St. Charles Bay | |
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Location | Texas Gulf Coast |
Coordinates | 28°11′27″N 96°56′29″W / 28.190967°N 96.941299°W |
River sources | Cavasso Creek |
Ocean/sea sources | Gulf of Mexico |
Basin countries | United States |
Settlements | Lamar, Texas |
St. Charles Bay is an inlet of Aransas Bay in Aransas County, Texas. It is flanked by Lamar peninsula on the west and Blackjack peninsula on the east. The bay hosts a valued ecosystem for the endangered whooping crane, and is a prime location for birding and fishing. Goose Island State Park and the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge are located along the bay's shores, attracting nature enthusiasts year-round.
The nomadic Karankawa Indians used the bay for hunting before the arrival of Europeans, but no major human settlements were ever established. The unincorporated community of Lamar on Live Oak Peninsula is the only substantial community that borders the bay. The cities of Rockport and Fulton on the main Aransas Bay are located only a few miles away, and the bay is usually considered a part of the collective Rockport-Fulton area. The bay is roughly 150 miles (240 km) southeast of San Antonio and about 40 miles (64 km) northeast of Corpus Christi.