Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 28, 1995 Page: 3 of 14
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Pow i Aransas South Jetty
... ..........- J5B
Island Life
Thursday, December 28, 1995 PAGE 3
Gladiator participates in
», ' ‘ /
’Exercise Drumstick ’95’
Cold caroling
When Port Aransas residents
went caroling afloat aboard
Duke and Island Queen on
Saturday, Dec. 23, they had a
cold boat ride. In top photo,
carolers get ready to sing old
and favorite Christmas car-
ols. Lower photo shows carol-
ers, armed with their hot
chocolate and coffee going
aboard Island Queen. The
event was jointly sponsored
by the Rotary Club and Cham-
ber of Commerce/Tourist Bu-
reau. The choir from Commu-
nity Presbyterian Church led
the caroling.
Santa, carolers, birds, dophins
come through for Christmas ’96
Bv Bill Lehmann
‘Cub reporter’
Santacame through! Carolers afloat
floated! Dolphins and birds dove and
flew!
In short. Port Aransas Christmas
1995 worked!
Some 200 kids of all ages showed
up at the Community Center Friday,
Dec. 22, to tell Santa their desires.
Santa’s helpers — our own Port
Aransas High School chcerli
sa'Y.wui ihatfiYcry kid rpcsj
of presents and a great red apple.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Firetruck suc-
cessfully brought Santa and his help-
ers right on time, scaring unwary mo-
torists who rightly pulled over to the
side for the sirens and hon-n-nk-k-k-s.
Santa promised to come back next
year if all the kids promised to be
good. However, kids over 60 must
bring a note Trom their parents next
year if they want to talk to Santa.
Saturday, Dec. 23, some 80 to 90
carolers boarded the Duke and Island
Queen to serenade Port Aransas With
Christmas carols. The Coast Guard
Station Port Aransas boat, lit up like a
Christmas tree, guided the fleet through
the hazardous Port Aransas harbor
successfully. Two UFO’s (unidenti-
fied floating objects) joined the pro-
i,and we think we heard them
pre not sure in what
language. The Coast Guard Rescue
Boat followed discreetly in case any
carolers fell overboard. None fell, but
several almost froze. All were revived
and warmed up by Coast Guard Chief
Petty Officer James Stanbro’s hot co-
coa after the fleet found its way back
to Roberts Point Park with the help of
Harbormaster Kurt Requarth who
TaaBSsss*
The Island Agenda is available flee of charge to
non-profit organizations of Port Aransas for an-
nouncements of their meetings and special events.
Call 749-5131 before 12 noon each Tuesday to be
included.
♦ Daily: flee trolley service, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
from Roberts Point Park to the airport. Maps,
schedules available at Tourist Bureau.
28 Thursday
• Marlin Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament opens, 9 a.m. See story,
schedule for details.
• Women's Alcoholics Anonymous open discussion, 8 p.m., parlor,
Trinity-by-thc-Sea Episcopal Church, 403 Trojan.
• Adult tennis just for fun, 7:30 a.m., high school tennis courts on Station
Street.
•UTMSI movies 11 a.m.. Mystery of the Laguna Madre, 30 min.; 3 p.m..
If Dolphins Could Talk, 60 min. (Movies may be substituted or canceled at
short notice.)
• Rotary Club, 12 noon, Pelican's Landing Restaurant.
• Bingo by EMS Auxiliary, 7 p.m.. Community Center.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, step meeting, 8 p.m.,Trinity-by-the-Sea Epis-
copal Church, 403 Trojan at Avenue E. 749-4848. *
29 Friday
• Marlin Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament continues, 9 a.m. See
story, schedule for details.
• Adult tennis for fun, 7:30 a.m„ high school tennis courts.
• Low impact aerobics, 8 a.m ., Pollock Center.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Trinily-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church,
403 Trojan. 749-4848.
30 Saturday
• Final day of competition in Marlin Holiday Classic Basketball Tourna-
ment, 9 a.m. Sec story, schedule for details.
• Bingo games by Ladies Fire Auxiliiry resume, 7 p.m.. Community
Center.
• Adult tennis far fun, 7:30 a.m., high school tennis courts.
• Alcoholics Anonymous candlelight meeting, 10:30 p.m., Trinity-by-
the-Sea Episcopal Church, Trojan at Ave. E. 749-4848 Meetings are
smoke-free.
