Salty Stories
The island town of Port Aransas has a personality all its own. The clock ticks a bit slower, the seaworn wood you see isn’t artificial, and the people you meet aren’t reading from a script. The locals call this convergence of authentic Port A character and culture “salty."
Meet some of the people who continue to make Port Aransas more than a beach destination.
This is their island, and these are their Salty Stories.
There are endless stories to tell and characters to meet in Port Aransas. Go beachcombing with Jace Tunnell. Cruise aboard a dolphin tour with lighthouse keeper Billy Gaskins. Take a look back at Port A’s progression with Georgia & Duncan Neblett. And hear how Ben & Mary Ann Frishman found a community at their home away from home.
The latest edition of Salty Stories is coming soon.
Jace Tunnell
The gulf tide is a source of relaxation for so many in Port Aransas, and what washes ashore gives hints at stories that span the globe. Jace Tunnell of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi started producing videos to share these stories through beachcombing. These videos—with finds including marine life, messages in a bottle, and nurdles—now inspire the next generation of marine scientists.
“Our ultimate goal is to get people interested in what’s in the Gulf of Mexico because if they are interested, they can start caring, and if they care, that leads to conservation.”
Georgia & Duncan Neblett
Investing themselves in their community comes as second nature for Georgia and Duncan Neblett. They’ve been doing so for over four decades, hand in hand each step of the way. The Nebletts have held crucial titles in Port Aransas, including Municipal Judge, Justice of the Peace, Marine Science Advisory Council member, President of the PTA, school board president, Mayor, stay-at-home mom, grandma and grandpa, and many more. Hear from this Port A power couple on the changes they've observed and what they love about the island they proudly call home.
“Without us working together, whatever we may have individually achieved, I don’t know that it would have been possible for either one of us to get where we were without the other.”
Billy Gaskins
The Port Aransas lighthouse has always been the backdrop for Billy Gaskins' life in Port Aransas. While growing up, the lighthouse was a reference point for fishing, boating, dolphin sightings, and his daily life. Little did he know, he would become the owner of a dolphin-watching tour and reside in that very lighthouse as its keeper. Today, Billy works to maintain the iconic lighthouse and creates lasting memories for all ages aboard his dolphin tours that keep them coming back to Port Aransas for more.
“So, my dad had a boat. We’d go fishing in his boat, and we’d always anchor up right over there, right across from the lighthouse. Never would have thought I’d be living out here.”
Mary Ann & Ben Frishman
Mary Ann and Ben Frishman are second and third-generation Port A visitors who view their island beach home as their creative refuge. See why they anchor their traditions and choose Port Aransas time and time again for a creative reset.
“This is the way I grew up in Port Aransas—on the beach, with the dunes fluttering in the background, rolling around in the sand, and enjoying family time for days on end.”
More Salty Stories
Brittany & Magen
How two women dedicate their lives to inspiring future generations of girls in a male dominated sport.
Dee Wallace
How a world championship fisherman choose to set down roots in the Fishing Capital of Texas
Winton’s Candy
How glimmering candy wrappers and tempered chocolates brings nostalgia to thousands of visitors.
The Owens Family
How love at first sight grew into one of Port Aransas’ most successful stories.
Farley Boats
How a simplified boat design laid the cornerstone for the entire town of Port Aransas.
Podcasts
The island town of Port Aransas has a personality all its own. The locals call it “salty," and there’s no better word to describe the seaside authenticity you can only find in Port A. Now you can hear straight from the people who have made this island what it is today. This is who we are and these are our stories, our “Salty Stories.”