Outdoor media writers from Texas gathered in Rockport for the 23rd Annual Rockport-Fulton Spring Fling. Dozens of media, fishing guides, sponsors and tackle industry professionals joined together for three days to enjoy the fishing, cuisine and charm of the Rockport-Fulton

The kickoff was dinner at the Rockport Country Club where local seafood was consumed to rave reviews by all present. The following day saw many if not all busy fishing the world class waters of Rockport-Fulton. Being a real estate writer I wasn’t a member of the club, so I hid in the crowd and acted like an outdoor writer in my khaki pants, Columbia PFG shirt and fishing shades.

Fishing has long sparked the economy of the area and this year appears to be no different. In Texas the economic impact from saltwater fishing represents $1.7 billion in jobs, tax revenue, retail sales, and hospitality industry income(motel rooms, rentals and restaurants) and on down the line. The Rockport area has always gotten its fair share of the largesse due to its reputation as a world class fishing destination

Indeed among Texans, Rockport is one of the top known fishing areas in the state fished by many forgotten by few. As I poked around, rubbing elbows with the locals and the writers I inquired about any new developments in the area. I got a hot tip from one of the locals that the “outfit” building those developments over in Palacios were rumored to be considering a like development in Rockport. I decided to check those out and see what is in Rockport’s future.

WATERFRONT MARKETING, LLC is the developer. The Sanctuary and Beachside are the developments.
Cannonsgate, Skycroft,Palm Coast Plantation, Reflection Pointe and Water Ridge are all developments either previously done by Waterfront Marketing, LLC or developments in progress.

The first one I will visit is:
The Sanctuary at Costa Grande:
The Sanctuary at Costa Grande is one of the newest planned, gated Intracoastal communities on the Texas Gulf Coast. Located on the unspoiled eastern coast of Texas, approximately 125 miles from Houston and approximately 160 miles from San Antonio and Austin, nestled in nature, is a wildlife sanctuary with a lush array of diverse plants and animals - on land and in water. That’s a developers way of telling you it’s in Port O’Conner, Texas.

Marina building • Boat ramp and common area docks • Marina with 3 types of boat slips	Walking trails • Two Tennis courts • Clubhouse with pool	Pocket parks • Basketball court • Community mailbox stations • Boat and RV storage

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Then there is:
Beachside
Site clearing construction is underway on the first two phases of residential redevelopment of the former 1,200-acre Camp Hulen site in Palacios. This is the largest residential project ever planned in Matagorda County. Camp Hulen was a former Texas National Guard training camp and WW II military base that closed 60 years ago. Two sides of the site front Tres Palacios Bay and Turtle Bay.

Phase I of the residential redevelopment will be called "Beach Side". It will consist of 374 single-family residential homes, most of which will front on Tres Palacios Bay or Turtle Bay. Phase II will consist of interior canal front homes with water access to the two bays.

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I was unable to find out about their planned community in Rockport, Texas. You all check back with us in the near future and as soon as I find out the particulars I will let you know. If any of you is in the know about the proposed development by Waterfront in Rockport, please post a comment below and let us all know the skivvy.

Arriving back at Rockport, I was enjoying a noon Hemingway's Lunch Special when I pondered the rest of my day. An older gentleman was at the next table when I inquired of the waitress of something to do. He with asked me “Have you seen the tree”? Now I won’t go into what was going through my mind when he asked that question, but he went on to explain that Goose Island State Park was the home of probably the most famous tree in the whole world and that I would be a fool to leave Rockport without going out to the park to see the tree. Needless to say after the wonderful Hemmingway lunch and a few glasses, I decided he was right. I needed to see the tree before leaving. I had a new mission.

Now we are not talking about just any run of the mill tree we are talking a tree that's more than a thousand years old. When Cynan ap Hywel as Prince of Wales was ending his reign in 1008 this tree was just sprouted.

It's called the big tree, a huge oak, growing in Goose Island State Park across Copano Bay north of Rockport. Park curators say it's one of the oldest and most famous Live Oak trees in the world.

The pride of Texas and the state's oldest living thing, the Big Tree is considered to be the icon of Goose Island State Park in Aransas County. The Coastal Live Oak tree is more than a thousand years old, one of the oldest trees in America. It is 44 feet tall. It has a circumference of more than 35 feet wide and a crown spread of 90 feet.