1 January 1996, Monday
Jlappp jBeto |Jear!
2 January 1996, Tuesday
• Adult tennis for fun, 7:30 a.m., high school tennis courts.
• UTMSI movies 11 am, ATidatFIai and its Ecosystem, 20mln.; 3p.m.,
Estuary, 12 min. (Movies may be substituted or canceled at short notice.)
• Alcoholics Anonymous. 12 ixx)tLTrinUy-hy-lhc-SeaEpiscopa|Chuicl
403 Trojan. 749 4848. Meetings are smoke-free.
3 January 1996, Wednesday
• Adult tennis for fun, 7:30 a.m., high school courts.
• Low impact aerobics, 8 a.m., Pollock Center.
• Alcoholics Anonymous, 12noon,Trinity-by-the-SeaEpiscopaLChurch,
403 Trojan. 749-4848. Meetings are smokc-frec.
• UTMSI movies 11 a.m., The Worlds Bck>w, 22 min.; 3 p.m., Texas
Brown Shrimp, 10 min. (Movies may be substituted or canceled at short
notice.)
blinked the Christmas lights to guide
us home. Community Presbyterian
Church choir director Naomi Fucik
said “Let’s do it again next year!”.
Finally, on Christmas Eve, Sunday,
Dec. 24, some two dozen hardy souls
boarded the Duke for a two-hour lour
of the channels and harbor. Some 15
or 16 dolphins (it was hard to count
them all) entertained us in a feeding
frenzy in the Lydia Ann Channel where
they enjoyed the*; Christmas dinner..
Pelicans and cormorants and even a
couple of roseate spoonbills in the''
distance put on an air show we shall
long remember—those of us who did
not freeze, that is.
If we are not run out of town, the
Port Aransas Rotary Club and the
Chamber of Commerce-Tourist Bu-
reau invite the community to Christ-
mas in Port Aransas — 19%.
Trash men get day
off on New Year’s
Residents are reminded there will
be no garbage pickup New Year’s
Day (Monday, Jan. 1).
Trash was collected today (Thurs-
day, Dec. 28) and will be picked up
next on Thursday, Jan. 4, when the
regular schedule will resume.
Unpaid fines may
lead to no driving
Continued from Pace One
fenses. Itallows a justice or municipal
court to suspend a driver’s license for
failure to appear or a default in pay-
ment of a fine for a misdemeanor
punishable by a fine only. The law
applies to persons under the age of 17
when the offense was committed.
Adults and minors who have missed
court appearances or haven ’ t paid fines
for traffic violations and who want to
continue driving, should pay up be-
fore Jan. 1 or face the possibility oi
having their drivers’ licenses pulled.
By Lt. (j.o.) J.M. Scott
Naval Station Inoleside
USS Gladiator (MCM 11) was the
first mine countermeasures ship since
Operation Desert Storm to participate
in airborne m me sweeping operations.
“Exercise Drumstick ’95" took
place in late November in the Gulf of
Mexico. During the exercise. Gladia-
tor and the HM-15 Blackhawks, a
MH-53E squadron based in Alameda,
Calif., worked together to tow a MK
103/MK 2 (G) mine sweeping sys-
tem.
The MH-53E is the most powerful
helicopter in the U.S. inventory and
the most capable airborne mine coun-
termeasures platform in the world.
With three jet engines, the helicopter
is capable of towing mechanical,
acoustic and magnetic sweep gear, or
a side-scan sonar.
Gladiator, the 11th ship of the
Avenger mine countermeasures class,
is home ported in Ingleside.
Gladiator's primary mission is to
reduce mine threats by sweeping or
hunting the mines. Mine sweeping
involves towing mechanical gear be-
hind the ship, either cutting a tethered
mine cable or causing a bottom mine
to detonate.
Mine hunting involves the use of a
highly sensitive sonar to locate mines,
then launching a remote controlled,
submersible vehicle to neutralize
them. —,
During “Drumstick ’95,” Gladia-
tor streamed the helicopter’s mine
sweeping system behind the ship. The
helicopter system is a relatively light-
weight version of the gear the MCMs
use. After being fully deployed, the
gear was transferred to the first of two
MH-53E helicopters from HM-15.
