Port Mansfield East Cut and Padre Island Beach Cleanup

Miller and Kathie Bassler, founders and organizers of the Port Mansfield East Cut and Padre Island Beach Cleanup, have announced Saturday, June 5, 2021 for the twelfth running of this commendable event. Covid precautions precluded staging the event in 2020. This means an usually heavy load of trash has washed ashore and accumulated along the banks and jetties of the East Cut and adjacent Padre Island beach. Normally conducted annually, the call for volunteers to assist in cleaning these waterways is therefore more fervent for the June 5 event than ever before.

“As always, we welcome volunteers with and without boats as the program begins at the Port Mansfield Chamber Pavilion at 7:00 AM on Saturday for breakfast, safety briefing, and marching orders. Many Mansfield fishing guides and other Port Mansfield businesses have participated in the past along with other volunteer boat captains to transport workers to the work areas and these have been a true blessing and the cornerstone of our success,” said Miller Bassler.

Bassler also mentioned the need for four-wheel-drive truck owners willing to drive the PINS beach from Corpus Christi to the East Cut. “Getting the trash from the East Cut and beach back up to PINS headquarters for disposal is always a logistical challenge. We are very grateful for the volunteers who make the 62-mile trek down the beach and back up, pulling trailers filled with bags of trash.”

Schedule of June 5 Cleanup Activities

-Breakfast at Chamber Pavilion 7:00 AM. Volunteers are assigned to captains and provided sack lunch with plenty of drinking water.

-Transport to work area

-Off the beach by 3:00 PM for transport back to Chamber Pavilion

-Dinner is provided for all volunteers at Pelican’s Pub Saturday evening.

This is a family event and a great opportunity to teach youngsters the importance of stewardship of natural resources. Scout Troops, science clubs, and any other community service groups are welcome to join. We will also be joined by a newly-organized group, Costa Cleanups, led by Tonya Tallard. This group will focus on the south side of the jetties and beach back toward South Padre where all transportation will be via four-wheel-drive trucks.

Please mark your calendar and join in this effort. Plan a few days of vacation following the cleanup to enjoy the great fishing and relaxation that is so wonderful and unique to Port Mansfield.

For more information: Kathie Bassler – [email protected] – 979-204-5185

 Miller Bassler – [email protected] – 979-324-5555

Tonya Tallard – [email protected]