Around 10:00 Saturday, our 10th morning at the Gulf Islands National Seashore campground, National Park Service rangers began knocking on doors bearing bad news: everyone has to pack up and leave before 4:00 this afternoon. The campground is closed indefinitely due to lack of funding. Yes, Kat and I were evicted from our paid for in advance campsite.
This was disappointing if not unexpected. And we have enjoyed ten days here while riding out two winter storms. It has to be much more disappointing for our camp neighbors who arrived Friday night and worse yet for those early risers who drove hundreds of miles only to be turned away at the gate.
Despite plentiful fake news to the contrary, most if not all Federally-owned campgrounds are closed as part of Trump’s S***hole Shutdown. You may be allowed to drive through some National Parks, but word is law enforcement will remove any who try to sleep in their campgrounds. It’s bad enough to have to listen to “alternate facts”; living them is just plain nasty.
Luckily for us there is a nice quiet Airstream-only campground 50 miles north of Fort Pickens. We will hang out there in Mystic Springs Cove until later this week when we drive to south Louisiana. We’ll find a state park to camp in, and after that we’re off to a public utility’s camp near College Station. And then? A Corps of Engineers camp is penciled in, but unless funding has been restored, that one will be closed. The Turtle, Ryan, and Drumpf have taken the fun out of dysfunctional government.
Now for the good news: we have been eating well and have visited some lovely beaches. There was one warm sunny day during our stay and Kat’s pictures will describe them. Delicacies consumed include Coquilles St. Jacques, Clam Linguine, Bienville, half-shell and some Garlicky Cheese Oysters, pan crusted sea bass, swordfish with peppercorns, boiled shrimp, perfectly fried calamari, and garlic pepper broiled crabs. We discovered Royal Red shrimp — salty, delicate, and almost as sweet as crab meat. During this afternoon’s rainstorm we will stir up a batch of seafood gumbo starring shrimp, blue crabs, and oysters.
Life is good, unless you’re on the ballot in November.
Life on the Blue Highways 
I was wondering how you all were faring with the shutdown. Good to know you had a happy alternative and hope you have settled in at Mystic Springs Cove.
Loving the photos, too.
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Not well, but better than most. That’s the best face I can put on it.
Jackson
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This article popped up in my inbox today. Thought I’d share it here.
https://www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/the-souths-best-doughnuts/
Obviously, the link here is not about seafood, but there is always room for dessert or a sweet treat. 🙂
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Looks delicious but our route takes us near none of those. And when you pull a big trailer … you look for YUGE parking lots so you can get in, park, then get out. And yo, let’s face it: I’m fat already… savin’ my calories for Chicken and Waffles!
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Of which there are a couple options in Aggieland! Since joining the SEC they’re a common menu item. I make them at the house too, now I’m hungry!
-Chicken n Waffle Conoisseur
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Do people put syrup on the chicken, or just the waffle?
Pops
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I assume the federal campgrounds are open again since the shutdown is over, but sorry this had to happen to you (and one other RVer I know who was in a COE campground in Florida and also evicted during the shutdown). Love your line “Life is good, unless you’re on the ballot in November.” Perfect!
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Hah! They are all open again and yet worried about the next possible shutdown: Feb. 8. We will be in non-Federal campgrounds until Feb. 18 when our plan is to spend a couple of weeks on a Texas lake at a Corps of Engineers campsite. One might think US Army projects would be exempt as is most military spending, but Corps camps closed earlier this month and will close again.
Knowledgeable commentators tend to think a second shutdown will be fight to the death between a big boa constrictor and a YUGE gator … will take days if not weeks to reach a verdict.
Bring on November!
Thanks for hanging with us, Em.
Jackson
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Having a _Life on the Blue Highways_ withdrawal. Need a new post, stat! 😉 😀
Hope you all are well and look forward to seeing your next story and photos.
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