On Saturday, November 23rd, 2002 a deep blue, cloudless sky beckoned us once more to make the attempt. The previous night I had plotted a course using AeroPlanner.com that would take us over Goose Island State Park and would include a landing at Mustang Beach Airport. This route was downloaded to my Garmin GPSMAP 196.

With a departure time of 11am, I requested a standard weather briefing over the Internet (using Cirrus software to connect to DUATs). The weather outlook was very encouraging!

After a thorough preflight, we departed Stinson at approximately 11:45am (our plane was a few minutes late), fully fueled and excited about the great potential for capturing some beautiful images of the ocean from the air.

We climbed to a cruising altitude of 3,500 feet and received flight following the entire trip thanks to the generosity of San Antonio approach, Houston Center and Corpus Christi approach. The added pair of "electronic eyes" was a welcome addition for helping us spot traffic enroute. During the 1-hour flight we picked up a couple of traffic advisories. We also passed near Karnes County Airport and Goliad Industrial Airpark.

A 10-knot tailwind provided an enroute flight time of just under an hour. Minutes before, our vision was already making out the coastline; miles and miles of earth that suddenly give way to an endless ocean.

The visibility was excellent and the flight was smooth. We could not ask for better conditions! As we made our final approach to Mustang Beach Airport, we noticed a small fishing boat below us and it's occupants standing on the deck watching us come in for landing. It was so cool! The experience of landing on a runway just a few feet away from the ocean was a visual feast.

We tied down the airplane at Mustang Beach and passed up a free ride on the Port Aransas trolley (a great service but we were short on time). We walked a short distance to a Circle K and bought a couple of sodas.

But we did not want to be earthbound for long! We were eager to get back into the air to take some photos along the coastline. Moments later, we were taking off from Mustang Beach to make an over flight of Goose Island State Park.

Corpus Approach provided VFR traffic advisories as we headed north, passing Aransas Co. Airport at Rockport, TX. We circled over Goose Island for some photos and then flew back south along the coastline enjoying the amazing view from 2,500 feet (which feels like 10,000 feet when you're literally at SEA LEVEL!!).

Shannon spotted a Coast Guard chopper low and slow over the beach and Corpus Approach pointed out an airplane departing Rockport (in case you haven't noticed….I'm a big fan of flight following…YOU SHOULD BE TOO….)

Unfortunately, we could not stay at the coast forever and before long we were making our way back, GPS direct, to Stinson Municipal with huge smiles and a compact flash card full of digital images (Shannon was "breaking in" her new Canon D60 digital camera).

The end of another fun-filled flight was at hand, but the memories are still with us and all but demand a return trip!!

Final for Runway 12, Mustang Beach Airport (2R8) - Port Aransas, Texas

In less than an hour, we're at the coast - tied down at Mustang Beach Airport (2R8)!

Climbing out of Mustang Beach Airport, a glimpse of the Texas coastline appears!

RV Camping and fishing pier at Goose Island State Park near Rockport, Texas.

Returning home, we pass by beautiful Corpus Christi Bay at nearly 3,000 feet.