in the bay's deeper waters, redfish live in shallow waters; their tail fins can be spotted above the surface during the peak summer and fall months.[10] The bay also supports a healthy population of American alligators, which reside in shallow waters.[11] Signs alert visitors to be careful.

Industry

During the 19th century

shrimping is prohibited due to the classification of St. Charles Bay as a nursery bay.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c d House, Marguerite (May 30, 2010). "Lamar, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  2. ^ a b "St. Charles Bay". GulfBase. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  3. ^ a b Hathcock, Pat (November 20, 2006). "A Garage Full of History". The Victoria Advocate. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  4. ^ Huson, Hobart (November 11, 2009). "Burgentine Creek". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  5. ^ a b c "Topographic Maps". Digital-Topo-Maps.com. Google. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  6. ^ "St. Charles Bay - TX". Paddling.net. December 2002. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  7. ^ a b c d "Whooping Crane". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. May 30, 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  8. ^ a b c Kleiner, Diana J. (May 30, 2010). "Aransas National Wildlife Refuge". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  9. ^ Long, Christopher (May 30, 2010). "Goose Island State Park". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  10. ^ Scates, Chuck; Phil H. Shook. "Fly Fishing the Texas Coast - St. Charles Bay". GORP.com. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  11. ^
    ISBN 978-1-932098-66-2
    .
  12. ISBN 978-0-292-75172-9
    .
  13. ^ "St. Charles Bay Hunting Club". St. Charles Bay Hunting Club. 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  14. ^ Scates, Chuck; Phil H. Shook. "St. Charles Bay". GORP.com. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  15. ^ "Classification of Shellfish Harvesting Areas of Copano, Aransas, Mesquite and Redfish Bays" (PDF). Texas Department of State Health Services. November 1, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  16. ^ "Recreational Fishing: Shrimp Regulations". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved 25 July 2010.

28°11′27″N 96°56′29″W / 28.190967°N 96.941299°W / 28.190967; -96.941299

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