Small Home – Big Yard

After arriving on April 1^st, our first full weekend on South Padre Island falls during Holy Week and as expected, the crowds are large and it becomes difficult to get into restaurants or even drive around the island. We’re once again parked in premium sites S19 & S20 at Isla Blanca park, with perfect views of the Brownsville Ship Channel and beyond to Boca Chica where SpaceX is building Starbase.

With “rumors” about a possible SpaceX launch within the next few weeks, we opt to take a trip over to Boca Chica so that we can see the progress including a fully stacked Starship. The total configuration is nearly 400 feet tall, the Super Heavy Booster at 230 feet and the Starship at 160 feet.  The booster combines 33 Raptor engines to produce more thrust than any other rocket ever built.  And with 6 additional Raptors under Starship, this vehicle is being developed to fly to the moon, mars and possibly beyond.

Spaceport, Boca Chica, TX, Starship on launch pad

During the first two weeks of our stay on the Island, friends from Colorado joined us for lots of fun meals, cocktails and exploring.  We had a great time BnB, hope we can do it again!  Perhaps the highlight of these first two weeks were two terrific birthday dinners.  We celebrated on Friday night the 7^th at a favorite, Dirty Al’s at Pelican Station, across the causeway bridge in Port Isabel.  And then on 14^th, we celebrated another birthday at Viva’s, a new restaurant on the Island in the location of the former Painted Marlin.  The Painted Marlin was always one of our favorites, and happy to report that Viva (same owners as Yummies Bistro) didn’t disappoint.

Isla Blanca RV Park, South Padre Island, TX

SpaceX finally confirms a possible launch window on the morning of April 17^th.  Roads are closed, airspace is regulated and a notice to mariners is issued for an area off the coast of Texas and Mexico as well as another area off the coast of Hawaii.  If all goes as planned, the Super Heavy Booster will burn for about 4 minutes, separate from the Starship and make a non-recoverable splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.  Meanwhile, Starship will continue around the globe, with a planned reentry and non-recoverable splashdown off the north coast of Hawaii.  However, just a few minutes prior to launch, this attempt is scrapped due to some type of valve issue.

SpaceX facilities from Isla Blanca, South Padre Island, TX

4/20, launch day!

Elon Musk has joked about a “4/20” launch for days, perhaps he’ll get his wish.  On the 19^th, it’s official – roads, airspace and marine areas are all once again ordered closed as SpaceX sets a launch date of 4/20/23.  This time, at 8:33AM, the massive rocket roars to life and begins it’s trip to orbit.  We’re exactly 5.1 miles due north of the launch pad, and it seems to take forever for the sound to catch up with the sight we’re seeing.  However, once it arrives, it’s an earth shaking rumble like nothing we’ve ever experienced.  It’s not all that loud, but you can tell immediately the beast has awakened and is slowly climbing into the Texas sky.

The ascent appears to go as planned, and in fact we lose sight of the rocket as it reaches nearly 25 miles high.  But, in the next moment, two huge explosions are visible as the onboard Flight Termination System detonates, resulting in the famous SpaceX euphemism, “Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly” or RUD.  As it turns out, the rocket had started end over end cartwheeling, the booster unable to separate from the Starship and losing control of trajectory management.  So, just 4 minutes into the flight of the largest rocket ever launched, it’s turned into a pile of rubble at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.  But, this is the way at SpaceX, Starship #25 and Booster #9 are already on site, ready to be stacked and hurtled toward space in the coming months.

Margaritaville, LandShark Bar and Grill, South Padre Island, TX

In addition to the excitement created by SpaceX, we’ve enjoyed a few new restaurants and of course returned to old favorites.  Perhaps the nicest new place is at the Margaritaville Beach Resort in the former Pearl Hotel.  The restaurant menu is filled with classic Jimmy Buffet favorites, and sits at the back of the resort with great indoor and outdoor beach side dining.  We also visited Longboard Bar & Grill several times – we think their food and selections are getting even better!  Meatballs Café for pizza and other Italian specialties was consistently great, as was Yummies Bistro – “the place” on the island for breakfast!

Longboard Bar & Grill, South Padre Island, TX

It’s now April 30^th and we’re packing up and will be returning to Harlingen for 3 nights.  On Wednesday we’ll head north, via Laredo, Del Rio, Big Spring and Amarillo.  From Amarillo we’re meeting friends at Lake Conchas State Park and will travel with them to Santa Fe before arriving home on the 14^th.  More from New Mexico!