The transfer was accomplished by
positioning the helicopter astern of
the ship, lowering a grappling hook,
and then crossing the stem, literally
“snagging”-the gear from behind the
ship.
The maneuver sounds simple, but
hovering the huge helicopter less than
100 feet above and behind the ship,
counteracting the effects of wind and
the movements of the ship, is very
difficult
Once the helicopter had control of
the towed gear, the ship maneuvered
away and followed fora while, before
repositioning for recovery.
In order to transfer the mine sweep-
ing system back to Gladiator, the
helicopter lowered the towline over
the ship’s fan tail, where it was grabbed
by crew members, wrapped around
the drum of mine sweeping winch,
and hauled aboard.
For Boatswain ’ s Mate Chief Randy
Rasely, the chief petty officer in charge
of the evolution, and the rest of the
faniail crew, handling gear in the 140
knotdownwash of the helicopter, with
sea spray and waves crashing against
the ship, and the deafening roar of the
three-engined monster above was an
unforgettable experience.
Tensions were high on the ship’s
bridge as well - Lt. (j.g.) Jeff Scott,
officer of the deck, and Ensign Kevin
Jankowski, the junior officer of the
deck, were responsible for the safe
and successful completion of the evo-
lution.
Theexeicise went remarkably well,
and both ship’s company and the he-
licopter squadron personnel learned a
great deal about successful coordina
tion between sea and airborne mine
sweeping unit.
With HM-15 and another helicop-
ter mine countermeasures squadron
moving to South Texas, this kind of
operation will soon be a frequent oc-
currence.
„ The
"Venetian Hot Plate"...
Wishes all a
Happy & Prosperous New Year.
We will reopen Januaty 5, 19% at 5 p.m.
Corner of Beach & Station St.
(512) 749-7617
Classic Rock To Country
Open Daily 12 Noon
Party at
For information call Sharkey's
730 Trout, Port Aransas, Texas 749-4254
ACCOUNTANT
•Small Business Accounting
•Payrolls • Income Tax
•General Accounting Services
ROBERT SPEIRS 749-6997
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
FISHING TEXAS $12."
Beautiful color illuitralioni, useful detain
about Tcxai fish, lOO'i of valuable tipi,
handy guide to angling baiica, aport-fiihing
regulations and slate/world records for all
species.
South Jetty 141W. Cotter
I HOIK
The Bird's Nest
1305 S. Alister (2 blocks south of Ave. G) Port Aransas
9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday - Saturday
(512) 749-4554
We Use
Kodak r
Decorative Bird Houses Hummingbird Feeders
Cameras Bird Books Matted photos
Bring in your holiday photos
and enjoy your prints in 1 Hour!
ALL NEW Sunday Champagne Brunch
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Jazz Guitarist "Bruno"
* Breakfast Buffet Sat. & Sun. beginning at 8 a.m
Dinner Mon. - Thura 5 - 9 p.m . Fri. A Sat 6 -10 p m.. Closed Sunday Night
Undtr Nm Uantganml
Make Reservations Now
for New Years Eve
Closed Dec. 18-27
■[•JE1
(+13SR
mu mm uiiiimiii
7 miles south ot Pott Aransas on Hwy 361
(512)749-5011
Directory of Services
AMERICAN CAB &
TRANSPORTATION
a division ol Padre Island Shuttle, Inc.
t -
MASTERCARD 8 VISA
749-5589
ToH Free Dial 1 800-543-6467
Half Fast
Machine Shop
Hydraulic Crane
For Rent
15 ft. - 60 ft. boom
749-6491
Dr. Floyd Garrett, DVM, MPH, of Island Animal Clinic treats
Selena, with the help of owner Mariea McGill. The full service
animal clinic offers grooming by Linda, boarding and healthy
pet food. Island Animal Clinic Is at 319 Beach St. in Port
Aransas. To reach the clinic, call 749-4134.
Half Fast
Machine
Shop
Winch Truck and
Haul-out Service
216 W. Ave. A 749-6491
Grooming by Linda
Boarding
Pet Food & Supplies
ISLAND ANIMAL CLINIC
Dr. Floyd Garrett Dw, Mph
Full service animal clinic
319 Beach St. 512-749-4134
Port Aransas, TX 78373
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Judson, Mary. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 28, 1995, newspaper, December 28, 1995; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth623472/m1/3/?q=%22%22~1&rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.