Oso Bay paddling trail named after beloved and adventurous biologist

Kayakers can set out on a new paddling trail on Oso Bay this spring that is accessible from the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi campus.

The Ron R. Smith Memorial Paddling Trail was named in memory of a biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and one of the founding members of the Texas Paddling Trail Program.

Smith developed the program to teach others to love the outdoors through paddling and fishing in the Coastal Bend. The trail features two distinct paths: a 5-mile loop south from the access point to the South Padre Island Drive freeway and a 2-mile circular eastward.

Both are accessible from the looped trail and Turtle Cove parking area on the TAMU-CC campus although parking fees may apply.

TAMU-CC, which initiated a cooperative effort with TPWD to develop the trail in Smith's honor, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday on the university's campus.

Family, friends and colleagues attended to share stories and adventures they had in scouting and navigating paddling trails with Smith in the early days of the program, laying the groundwork for an immersive and safe outdoor experience for people to enjoy today.

"Ron was well-known for his love of the outdoors. It was a love and passion he shared with others as he encouraged them to get out into nature and to get onto the water," Dr. Kelly Miller, president of TAMU-CC, said.

"His unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship left an indelible mark throughout the state of Texas. For those reasons and so many more, it only seems fitting that this trail is named in his honor," Miller said.

She recalled the "many happy years" that Smith spent on the campus as a student studying coastal ecosystems, earning his master of science degree in 1996 and going on to serve as coordinator for the university's wetland program before starting at TPWD in 1999.

Melissa Parker, river conservation program leader with TPWD, remembered embarking with Smith on the paddling trail and Nueces River and encountering logjams and even alligators and how he would laugh and throw his head back fearlessly.

Some of the guests worked with Smith in the TPWD Fisheries Division, including Craig Bonds, the organization's chief operating officer and inland fisheries division director.

Bonds recalled how Smith compiled the first webpage displaying river access points on the TPWD website, managed the angler recognition program, colloquially known as "fish records," and coordinated all the public outreach programs. He worked tirelessly and put in extra effort to set up exhibits.

"At the end of the day, he'd be drenched in sweat, but with a big grin on his face knowing that he sparked an interest or a sense of wonder in people about our wild things and wild places," Bonds said. "He had a passion for the mission that oozed out of him, and he had a pure public service heart."

David Yoskowitz, executive director of TPWD, recalled the time that both he and Smith spent on the TAMU-CC property and how it influenced the work they did for Texas parks and wildlife and the community.

"Ron was a dedicated conservationist," he said. "He wanted to make a lasting impact, he wanted to preserve the best of Texas' cultural and natural heritage, and he wanted people to get outdoors. The Texas Paddling Trail will be not only for the students here on campus but anyone looking for the opportunity to get out on the water and enjoy themselves."

The new paddling trail is the 82nd official paddling trail in Texas. There are currently 80 trails offering kayaking routes, but the partnership between TAMU-CC and TPWD signifies the first trail to be certified in the coastal bend in the last 25 years.

Since the program started in 1996, more than 660 miles of paddling trail have been identified and mapped on Corpus Christi's lakes, rivers, bays and estuaries with 145 put-in and takeout points for kayaks.

Float times range from one to three hours depending on the route taken, water levels and wind speed, as well as how much time boaters want to spend birdwatching for great blue herons, reddish egrets, pelicans, ducks and roseate spoonbills among the shallow waters and tidal flats of Oso Bay.

The water can be shallow in Oso Bay, so paddlers are advised to check the tide before heading out. Among the fish that swim in the paddling trail are red drum, black drum and spotted seatrout.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Oso Bay paddling trail honors Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist