Wednesday January 27, 2016 Corpus Cristi

Before leaving Padre Island we went to Corpus Cristi to see the Texas State Aquarium and the aircraft carrier USS Lexington.

The aquarium had  exhibits on local sea life from the Gulf, including the the role the oil rigs have played on forming underwater ecosystems, the invasive lionfish and the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle. If you catch a lionfish, there are restaurants that will cook it up for you!

Sea turtle at Texas State Aquarium

Comb jellies always put on a good show!

Flight deck of the Lexington

The aircraft carrier Lexington was constructed at the Quincy Ship Yard in Quincy, Massachusetts and commissioned in 1943. During its construction it was learned that the previous ship "Lexington" had been lost in the Coral Sea, so the new aircraft carrier was named the "Lexington" to replace the lost ship.
The Lexington saw major action in the Pacific and became known as the "Blue Ghost" because it was reported sunk four times by "Tokyo Rose", but yet kept re-appearing!

South Padre Island  across Laguna Madre

Now we are headed to South Padre Island, the most southern point in Texas.