In Prehistoric Times
Xiphactinus (sp. Xiphactinus audax)
Growing up to 20 feet in length with a voracious appetite and
bad table manners (the tendency to swallow its dinner whole),
Xiphactinus was an early Rockport native and one mean hombre.
It does somewhat resemble a Tarpon, but they’re actually not all
that related.
75 Million years ago Rockport was under water, as well as most of South Texas.
Anyone who’s washed down a water well in these parts will attest to finding exotic
seashells beginning at 45 feet below ground. At 65 to 85 feet down, you’ll normally
find a layer of blue-green clay, as well. In that clay you’ll find the shells of ancient sea
snails and bivalves, which is very good proof that the
locality that we call Rockport today was once at the
bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. And the local residents were all a bit fishy back in them good ‘ol days,
and a lot them were big or just big and mean, even.
So one might say that the fishing back then was
pretty good so long as one wasn’t mistaken for the
bait.
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