Whimsical Wednesday: Texas-style Treasure Hunts

Roughly a year ago, I told you about the passion that Dan and I share for treasure hunting. In fact, over the past decade, we've experienced an assortment of treasure hunts, from gold-panning in northern California to diamond-digging in southwestern Arkansas. Of course, our most memorable excursions have taken place on South Padre Island, the budget-friendly barrier island near the southern tip of the Lone Star State. Although we've never stumbled upon a Spanish galleon filled with oodles of misplaced jewels, we've certainly found some interesting items in the sand dunes and tidal flats north of town, usually in the company of local historian Steve Hathcock. Such adventures have been on my mind a lot lately, perhaps since searching for Petoskey stones along the shores of Lake Michigan a few weeks ago. As with many of the items found on South Padre, Petoskey stones have more figurative worth than monetary value, but they sure are fun to find. So, although I look forward to our next treasure-hunting adventure – or should I say misadventure? – on South Padre Island, it's comforting to know that plenty of locales offer their own share of hunt-worthy features. After all, the hunt should matter more than the find itself... uh, right?